Eremo della Giubiliana

A historical site dominating the mediterranean sea, in the midst of the pristine countryside of the hyblean plateau.

This unique property is perharps one of the few hotels in sicily where one truly feels the intriguing charm of prestigious island.

Eremo della Giubiliana, a charming hotel set in a historical residence, a few kilometers south of Ragusa, to the south of Tunisi, in the Eastern Lands of a different Sicily, the one of the Hyblean plateau and pristine nature, among carob forests and stone walls.

Very old thick white stone walls surround and protect the courtyards and inner structure. Its white tower stands tall and overlooks the plateau that gently slopes towards the sea and there are miles and miles of coast as far as the eye can see.

Across, on clear days, which are common in these latitudes, you can see the island of Malta and the African Coast, a never-ending horizon steeped in mystique and history.

A vacation spent at Eremo della Giubiliana will be one to remember!

You may decide to spend it in the peacefulness of Eremo, protected by its thick walls, going for walks through the park or the medieval trails, or take advantage of the strategic location of Eremo, practically in the center of the eastern part of Sicily, and use it as the perfect starting point for excursions throughout the land: Taormina, Siracusa, Val di Noto, Agrigento, baroque centers and some of the most beautiful archeological sites are all less than half an hour by car.

The estate used to be part of the old ecclesiastical feudal hold of Renna, dating from the 12th century, and was an old Arab rural home (Rendet gebuni), a sort of hermitage and fortified fortress dominating the sea serving as a defensive bastion against the incursions of Barbary pirates operating under the Turkish flagship their piracy activity in the Mediterranean.

The Knights of the Order of San Giovanni, stationed in the nearby island of Malta, used the Convent structure in the first half of the 16th century. Recent restorations have revealed their passage through this place.

In the 18th century the Eremo was acquired by the Nifosì, a wealthy land-owner family of the plateau.

The present heiress, Vincenza Jolanda Nifosì, has decided to restore it, and in this way continuing with the family tradition by opening the estate as a rural destination and personally managing it as a splendid 5-star hotel in Ragusa.

Eremo della Giubiliana, to the south of Ragusa, dominates the Hyblean plateau among carob groves and stone walls; it is located at the center of southeast Sicily, in the heart of Val di Noto.

From Eremo the most beautiful natural reserves of Sicily can be easily reached:

• Randello, the Natural Reserve of the Irminio River,
• the Pino d'Aleppo Natural Reserve,
• Vendicari, the famous necropolis at Cava d'Ispicaand Pantalica ,
• the important archeological digs of Kamarina,
•  the very interesting museums of Ragusa, Modica, Chiaramonte Gulfi,
• the ancient fishermen districts with typical fish markets.

Not to be missed are the baroque centers of Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Scicli and Ispica, only a few kilometers from Eremo, declared by UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ragusa is also an ideal place to embark in an extraordinary wine and food journey to discover the many specialties of the land: Ragusano D.O.P. cheese, an amazing variety of wild vegetables, the aroma of Cerasuolo and Nero d'Avola, and the famous sweets made from Modicano chocolate and carob honey.

The central part of the fortified Eremo was restored keeping strictly as it was in the past, also in it’s original materials, its ancient pitch stone and limestone floorings and its furnishings have been maintained.

The type of warm welcome is the one expected for an old Sicilian countryside residence, with its simple but refined ceremonial.

It will get you involved by immediately making you feel at home.

This is also due to the land owners direct management supported by a caring and professional staff, which guarantees the guests a discreet familiarity.

The rooms have been converted from the friars' cells, and have all the comforts:

• telephone
• TV
• air conditioning
• private bathrooms, furnished with old Sicilian style furniture
• original household goods which make them quite different from the usual hotel bedrooms.

The Eremo has:

• standard double rooms
• spacious superior rooms
• deluxe rooms
• suites
• .. and stone cottages belonging to the estate.

Standard and Superior

The rooms are all very peculiar and different one from each other, with the original pitch stone floorings, wrought iron beds and old furniture; all bathrooms are private and have bath-tub with shower.

Bedrooms, some on the first floor and some others on the main floor with access for disabled people, look over the aromatic “Hortus” characterized by a plenty of typical Mediterranean aromatic plants, centuries-old olive trees, and an old “Arab” fountain.

Corte Araba Deluxe Room

It is on the first floor, with its high vaults and wonderful pitched pavement. It has a great terrace viewing the “Corte Araba” and the private garden too. You can also see the uncontaminated countryside of the Highlands. Its final view is the sea connecting Sicily to the island of Malta.

Original old furniture, Persian carpets and a big bathroom with whirlpool overlook the “Corte Araba”.

Alcova Deluxe Room

On the first floor, in the northern part of it, this beautiful room is characterised by a high wrought iron bed (as originally in Sicily) staying under the typical “alcova” with barrel-vaults.

The pavement is made with pitch-stone. It has a big bathroom with whirlpool and a great evergreen terrace overlooking the “archaeological park” and the “Antiquarium”.

Original old furnishings and oriental carpets characterise this intimate deluxe room, particularly fit to couples on honey moon.

Suite Grande

It overlooks the stone courtyard dominated by a large palm tree and it develops on two levels: on the main floor a refined living room is dominated by a 18thcentury sacristy-vestry.

On the upper floor, to which the main floor is connected through a staircase with the original 18th-century chestnut wood balustrade, there are the bedroom and the big bathroom with bathtub.

The ground floor, on request, can be connected to another double room with toilet. (This Suite is particularly indicated for families with children).

