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 emailsarahbolamcommunications@gmail.com or Anthea Yabsley – 0208 578 6777 or emailanthea.yabsley@ideal-pr.co.ukNotes 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.