Villa delle Palme

You arrive at an aparthotel set among pine and citrus trees, looking towards a protected marine area of the Ionian Sea. The atmosphere is more independent than hotel-formal: your own outdoor space, a kitchenette and somewhere to sit down properly after a day spent in salt water and sun.

The garden brings the practical pleasure of a swimming pool, while the apartments give you the freedom to organise the day around yourself rather than around set meal times. Villa delle Palme suits divers travelling as a couple, families who need useful domestic space, and anyone who prefers a base with a little breathing room.

There is also a games room, a picnic area and outdoor furniture. In other words, you can make the evening as sociable or as uneventful as you like. Both are valid choices after a long day.

Villa delle Palme is in Acitrezza, Italy, on the coast near Aci Castello and around 10 km outside Catania. The setting is by the sea, with direct access to a black-sand beach equipped with sun loungers and parasols. Volcanic sand is less postcard-pale than the usual Mediterranean version, but it is entirely in keeping with Sicily’s geology.

Capo Mulini beach is around 0.7 miles away by car, while Acitrezza Beach is roughly 1.3 miles away by car. Three restaurants — Trattoria la Conchiglia, Saoma and Antica Taverna di Capomulini — are all within about 0.4 miles by road, so you have alternatives when cooking feels like an unreasonable demand.

Catania’s historic centre is around 6 to 8 miles away by car, with Piazza Duomo, Piazza Università, the Roman Theatre and Palazzo Biscari among the sights within reach. Acireale railway station is about 1.9 miles away by car, and Catania Fontanarossa Airport is roughly 10 miles away by road.

The accommodation is apartment-based, which changes the rhythm of a diving holiday. Each apartment has a private patio or balcony, with views over the garden or towards the sea, plus a dining area and kitchenette. You can bring food back, sit outside and eat without having to turn a tired post-dive body into a presentable restaurant guest.

The kitchenette is paired with a barbecue, giving you another way to handle dinner when the evening is warm and the idea of a formal meal has lost its appeal. A washing machine is useful here too, particularly when several days of swimwear and travel clothes have begun to form their own small ecosystem.

Air conditioning is available during set periods: from 12:00 to 16:00 and from 21:00 to 00:00. That matters in Sicily, though it is worth planning around those hours rather than assuming continuous cooling. Each apartment also has a private bathroom, Wi-Fi is available in the public areas, and daily housekeeping is provided.

Family rooms are available, and children of any age are welcome. A cot can be requested for children aged between 0 and 2, while extra beds are not available. Pets can stay on request, which may be useful if your travelling companion has four legs and no interest in decompression theory.

This is a self-catering setup rather than a hotel built around a restaurant programme. The kitchenette in your apartment gives you the basics for putting together breakfast, a packed lunch or a simple supper, while the dining area means you can eat properly instead of balancing a plate on a windowsill.

The barbecue attached to your patio or balcony adds a more sociable option, with garden or sea views depending on the apartment. There is no need to make every meal an event. Sometimes a cold drink, something grilled and a chair in the open air are exactly the correct level of ambition.

When you want someone else to do the cooking, Trattoria la Conchiglia, Saoma and Antica Taverna di Capomulini are all around 0.4 miles away by road. For a coffee or something sweet, Chiosco Wagner Cafè F.lli Indelicato, Al Gran Caffè Ventura and Caruso Pasticceria are within roughly 2 to 4 miles.

The garden swimming pool is the obvious place to spend a non-diving afternoon, with sun loungers and a sun terrace for the more horizontal approach. A children’s pool and swimming-pool toys make the outdoor space workable for families as well, while the garden and picnic area give you room to spread out.

For a warmer kind of recovery, there is a hot tub and an open-air bath. The hot tub carries an additional charge, and massages are also available as an extra service. Beauty services include haircuts, colouring, styling and hair treatments — not strictly essential to a diving holiday, but useful if your partner has sensibly decided that repeated mask marks are not an acceptable evening look.

You can also book or take part in activities including cooking classes, cycling, table tennis, fishing, snorkelling, canoeing, windsurfing and hiking. The property organises excursions to Mount Etna, with pick-up included, and Mount Etna and Taormina are both around 40 minutes away by car. For a quieter evening, the games room is there when the weather or your legs have other plans.

Free private parking is available on site, with no reservation required, which makes a hire car a sensible option for reaching Catania, Etna, Taormina and the surrounding coastline. Car hire is available through the property. An airport shuttle and a shuttle service are also available, to be arranged with the property in advance; airport transfers can be organised privately or as a shared shuttle depending on the service booked.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to 23:00, and you need to tell the property your expected arrival time. You will need photo identification and a credit card at check-in. Check-out is available from 00:00 to 11:00, giving you some flexibility for an early departure, although the useful bit is making sure the arrival arrangements are clear before you land.

Private check-in and check-out, express check-in and check-out, luggage storage and lockers are available. Wi-Fi is free in the public areas, and accessible parking, wheelchair access, a raised toilet and an emergency cord in the bathroom are provided. Smoking is not allowed, parties are not permitted, and quiet hours run from 02:00 to 07:00.

A refundable security deposit is required on arrival and is returned at check-out after the accommodation has been checked. Cancellation and prepayment conditions vary with the accommodation option, so read the terms attached to the apartment you choose rather than relying on a general rule.