Simpson Travel Sicily 2017 Final€¦ · and boutique hotel operator, has introduced a brand new...
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SIMPSON TRAVEL INTRODUCES FIRST EVER SICILY PROGRAMME 13 March 2017 Simpson Travel (020 8003 6557, www.simpsontravel.com), the specialist, independent, luxury villa and boutique hotel operator, has introduced a brand new collection of villas in Sicily for 2017. Adding to its existing Italian portfolio, the operator is now offering a choice of beautiful villas in and around the small town of Cefalù, on Sicily’s northern coast. With properties ranging from a spectacular hillside villa overlooking the incredible coastline, to a stylish waterside loft apartment in the heart of Cefalù itself and from a beautiful farmhouse in easy reach of the Madonie National Park to a fabulous converted monastery, the collection offers guests the chance to enjoy the best of this lovely region, with its perfect combination of coast, culture and countryside. Commenting, Graham Simpson, Simpson Travel says: ‘We’re delighted to be adding Sicily to our ever-expanding choice of destinations. It ticks all the boxes for a Simpson client, with beautiful beaches, unspoilt coastline and countryside to explore and the properties we’ve selected are in great settings, all with wonderful views and most with private pools. With parts of the island on the same latitude as the North African coast, it’s also the perfect place to find the sun – for longer. We have a dedicated, knowledgeable team on hand to talk clients through the destination, and we look forward to introducing Simpson Travel clients to this wonderful part of the world.’ The programme currently centres around the former fishing village of Cefalù. With its medieval streets and pretty squares set against the dramatic backdrop of a giant rock – La Rocca – it was a location in Giuseppe Tornatore’s iconic film Cinema Paradiso. The commune has a fascinating history, with a cathedral dating back to 1131, built by one of Sicily’s Norman rulers, Roger II, its interior featuring gleaming Byzantine mosaics, considered one of Sicily’s greatest attractions. There are also various Norman ruins and a romantic monolithic shrine: The Temple of Diana. In its narrow streets visitors can enjoy lovely pavement cafés and restaurants, with a choice of cuisine reflecting the many cultures that have influenced life along this stretch of coastline. There is also an array of beaches to choose from. One of the most popular, thanks to its fabulous setting, is that of Cefalù town itself. Overlooked by the Cathedral-dominated skyline and towering La Rocca beyond, you can step off the beach and be right in the heart of the Old Town. For those who prefer to be a little more off the beaten track, a string of idyllic beaches can be found within a short drive, offering long stretches of sandy and pebbles along with sparklingly clean water.
Transcript of Simpson Travel Sicily 2017 Final€¦ · and boutique hotel operator, has introduced a brand new...
SIMPSONTRAVELINTRODUCESFIRSTEVERSICILYPROGRAMME
13March2017
SimpsonTravel(02080036557,www.simpsontravel.com),thespecialist,independent,luxuryvillaandboutiquehoteloperator,hasintroducedabrandnewcollectionofvillasinSicilyfor2017.AddingtoitsexistingItalianportfolio,theoperatorisnowofferingachoiceofbeautifulvillasinandaroundthesmalltownofCefalù,onSicily’snortherncoast.Withpropertiesrangingfromaspectacularhillsidevillaoverlookingtheincrediblecoastline,toastylishwatersideloftapartmentintheheartofCefalùitselfandfromabeautifulfarmhouseineasyreachoftheMadonieNationalParktoafabulousconvertedmonastery,thecollectionoffersgueststhechancetoenjoythebestofthislovelyregion,withitsperfectcombinationofcoast,cultureandcountryside.Commenting,GrahamSimpson,SimpsonTravelsays:‘We’redelightedtobeaddingSicilytoourever-expandingchoiceofdestinations.ItticksalltheboxesforaSimpsonclient,withbeautifulbeaches,unspoiltcoastlineandcountrysidetoexploreandthepropertieswe’veselectedareingreatsettings,allwithwonderfulviewsandmostwithprivatepools.WithpartsoftheislandonthesamelatitudeastheNorthAfricancoast,it’salsotheperfectplacetofindthesun–forlonger.Wehaveadedicated,knowledgeableteamonhandtotalkclientsthroughthedestination,andwelookforwardtointroducingSimpsonTravelclientstothiswonderfulpartoftheworld.’
TheprogrammecurrentlycentresaroundtheformerfishingvillageofCefalù.Withitsmedievalstreetsandprettysquaressetagainstthedramaticbackdropofagiantrock–LaRocca–itwasalocationinGiuseppeTornatore’siconicfilmCinemaParadiso.Thecommunehasafascinatinghistory,withacathedraldatingbackto1131,builtbyoneofSicily’sNormanrulers,RogerII,itsinteriorfeaturinggleamingByzantinemosaics,consideredoneofSicily’sgreatestattractions.TherearealsovariousNormanruinsandaromanticmonolithicshrine:TheTempleofDiana.
Initsnarrowstreetsvisitorscanenjoylovelypavementcafésandrestaurants,withachoiceofcuisinereflectingthemanyculturesthathaveinfluencedlifealongthisstretchofcoastline.Thereisalsoanarrayofbeachestochoosefrom.Oneofthemostpopular,thankstoitsfabuloussetting,isthatofCefalùtownitself.OverlookedbytheCathedral-dominatedskylineandtoweringLaRoccabeyond,youcanstepoffthebeachandberightintheheartoftheOldTown.Forthosewhoprefertobealittlemoreoffthebeatentrack,astringofidyllicbeachescanbefoundwithinashortdrive,offeringlongstretchesofsandyandpebblesalongwithsparklinglycleanwater.
