2 Best Hotels in Selinunte, Sicily

This authentic rural accommodation on the Centonze olive oil estate rings is a short drive from the coast and from the temples of Selinunte. The two big pools—one with a 500-year olive tree beside it—along with the children’s pool, small playground, and little farm zoo (home to geese, goats, tortoises, chickens, and ducks) make this an ideal choice for families. Rooms are in clusters of whitewashed outbuildings, each with its own terra-cotta-tiled terrace. The restaurant is open every evening and for Sunday lunch, with a daily changing fixed menu, and olive oil tastings can be arranged.

Belonging to the Planeta family of winemakers, La Foresteria is a truly gorgeous contemporary hotel with exceptional food and views from herb-scented terraces over the vineyards to the sea. The 14 rooms are spacious, with glass doors opening onto private terraces, terra-cotta-tiled floors lain with delicate kilims, and traditional Sicilian iron bedsteads with dreamily comfortable mattresses and pillows, superb quality white sheets, and hand-stitched Indian eiderdowns. Bathrooms are made for being lazy, with good showers, oversize bathtubs, and very puffy bathrobes. Along with kettles and coffee machines, there are jars of loose herbal teas and tea bags to enjoy. Wine is, of course, excellent (guided tastings and trips to the main vineyards can be organized) and the food is superb, with an intelligently designed menu where innovative dishes and traditional Planeta family favorites sit happily side by side. There are not only several tasting menus and à la carte dishes, but menus that can be designed to suit individual tastes and appetites, with faultless guidance on wine pairings. Cooking lessons are available most mornings.