Frate Nero Suite

It owes its name to the black cross engraved on the white stoned wall within it and to the black tunic the Malta monk-knights used to wear.

It is all on the ground floor and it is characterised by thick stone walls and white stoned pavement.

All its furniture is very antique  with original Modica chests of the XVII century, old Persian carpets, damask arm-chairs, whirlpool. (High class for a very low cost).

Torre del Canonico Suite

So called because it was used by the owner’s uncle, the “Canonico” Ignazio Nifosì, Camerlingo at the San Giorgio cathedral in Ragusa Ibla and renowned scholar of local history and archaeology.

The tower of the XV century consists of three floors. On the ground-floor there’s a living-room and  private utilities. On the first floor there’s the bedroom with vaults and capitals of the XV century; it overlooks the private garden and the “Corte Araba”.

From the tower’s  terrace you can clearly see the highlands, the coast and Malta as well.

Suite della Guardia

It’s one of the oldest parts of the Eremo della Giubiliana; originally it used to be the area of the guards of the San Giovanni order.

It is all on the ground-floor, with its charming and old white stoned pavement. It has a very high ceiling with chestnut-wooden beams and it’s symmetrically divided in two parts by a big stone arch.

A little medieval door leads you to the bathroom overlooking the garden; it has two pitched sinks and a whirlpool.

The sitting area is characterised by an old stone chimney and a wonderful sofa of the XVIII century with damask tapestry; big drawers and chests of the XVII century.

Old oriental carpets and antique furnishings complete this suite’s charm, making of it one of the most brilliant suites of the Eremo.

Suite Torre

Settled in the grounds of the ancient sighting tower (XV century), the oldest part of the Eremo and the most exclusive, it is made up of two big stone-vaulted rooms dominated by an old fireplace; the bedroom is restored out of the ancient knights’ dungeon.

The Suite opens to a charming inner courtyard with stone floorings, and it is furnished with some of the most important pieces, while in the first hall, the “gun room”, a collection of valuable ancient weapons is exhibited.

This Suite, on request, can be connected to the Grand Master’s Suite by an internal staircase. (Due to the historical importance on the structure, this suite is penalized with a narrow bathroom with shower only).

Grand Master’s Suite

In 1526 the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John passed by on taking possession of the islands of Malta.

The summer residence of the Nifosì family since the first half of the 18th-century, the “Grand Master’s suite” is located on the upper floor of the oldest part of the Eremo with the entrance through the old stone staircase; it consists of  a lobby, the Grand Master’s bedroom and a 18th-century-style sitting room with fireplace.

Two balconies hold out on the garden and the private court with an extraordinary view of the Highlands, the coast and Malta island.

The Suite is offered to guests with all the original household goods of the Nifosì family, making it one of the most refined and exclusive accommodation in the Eremo.

The kitchen, cared for personally by the owners is a genuine and refined aristocratic territory located on the Ragusano plateau, based solely on biological products from the ancient garden, the cheeses, pasta’s and  bread made with only hard grain flour and focacce made with the mushrooms and wild greens of which you can collect personally.

Moreover, you will be able to taste the best Sicilian wines directly from the wine cellar prepared in a medieval crypt.

The Eremo of the Giubiliana is therefore the best among the hotels of Ragusa, for an ideal eno-gastronomica vacation, come and discover a true Mediterranean kitchen and the ancient recipes of the Ibla Aristocrats, who origins can be traced back to a thousand cultural influences brought the island.

The large dining room with its vaulted  arches turn back time to the ancient mess hall of the Knights of the Order of Saint Giovanni, this extraordinary atmosphere welcomes you to the restaurant, as well as to the tea and first breakfast area of the Eremo.

The dining area, the tea and Piano Bar is furnished with antique dining furniture and patronized in silk Drapery, on the ancient walls are splendid collections of rare geographic maps of Sicily from the XV to the XVIII century.

The large breakfast buffet is opened near the large glass doors facing South, from which an extraordinary view of the secular olive park is enjoyed and in the background is the sea and the islands of Malta.

A symbolic painting from the 600’s representing the Madonna, saint Giuseppe and Jesus completes the furnishings of this refined and "evocative" atmosphere that allows the guest to experience what it’s like to travel back in the time and receive a taste of the aristocratic countryside on the plateau.

Bar

The guest will have some difficulty to describing it.

The rigorous respect in the restoration of the structure and the great care placed in the recovery of the antique furnishes gives it a very "disguised" look, so as to conserve as much as possible the feeling of the ancient residence of the Nifosì family.

Between the front sitting room with its great fireplace, the dining area or in the garden perfumed from the Arabic  Jasmine "Horus Concusses", the guest can pass the hours choosing between the immense range of liqueurs, drinks and cocktail proposals from our barman; as well as our distilled wines from which you can reflect on the famous past of the Sicilian culture, accompanied by the extraordinary Marzipan sweets of Modica and of course the priceless Modican chocolate.

The Crypt The Eremo has a unique wine cellar. In fact is located in a medieval Cripta, under the Church of the Knights of the Order of Saint Giovanni.

Accurately restored, from the walls a cliff and with its great atmospheric  vaulted  arches, it contains more than 400 labels of the best foreign and Sicilian wines.

The guest will be able to taste biological products from the estate of the Nifosì family in Cripta, such as olive oils, lards and the sausages from the black pigs of the Nebrodi in addition to the sophisticated plates known as the "Taste of the land" and the "Taste of the Sea".