The 4-star residence "Borgo San Francesco" is a newly restored hamlet situated above the seaside town of Gioiosa Marea (Messina). It is perfectly nestled in the green hills of the northeastern coast of Sicily, in an area known as Monte Nebrodi and the Saracen Coast.
It is an ideal place for those who seek both the tranquility of the countryside and the bustling atmosphere of a typical Sicilian seaside town. At the same time this area is ideal for visiting many other parts of Sicily and allows an escape from mass tourism. Here you can have a more direct contact with the locals and their culture, this usually makes for a more meaningful vacation which leaves long-lasting impressions.

The residence is located approximately 300 meters above sea-level and is only 4 km (5 minutes by car) to the town and its beaches. We are steps away from some of the most beautiful beaches of the Tyrrhenian coast. (Capo Calava', Capo Tindari and Capo d'Orlando). You will have no problem communicating, for there are fluent English and French speakers at the Borgo for detailed help. You can also rely on our assitance in planning day trips and much more.

Apartment Units.
The Borgo has 10 comfortable, tastefully decorated villa-style apartments. They are free-standing and on different levels. They can accommodate from 2-5 people.
They are all well-equipped with all the modern comforts (a functional kitchen, coffee maker, refrigerator, satellite TV and climate control).
Each apartment has its own private entrance, with its own delightful outdoor, stone-paved patio area with garden furniture and lots of flowers and green. Also, you can admire the Mediterranean-style paintings of a local artist in each apartment.

Restaurant.
Within the borgo, you'll find an enchanting restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows enhancing the views. Here you can experience a plethora of flavors within the Sicilian culinary tradition. We use only the freshest produce, sometimes grown only steps away from the Borgo and serve both local and bottled wines.
The menu offers a vast assortment of Sicilian specialties and the staff is commited to pleasing all of our guests. Vegetarian meals are also an option. The restaurant is open to all. It will accommodate various needs, groups and more. We also offer cooking lessons for groups.

Within the complex for the guests there is a swimming pool with a shallow end for children and a surrounding sunning area, all perfectly nestled in our green countryside. The property is surrounded by 15,000 square meters of green valley composed of century-old olive and oak trees.

Below is a list of recreational and sports activities that are possible.

Within the property:
swimming at the pool
archery
bocce
library and reading area (maps and history books on Sicily are available)
children's playground
cooking lessons (upon request)
italian lessons (upon request)

Outside the residence:
excursions to the Aeolian Islands, Taormina, Cefalu' and more…
mountain bike paths
nature treks
nautical activities (the beaches, canoe rental, motor boating and sailing, Parasailing)
windsurfing
hand gliding

prices include
water, lights , gas, air conditioning and heat, the use of common facilities (gardens, swimming pool and the common room), a weekly change of bed linens. one reserved parking space , all the appartments tastefully furnished are equipped with color tv, fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, patios or furnished balconies (sun umbrellas, outdoor tables and chairs).

Supplemental charges
Extra change of bed linens and towels if requested (other than the weekly changes included in the price), final cleaning 30 euro per appartment (monolocale and bilocale), 40 euro per apartment (bilocale 2 stories); except for kitchen cleaning which is the guest's responsibility (will provide service for a charge of 15 euro).

A baby's crib 8 euro a day.
The cost of meals for those who have not chosen the full/half board option are:
- breakfast 6 euro
- lunch and dinner 20 euro this includes: (Appetizers, first course, second course, side dish, seasonal fruits, house wine, mineral water and coffee).

By car

• From Catania:
  Take the highway (autostrada A18) in the direction of Messina, exit at Patti; take the State Road (SS113) towards Gioiosa Marea; go through the town and follow the signs for Residence Borgo San Francesco. The direction is for San Francesco-Casale.
• From Palermo:
  Take the highway (autostrada A19) follow (at first) the directions for Palermo-Catania, on this very highway there is a fork, follow directions for Messina. Exit at Brolo and take the state road (SS113) towards Gioiosa Marea. Follow the signs for Residence Borgo San Francesco (direction San Francesco-Casale).
• From Messina:
  Take the highway (A20 Messina-Palermo) exit at Patti. Take the State road (SS113) and exit at Gioiosa Marea. Follow signs for Residence Borgo San Francesco. (direction San Francesco-Casale).
• From Reggio Calabria:
  From the airport there are shuttle services (water taxis and busses) to Messina. In Messina: by car, take highway (A20 direction Messina-Palermo) and exit in Patti. Follow state road (SS113) to Gioiosa Marea and then follow signs to Residence Borgo San Francesco. Or there are trains and busses for Gioiosa Marea, Brolo or Patti.

By train
Gioiosa Marea train station (if arriving on a regional train). Other major train stations are: Brolo (10km) Patti (15 km) Capo D’Orlando (18 kilometers).
THERE IS A FREE PICK UP IF ARRIVING AT ONE OF THE LOCAL STATIONS

By airplane
Airports at Catania, Palermo and Reggio Calabria.