scents, flavors and colors of Sicily
Precious estate-produced wines and timeless cuisine. Finely manicured gardens and guest services and splendidly appointed guestrooms immersed in 25 hectares of luxuriant grounds. And simply breathtaking views.
Although many Sicilian hotels offer views of Mount Etna, very few can compete with those one enjoys from the Boutique Hotel & Wine Resort Monaci delle Terre Nere. This because the vistas – of the volcano, glistening blue sea, dazzling natural environment – are everywhere around. Whether you’re strolling in the park, seated at the exquisite gourmet restaurant, or relaxing in one of the delightful suites and bedrooms, what you set your gaze upon is always stunning.
The resort’s distinctively discreet luxury, understated elegance, innate grace and awe-inspiring grounds do the rest, making the Boutique Hotel & Wine Resort Monaci delle Terre Nere one of Italy’s most fascinating boutique properties.
Located in an outstanding position on the verdant slopes of Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe and Sicily’s most arresting sight, the resort in its whole is a charming gem. A characterful boutique property, a hideaway which offers guests the opportunity to experience the best of this glorious sun-kissed island’s charisma, nature, history and intrinsic elegance.
Every single feature of Boutique Hotel & Wine Resort Monaci delle Terre Nere is unique, and engaging. Starting with its name and history. Literally meaning “monks of the black soil” Monaci delle Terre Nere refers to the St.Anne’s order monks who originally built the estate, back in the 18th century.
As for the “black soil” it’s what we stand on: Mount Etna’s extraordinary volcanic earth, astonishingly dark, and, almost miraculously, fertile and generous. The volcano’s rich, productive soil is much of what Monaci delle Terre Nere is all about, because this country retreat’s most extraordinary trait is its dazzling organically farmed estate.
Boasting 25 hectares of bountiful well-groomed grounds which comprise a thriving farm, rolling fields, orchards and sweeping vineyards that produce excellent blends, the Monaci delle Terre Nere Resort’s estate is truly singular. Steadfastly devoted to boosting and enhancing those products that best define local identity, culture, and traditional heritage, the farm yields extraordinary typical products.
Among these, ancient fruit varieties with exceptionally attractive names, such as the Mastrantonio cherry-tree, the Snuffbox and Sbergia Peach, the Coscia and Baccibedda Pear tree, the Cola Apple tree, the Damaschino Apricot tree, the Vinnignola Fig and the Muscateddu Plum tree. We also grow wild vegetables. Not to mention the vegetables, among which delectable wild greens such as Cannatedda, Caliceddi, Caccialepre and Coscivecchia, and Aci Trunzu Kohlrabi, a unique violet colored kohlrabi historically cultivated in the gardens of Acireale and nearby. Though it had very nearly disappeared due to mass agriculture and modern changes in eating habits, the Aci Trunzu Kohlrabi, a brassicaceae (like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower), boasts a plethora of vitamins and minerals renowned for their anti-inflammatory action. Plus, it’s delicious!
The Monaci delle Terre Nere estate vineyards host native varieties typical of the Mount Etna wine region.
Restored with attentive loving care and impeccable taste the Monaci delle Terre Nere Boutique Hotel provides its visitors with different deluxe accommodation solutions, making for a diverse selection for each guest to choose from. There are, in fact, a handful of beautiful rooms and suites in the main building, a splendid period country mansion dating back to the 19th century, as well as others liberally scattered throughout the grounds, each within its own charmingly arranged independent building.
A perfect and comprehensive collection, bound to please the most discerning visitors, crowned and enriched by the resort’s facilities. A lovely swimming pool, tempting bar (manned by professionals who make sparkling cocktails with a Sicilian flair), and the enchanting gourmet restaurant “Locanda Nerello”.
Offering indoor as well as al fresco dining, and spectacular panoramas on the Mediterranean, the restaurant embodies Monaci delle Terre Nere’s identity. The cuisine, strictly farm to table, is delicious, traditional and with an inventive twist. The chef’s talented hands turn the delicious seasonal fresh produce and herbs cultivated in the estate’s organic farming fields into gorgeous, masterly prepared, traditional Sicilian recipes. Accompanied by the heavenly estate wines, these luscious dishes offer guests a journey back in time, a blissful taste of timeless Sicilian flavors.
Locanda Nerello’s philosphy stems from the desire to honor the fundamental principles of the Slow Food Movement, an exemplary, and quintessentially Italian, campaign. Created to preserve and enhance the products and traits of traditional and regional cuisine, the Slow Food Movement supports, encourages and spurs farming of the plants, seeds, herbs and livestock which characterize the diversity of Italy’s local ecosystems.
The restaurant’s atmosphere and mouth-watering selection showcase the resort and restaurant personnel’s dedication and commitment to food. Food, intended as local fare, considered to be an essential element of the local legacy, a feature of typically Sicilian conviviality and an experience in itself. As such, each course, every pasta sauce, salad, appetizer and dessert, speaks about Mount Etna’s volcanic soil, its people, legends, traditions, flora and fauna. Each single morsel tells a manifold tale made of flavor, history and scent.
Skillfully renovated and refurbished in compliance with the principles of green building and bio-architecture, the whole resort offers a melodious blend of classical Sicilian country architecture, contemporary design, sustainable features and an eclectic penchant which makes it all the more intriguing.
There is no end to what one can do during a stay at the Monaci delle Terre Nere Boutique Hotel. It all depends on personal preferences. One can start one’s day with a private sunrise yoga session, a walk along the estate’s sweet-scented herb route or tasting the homemade biscuits, pastries, cakes, and fresh bread hot from the chef’s brick oven. Later, one could set off to explore Mount Etna’s slopes, or hike through the grounds, learning about the vineyards and orchards. In the afternoon, take a dip in the pool, or enjoy a holistic massage. Before dinner, savor the estate wines with a professional sommelier. Or, simply, one might wish to lay back, relax, and bask in the Sicilian sun.
