Photos courtesy of Eremo della Giubiliana
This 12th-century fortified convent was once an ecclesiastical feudal holding and Arab country home. Its fortifications served to defend the property against Barbary pirates who sailed the Mediterranean under Turkish protection.
In the 16th century, the Knights of the Order of San Giovanni from the nearby island of Malta inhabited the structure.
Two hundred years later, a wealthy landowning family of the area, the Nifos, acquired the property, and its present-day descendant, Vicenze Jolanda Nifos, has restored and converted the property into a charming and elegant hotel.
Pamela’s Perspective
If you’re touring Sicily by car, this small boutique hotel is an excellent choice for those who wish to relax for a few days in a quiet and refined atmosphere. The hotel’s private beach is devoid of mass tourism, horses can be hired nearby for countryside meanders, and a chartered flying trip over Sicily and the Mediterranean on the hotel’s private plane is a superlative experience.
Eremo della Giubiliana
A 15th-century convent
Contact
Strada Provinciale per Marina
di Ragusa km 7.5
97100 Ragusa
Tel: ++39 0932 669 119
Hotel website
Reserve with Booking.com
Fast facts
12 double rooms
5 cottages can serve as hotel
rooms or self-catering units
Double rooms: from 130 euros
Suites: from 360 euros
Open: all year
Getting there
The hotel is south of Ragusa and 9 km before Marina di Ragusa on the coast. The hotel is signposted.
What to do
On site: swimming pool;
mountain biking
Nearby: private beach; hiking;
flying tours
Not far from the sea, on a parched plateau intersected by low walls, the stone estate of Eremo della Giubiliana majestically stands guard.
Once inside the compound all becomes a lush refuge with gurgling water fountains, lemon trees, and a kitchen garden.
The former monks’ cells have been transformed into comfortable guest rooms. Construction is of exposed brick walls, arches, wood beams, and furnishings are of period Sicilian style: wrought iron beds and family heirlooms. The Tower Suite “Suite della Torre” is made up of two large rooms with vaulted ceilings, grand fireplace, and private garden.
Several stone cottages stand 400 meters from the main building on the estate and can serve as either hotel rooms or as self-catering units. Some of these cottages are restored 18th-century peasant homes, while newer cottages are built in the same style. All have kitchenettes, fireplaces, exposed beam ceilings, and private gardens. The views of the countryside and sea are wonderful.
Dining is in the former refectory, with traditional Sicilian dishes prepared from the estate’s own organic produce.
Something special
Flying tours of Sicily, Malta, and Tunisia. If you have your own plane, the hotel has a landing strip.