La Foresteria (4 Star Hotels) Menfi

The food, wine, sea, countryside and ancient archeological sites of Southern Sicily make the boutique hotel La Foresteria the perfect place in which to experience all the very best of the island, both past and present. Situated in the countryside of Menfi, between the beaches of Porto Palo, the temples of Selinunte, Cave di Cusa and the vineyards of the prestigious Planeta winery, La Foresteria, is a new hotel and yet, at the same time, one deeply rooted in the history and customs of the land on which it has been built.

From a distance, La Foresteria appears like a small rural hamlet. Close up, the contemporary nature of the hotel's architecture is revealed, the geometric rigor and essential forms' of which represent a stylish modern interpretation of the area's traditional vernacular architecture. Facing on to the sun-drenched Sicilian countryside, La Foresteria's 14, spacious and brightly painted bedrooms are furnished with a pleasing mix of geometrically patterned rugs, antiques, and ceramic tiles from the nearby towns of Burgio and Caltagirone. The rooms' contemporary rustic-chic style is made all the more appealing by the addition of the latest in audiovisual technology, including wireless internet connectivity, flat screen televisions and ipod stations. All rooms open out on to their own private terrace.

In La Foresteria's kitchen, the passion for the local countryside and the good food and wine produced here result in superlative Sicilian cuisine, served 'al fresco' on the terrace overlooking the vineyards or in the dining room, this latter with just one large communal table for up to 30 guests. An entire room in the hotel is reserved for tastings of local gastronomic products and the estate's wines. Those with an interest in cooking will want to enroll for one of La Foresteria's highly regarded hands-on cooking courses, held in the hotel's large professional teaching kitchen.

Whilst staying at boutique hotel La Foresteria holidaymakers have every chance to experience the gentle pace of life in the peaceful Sicilian countryside. The perfect place where to enjoy blissful hours of complete relaxation, the hotel's panoramic swimming pool boasts fabulous views over the vineyards of the Planeta Estate and offers the ideal spot from where to admire some of the island's most spectacular sunsets. The crystal clear sea and the splendid beaches of Porto Palo, awarded the European Blue Flag for 13 years running, lie within minutes of the hotel.

Three good reasons

1. The superlative gourmet cuisine.
2. The sun-drenched countryside of the Planeta Estate.
3. The shimmering sea of Southern Sicily.