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Sicily in May: Flower, beach and kite festivals

6th April 2011 Print

Head for Sicily next month when temperatures hover around the balmy early twenties and festivals and sunshine tempt Sicilians out on to the streets and beaches.

Flower festival:  Celebrate Spring’s arrival with the Infiorata di Noto (13-16 May), a unique flower festival held in the baroque town of Noto in SE Sicily.  During the popular festival, Noto’s main street, the Corrado Nicolaci, is transformed into a flowered carpet comprising petal filled mosaic-style pictures.   On the day before the festival, artists work along the palace-lined street with a special organic soil to outline the scenes which are then filled in with specially prepared flower petals and seeds, creating a similar effect to a stained glass window. 

Stay at Matal, a mid-1800’s luxury villa nestling in the hills overlooking Noto.  Formerly the summer residence of the Prince of Villadorata, the five-bedroomed Matal has a stunning pool and outdoor kitchen, with barbecue and pizza oven.  A week at Matal in May costs from £3620 (sleeps 10) with soloSicily.com.

World Festival on the Beach (16-22 May) takes place at Mondello Beach, just outside Palermo.  Top-level displays by windsurfing, sky diving, paragliding, kite surfing and sailing world champions take place alongside beach volleyball and jazz concerts.   Stay at Tanguera, a stunning one-bedroom ultra-modern villa at Mondello.  One week in May costs from £1116 with soloSicily.com.

Kite festival: Famous primarily for its white sandy beaches, San Vito Lo Capo, near Trapani in western Sicily, hosts an International Kite Festival from 21-29 May.  Enjoy the spectacle of artists from all corners of the globe flying kites of varying shapes and sizes over San Vito’s seashore.  A week at Casa Blu in May costs from £1070 (sleeps 4) with soloSicily.com.

soloSicily offers accommodation in villas and boutique hotels throughout coastal and inland Sicily.  For further information, please visit, soloSicily.com.