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ThoseinsearchofamoreruraladventurehavethesweepingpineplainsoftheMadonieNationalParktoexplore,withsomethingforeveryseason.Springseeswildflowersinbloom,whilstinsummeritoffersawelcomebreakfromthecoastandautumnbringscolourfulfoliage.Therearealsoanumberofhilltoptownsandvillagestoexplore,withcobbledstreets,attractivesquaresandrestaurantsofferingdelicioushome-cookedSicilianfood.
Highlightsofthepropertiesinclude:VillaSplendidaSleepinguptoeightguests,thisbeautifulpropertyoffersstunningviewsacrosstheterracottarooftops,sandybeachandhandsomeDuomoofCefalùtotheblueseaandAeolianislandsbeyond.Thedeckedterrace,withapoolandsurroundinglawn,isframedbymatureoliveandpinetrees,makingitawonderfullyprivatesettingtostretchoutinthesunafteracoolingswim.WarmsunnydayslastfromApriltoNovembersothesummerkitchenistheplacetocooklikeatrueSicilian,witharomaticherbsfromthegardenandfreshfishfromthemarket.Inside,thecosy,open-planlivingareasarewhiteandluminous,awelcomeandpracticalspaceforfamilygatheringswithanadditionalself-containedannex,idealforvisitinggrandparentsoracouple.VillaLeSorbeWithapathdowntoaprivatebeach,alargepoolandseaviews,VillaLeSorbe,madeupoftwoseparatethree-bedroomhouses,isidealfortwofamiliesholidayingtogether.It’sperfectlylocated,withfabulousviewsandwalksfromthedooreitherupintoaforestedhillsidetoalake,orviaapathdowntothepebblybeachforadipinthesea.Sleepingupto12,thehouseisfreshandairyandalsohaswonderfuloutsidespace,withabeautifulpool,terraceandasummerkitchen–perfectforenjoyingafreshseafoodplatterorpizzatogetherunderthepergola.ForarealtasteofruralSicily,thegardener’smotherisalsoonhandtopreparesomeauthentichome-cookedmealssoyoucantrulyrelaxandsimplyenjoytheexperience(pre-bookedinadvance,payablelocally).TerrazzaGabbiano
Thisuniqueloft-styleapartmentislocatedintheheartofthepicturesquecoastaltownofCefalù,withitshistorichoney-colouredhousesandmedievalcobbledstreets.Sleepinguptoeightpeopleinfourbedrooms,ithasbreathtaking,panoramicseaviews,andyoucanhearthesoundofwaveslappingontherocksbelow.Oncehometoanartist,theinteriorsreflectthewhitesandbluesofthecoastline,withcolourfultiles,whitewashedbeamsandwoodenfloors.
StayinginthevibranthistoriccentreoffersarealsliceofSicilianlife,withplentyofauthenticbars,pizzeriasandseafoodrestaurantstosamplethelocalcuisine.Buyfreshfish,fruitandvegetablesfromstreetstallsforalonglazylunchathome,explorethelocalsightsorjustsunbatheandswimonthesandybeach.Eveningscanbespentenjoyingthelocalrestaurants,orsoakinguptheviewsfromyourprivatebalconies.
Forbookingscall02080036557orvisitwww.simpsontravel.com
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For further media information, please contact: Sarah Bolam on 07714 337756 or [email protected] or Anthea Yabsley – 0208 578 6777 or [email protected] to Editors: Simpson Travelwas established in 2002, yet its heritage predates this bymanyyears. Founder Graham Simpson, a veteran of the travel industry, built up the highly successfulSimplyTravelinthe1970swithhisGreekwifeYianna.FromhumblebeginningsinaflatinChiswick,itbecameoneofthemostrespectedindependenttravelcompaniesofitstime,renownedforofferingauthentic rather than ‘packaged’ holiday experiences, with carefully researched programmes,exceptionalproductknowledgeandservice.InSimpsonTravel,herecreatedtheoriginalethosofSimplyTravel,offeringaverypersonalservice,with individually-selected properties, exceptional local knowledge for each destination, a highlyexperienced team of staff and excellent representatives in resort. Clients booking with SimpsonTravelcanbesafeintheknowledgethattheirholidayhasbeencreatedwiththeirneedsinmindandeachpropertymatchedtotheir individualtastesandrequirements.Theycanalsorestassuredthattheywillbereallywelllookedafterbytheexcellentrepresentativesonhandineachresort.In Greece, destinations for villas and hotels include Corfu, Paxos, Anti Paxos, Kefalonia, Ithaca,Lefkada,Meganissi,Zakynthos,Sivota,SkopelosandCrete. InTurkey,there isachoiceofvillasandsome hotels in Akakya, the Bozburun Peninsula, Dalyan, Kalkan, Islamlar and Kaş. In Mallorca,choose fromvillas inPollença,PuertoPollença,FornalutxandSouthernMallorca,whilst inCorsica,therearepropertiesinPortoVecchio,Bonifacio,TheValinco,TheWestCoast,Calvi&TheBalagne;Central Corsica, St Florent and Cap Corse, as well as the private island of Cavallo. The FrenchprogrammeincludesvillasandchâteauxacrossFrance,withaparticularfocusonProvence,theCôted’Azur, theVendéeand theSouthWest/Dordognearea,whilst the2017 Italyprogramme includesvillas and apartments in Liguria, Tuscany, Umbria and Venice, aswell two new boutique SimpsonHotelsinTuscanyandrangeofpropertiesinCefalùonSicily.
