The Eremo della Giubiliana hotel is situated just a few kilometres south of Ragusa, on a geographical scale positioned further south than Tunisia, in the Eastern Lands of a very different Sicily, that of the lblean highlands and of untainted nature, amongst carob groves and dry stone walls. Substantial ancient ramparts of white stone surround and protect the courtyards and constructions within.
The white tower of the hermitage rises to dominate the plains which gently slope down towards the sea; from here one’s gaze embraces miles and miles of coastline and even, owing to the cloudless days which are frequent in these latitudes, the Maltese Islands and the African coast: an infinite horizon charged with memoir and allure.
The Eremo della Giubiliana hotel could appear to be a nirvana rather than a tangible location, appealing as it does to the fugitive spirit seeking respite from life’s everyday pressures; the ingredients are all there: an ancient tower erected as a defence against incursions by barbaric pirates, the saga of the Knights of Malta against the legendary and adventurous backdrop of the Race war in the Mediterranean; a family of long-lineage who buy the hermitage in the 1700s for use as a fortified residence right up until the present time, when the last heir, Vincenza Iolanda Nifosì, decides to refurbish and render her home available to visitors. This is no fantasy, however; just for this once reality concurs with imagination.
The traveller comes across the Eremo almost by surprise, after having passed through a strangely “English” landscape, with its farms and splendid baronial estates, neatly situated between dry stone walls and country lanes.
The hub ofthe monastery has been solicitously renovated, with particular consideration being given to original fixtures, rigorously and carefully restoring those materials such as the ancient stone flooring and various furnishings.
The rooms have been realised in what were once the monks’ chambers and are equipped with every modern comfort, whilst being furnished with period fittings and family artefacts, all of which add to the diversity of these surroundings when compared to more conventional hotel rooms. The warm welcome extended to each guest is typical of Sicilian hospitality and is temperately and tastefully demonstrated here in such a way as to make one feel immediately at home. The personal attention of the hotel owners, assisted by a diligent and professional staff, largely contributes to this pleasant atmosphere, thus according guests a cordial and discreet geniality.
A vacation spent at the Eremo della Giubiliana hotel is one which will never be forgotten, whether guests choose to stay in the peaceful grounds of the hermitage, protected by its broad walls, relaxing in the grounds or walking along the medieval pathways which even in December are immersed in the warmth of these latitudes; or whether they consider the strategic location of the Eremo as the perfect base for local tours: that being more or less central to Eastern Sicily, Taormina, Syracuse, Noto, Agrigento, baroque towns and remarkable archaeological sites are all accessible in less than an hour by car.
Ultimately we invite you to consider the unique facility of the Eremo’s private runway from which one may embark by plane on excursions to various Mediterranean islands or even across to North Africa.
