Le Zarafe

At the top of a scenic hill in the charming town of Caltabellotta, Sicily, nestled amongst groves of family owned olive trees, you’ll find the stunning Le Zarafe country villa. The family-owned proprietors, Loretta & Stefano, run a top notch Sicilian oasis, but they don’t do it alone. Loretta’s brother, sister, and adorable 7 year-old niece, Matilda, all pitch in. The property offers an included full farmhouse breakfast, ample private & secure on-site free parking, air conditioned well appointed villa rooms with comfort foam bed toppers and abundant pillows. There’s even a small in-room refrigerator to keep road-trip bottled waters and afternoon snacks ice cold. My visit was at the end of June 2025, and there was nothing more refreshing than a cool dip in the pristine pool & and an afternoon nap on the pool chaise lounge beneath the umbrella’s shade. Reading the property’s reviews is what drew me in to book my 2-night stay. Touring Sicily via rental car, free on-site, safe & secure parking was paramount. The reviews also mentioned that you had the option to pay for a home cooked authentic Sicilian dinner right on property. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay from the wine menu. Turns out it was not a glass. It was a full bottle. I only had two glasses, but that was plenty. I was first served a little welcome bowl with about six of their homegrown olives, giant, huge, beefy olives from last year‘s harvest topped with their own delicious olive oil and some light oregano seasonings they were awesome. The next course was a sampler of traditional Sicilian appetizers. One was eggplant based with supple sweet and savory flavors. The 2nd, tender yellow bell peppers with egg, and the 3rd, petite sliced Sicilian zucchini incredible. The appetizer course was accompanied by homemade, hot-from-the-oven rolls. A basket of two white & one wheat just for me! The third course was homemade pasta with an incredible red sauce and fresh grated ricotta cheese with just picked basil sprig garnish. A gorgeous presentation, exquisite flavor, and taste. I thought dessert would be next, but there was another course of food. This next corse was my all-time favorite thin flat Sicilian sea scallops topped with pancetta with a single leaf of sage pinned to each scallop with a wooden toothpick. Stunning presentation and the flavor combination was amazing! I was then asked if I wanted to have a dessert platter of assorted fruits and cheeses. I was too full, so Loretta brought me a simple slice of cold sweet summer watermelon. “Spettacolare!”

Amazing place to stay- accommodation is very comfortable,and the tasty food easily matches best restaurants in the area. Make sure to call in advance,as you cannot just show up for dinner. Agriturismo is very easy to reach from the main road.