Pensione Tranchina

For those who prefer the intimacy of a small pension, native Salvatore and his amiable Panamanian wife Marisin await you with open arms. The pale-yellow three-story house sits in the quaint town of Scopello with its piazza and three streets. From ancient times this was an important fishing center especially for tuna, and the Tonnara stone fishing station down by the sea still stands as proof. The entrance hall is a combination breakfast and dining room with a sitting area in the corner around the fireplace. A central staircase leads up to guestrooms, a few with balconies facing out to the distant sea. The rooms are simply appointed with light-wood armoires, wrought-iron beds, and crocheted white bedspreads. In the evening after a day at the seaside or touring, you come “home” to a delicious four-course, home-cooked, meal of pasta, fresh fish or meat, vegetables from their garden or salad, and dessert. Olive oil and marmalades are from their own trees. Enthusiastic Marisin spends time chatting with her guests and advising them what to visit in this culturally rich area. “Must sees” include the ancient town of Erice, the ruins of Segesta, Selinunte, and Agrigento. Well-marked hiking trails cover the spectacularly beautiful Zingaro Nature Reserve along the northern coast (one of its kind in Sicily).