At the southern tip of Sicily and overlooking a fertile valley that runs down to the sea, the island's youngest city, Vittoria, is famed for its wine and was built upon Greek and Roman settlements. What little remains of the ancient Greek city Kamarina can be seen nearby. Ruined by an earthquake in 1693, the town gained its current form through reconstruction and offers enough elegant neoclassical townhouses and baroque churches to keep holidaymakers happy.
Situated minutes from the main square that includes Vittoria's 18th-century "new" church with its Moorish domes and richly decorative interior, Grand Hotel Vittoria is modern and businesslike. Amenities are basic--rooms come with a television, refrigerator/freezer and balcony, but the location is perfect for people wanting to explore on foot.
Grand Hotel Vittoria
Vico Terzo Pisacane
53b
97019
Vittoria
011-39-09-3286-3888
grandhotelvittoria.it
Also in the center of the city, and despite its small, albeit friendly, exterior, Hotel Vittoria Residence offers a mixture of rooms, including breakfast and self-catering apartments that may be ideal for families. Along with a restaurant, bar and courtyard terrace, the hotel also provides a shuttle bus to take guests on a 15-minute trip to the beach at the fishing village of Scoglitti, one of the many sites where Allied soldiers landed in the invasion of Sicily in 1943. The hotel can provide car and minibus hire for more independent travelers.
Hotel Vittoria Residence
Via Castelfidardo
17
97019
Vittoria
011-39-32-9929-90
hotelvittoriaresidence.com
Basic, comfortable and central, Hotel Europa is a few blocks from the main railway station near the outskirts of Vittoria, though still within walking distance of the churches in the town center. Each room has a television, refrigerator and Internet connection.
Hotel Europa
Via G. Diaz
4-17
97019
Vittoria
011-39-09-3286-1137
albergohoteleuropa.com
Roughly two miles outside of Vittoria and opened in 1975, Villa Orchidea, benefits from the breathing space with two tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, a park and a children's playground. Comfortable and stylish, rooms have a refrigerator and a flat-screen television with pay-per-view channels; Internet service is available at an extra cost. Although nearby Comiso Airport is not particularly busy, it was converted to civil use in 2008. The province of Ragusa owns 51 percent of the airport, plans for which include opening it to tourists.
Villa Orchidea
Contrada Boscorotondo
97019
Vittoria
011-39-09-3287-9108
villaorchidea.it
Another option slightly farther afield, Casato Licitra is a 30-minute drive from the center of Vittoria and is close to the 17th-century castle Donnafugata, which was built in delicate Venetian gothic style. Casato Licitra offers rooms with a satellite television, an Internet connection and a minibar, while outdoors the hotel provides a soccer pitch, a playground, a swimming pool and horseback riding. The hotel's La Terrazza restaurant, serving Sicilian dishes, overlooks the coastline. Accommodation for dogs of hotel guests is available.
Casato Licitra
C.da Bocampello
S.P. 14
Castiglione - Kastalia Km 8
97100
011-39-09-3261-9514
casatolicitra.it
