Eremo della Giubiliana

A fortified baglio on the plateau

Eremo della Giubiliana is in the countryside of the Hyblaean plateau, among carob trees and dry-stone walls, halfway between Ragusa and the coast at Marina di Ragusa. From its terraces you can see the Mediterranean and, on clear days, the house says you can make out Malta. It began in the Middle Ages as a hermitage and fortified baglio, the walled farmhouse of the Renna fief, and for centuries it protected the district from raids from the sea. The north tower, recently restored, keeps the stone shield of the Teutonic Order; later the Knights of St John passed through before settling in Malta. In the 18th century it was bought by the Nifosì family, landowners from Ragusa, who turned it into a residence. Today it is a five-star resort.

In the northern part of the grounds a necropolis from the 5th to 3rd centuries BC comes to the surface, with rock-cut tombs and the little channels that diverted rainwater.

Rooms, cottages and villa

No two rooms are alike. The superior rooms keep their stone floors and original furniture, and look onto the garden; there are superior triples for families. The deluxe rooms have stone alcoves and a private terrace over the grounds. The junior suites and suites have rib vaults, wooden beams and period furniture, and some have terraces with views of the coast. Outside the main building there are white stone cottages with their own garden, a porch with barbecue and fireplace, and a villa with its own pool. The website does not publish the total number of rooms or the check-in time: ask when you book.

Food, pool and spa

Breakfast is a buffet with warm bread, home-made cakes, honey, preserves, eggs from their hens and cured meats. The restaurant cooks with what comes from the estate: plateau ricotta made with milk from their pastures, Sicilian black pork raised free-range in the Iblei woods and Sicilian hen, with wines from their cellar. There is a pool and a wellness area, Asphadelus, with massages and treatments. They run cooking classes, ricotta-making and tastings.

Getting there and parking

You need a car. From Ragusa take the SP 25 towards Marina di Ragusa; the Eremo is at kilometre 7.5. Parking is free, in front of the cottages. The house offers private transfers and has, nearby, a private airstrip for guests, with prior authorisation.

What is nearby

Ragusa Ibla is the nearest visit, and for a special dinner you have the Ristorante Duomo there. Modica and its chocolate are a short drive away.