Villafranca Tirrena holidays

Holidays to Villafranca Tirrena line up hillside vistas, medieval castles, and a cluster of pebble-and-sand beaches.

Sea views and mountain vistas

Ever wondered what life in the northeast of Italy’s biggest island has in store? Look to Villafranca Tirrena, and you’ll have a pretty good idea. It’s a medley of Medieval castles and churches, olive grove-lined streets and a cluster of sand-and-pebble beaches that give this Sicilian town its charm. Panoramic sea views and dramatic mountain scenery are order of the day, too, thanks to the town’s plot in the province of Messina – wedged between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the sloping hills of Saponara.

Ancient relics

The ancient origins of this town come to life when you stroll through its streets. To get under the skin of Sicily, just look to the monuments that jut out from its hillside peaks and plazas. Traces of the ancient civilisations that played a hand in its history are everywhere, from the Byzantine-era Castle of Bauso to the Arab-Norman churches of Messina, and the gravity-defying Baroque buildings of the north. That’s not to mention the Bell Tower of Messina – the largest astronomical clock tower in the world.

God’s Kitchen at a glance

Sicilians know a thing or two about perfecting flavours, with a national recipe book so tempting that Italians call this place God’s Kitchen. To wrap your tastebuds around recipes that have been passed down throughout the generations, make a beeline for the family-owned trattorias that line the piazzas here. Around these parts, arancini and cannoli are considered favourites, and boutique shops, nearby, come stocked with cold pressed olive oil from the region’s producers.