Ali Terme, Sicily
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| Despite Sicily’s proximity
to the Italian mainland, Sicilians are fiercely independent
and intensely proud of their staggeringly beautiful, incredibly
historic island. The extraordinary history of the Mediterranean’s
largest island goes some way, perhaps, to explain this independent
spirit as does the island’s strategic location which made
it a jewel in the crown of the many empires which left their
indelible mark – Greeks, Romans, Moors, Byzantines, Normans,
French and, of course, the Italians themselves. An array of
ancient temples, medieval castles, renaissance churches, fortified
cities and centuries-old villages sit side-by-side with spectacular
mountain scenery, lush sub-tropical vegetation and more than
1,000 kms of beautiful coastline. It all makes for a superb
destination to discover, to savour and to admire. And then there’s
Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano, which stands majestically
some 10,000 ft above Taormina on Sicily’s east coast and
which regularly offers the most brilliant light show imaginable.We’ve
chosen the little village of Ali Terme (also on the east coast)
as our base to explore this magical island – small, unpretentious,
utterly Sicilian and ideally located between Messina and Catania
– where summer life centres on the beachfront promenade
and where you can enjoy the simple, but very pleasurable laid-back
Sicilian way of life. |
| The family owned Marino
Terme is located in the Sicilian village of Ali Terme, some
15 miles from Taormina (with its magnificent Greek amphitheatre)
on the island’s east coast. It is bordered by the sea on
one side and mountains on the other and is just a few minutes
from the village. The beach, a long stretch of clean, dark volcanic
sand and shingle, is just a 4 minute stroll away whilst the
little station,with local trains to Messina,Taormina and Catania,
is 15 minutes from the hotel. The autostrada, which links Palermo
(the capital) and Catania, is just behind the village and is
set on an impressively high viaduct.The hotel has its own thermal
spa and health centre and Travel One guests are welcome to use
the facilities (including special sulphur and mud treatments!)
with a discount. All the Marino Terme’s airconditioned
bedrooms, twins or doubles for sole use, have a sh/wc (with
hairdryer), TV, telephone, safe, fridge and balcony or terrace.The
hotel has a large swimming pool, a sun terrace, sunbeds and
parasols, a breakfast room & small bar, an al fresco area
for delicious evening meals and a large orange and lemon grove
through which runs a delightful “fitness trail”. It
is all very, very Italian, completely uncommercial and ideally
located to explore this most beautiful of islands. |
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| Resort information. |
| Meal basis: half board |
| Official rating: 3 star |
| Resort representative |
| Welcome meeting |
| Hotel spa & health centre (with discount) |
| Optional excursion programme (see page
9) |
| Hotel telephone: 00 39 0942 701063 |
| Sunday flights |
| Transfer time from Catania airport –
approx. 1 hour |
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| Click on picture
to enlarge |
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