Explore an overlooked part of Italy from this luxurious resort

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The resort

Baglio Oneto, Marsala, Sicily

Check-in

Marsala is not simply 1 of the world’s astir celebrated wines, it’s besides among its astir misunderstood. This 47-room, centuries-old winery edifice offers a overmuch clearer knowing of this saccharine oregon adust fortified drop, good beyond its estimation arsenic an constituent successful savoury dishes and desserts. It’s besides a good basal to acquisition the unthinkable eponymous portion of occidental Sicily wherever marsala is produced. A 4th of an hour’s thrust from Marsala, the seaside metropolis aft which the vino derives its name, this household owned and operated baglio (meaning a fortress-like agrarian property successful Italian), has much than capable to enchant and entertain adjacent the astir ardent teetotaller oregon marsala-dissenter.

The look

This is authentic Sicilian state style. Set connected a hilltop overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and surrounding agrarian countryside, Baglio Oneto dei Principi di San Lorenzo, to employment its afloat name, is dominated by a landmark 18th period chromatic tower, replete with its ain rustic luxury suite, adjacent doorway to which is simply a splendid casa padronale (manor house) of the aforesaid vintage. From the barroom beside the ample swimming excavation determination are striking panoramas of occidental Sicily, champion viewed astatine sunset implicit Sicilian sundowners. Marsala, anyone?

The room

The main impermanent rooms, which were renovated successful 2020, are arranged successful a abstracted contemporary, though aesthetically sympathetic, wing. It, similar the remainder of the resort, was designed by the household patriarch, a trained architect, and inspired by an past Sicilian village. The rooms place either the surrounding countryside oregon a courtyard dominated by a ample swimming pool. Your reviewer’s luxurious, traditionally and elegantly decorated 2nd level room, with its walls boldly painted successful a Sicilian cerulean blue, offers views crossed wineries and olive grows to distant mountains.

Food + drink

The glorious walled courtyard from the 1700s.

In good weather, breakfast, luncheon and meal are served wrong a glorious walled courtyard from the 1700s which faces the manor house, wherever wrong there’s a much ceremonial eating country and lounge. Unsurprisingly considering the baglio’s location, exquisite caller section seafood dominates the a la carte paper with dishes served with Sicilian aplomb. The Oneto family’s ain drops, including the signature marsala DOC (controlled designation of origin) arsenic good arsenic assorted Sicilian styles specified arsenic a nero d’Avola, tin beryllium sampled present oregon arsenic portion of a tasting successful the cellar beneath the manor house.

Out + about

Among the objectives of the passionate and enterprising owners, who arsenic good arsenic vino besides nutrient other virgin olive oil, is to promote much visitors to occidental Sicily, which they consciousness is overlooked successful favour of different attractions connected this culturally affluent island. Certainly, they tin beryllium arrogant of this country of Sicily and what it offers. Aside from the walkable tiny metropolis of Marsala, not acold from the edifice are past brackish pans studded with historical mills while, astatine the different extremity of the altitude scale, there’s the medieval mountaintop fortress municipality of Erice for melodramatic oversea and coastal vistas. If that isn’t enough, lone 30-minutes from Baglio Oneto is Segesta, the tract of remarkably preserved 420BC temple ruins and a mostly intact 2nd period BC amphitheatre.

The verdict

The views are champion enjoyed astatine sunset implicit Sicilian sundowners.

The luxurious yet unpretentious Baglio Oneto dei Principi di San Lorenzo is simply a handsome and tranquil basal from which to afloat savour the fruits of this culturally-rich region.

Essentials

Rooms from $412 a nighttime for autarkic travellers (bagliooneto.it). Baglio Oneto dei Principi di San Lorenzo forms a 3 nighttime enactment connected Albatross Tours’ 17-day “Italy, the Deep South & Sicily” fully-escorted travel betwixt Rome and Palermo. Prices, airfares excluded, from $10,347 a person. Phone 1300 135 015; spot albatrosstours.com.au

Our standing retired of five

★★★★½

Highlight

Baglio Oneto is simply a salubrious delight but the existent prima is occidental Sicily arsenic a full and its wealthiness of earthy and man-made attractions.