Verdura Resort

It’s a Sunday morning in Sicily, and we’re fully invested in la dolce vita. The late summer sun beams down on the Mediterranean shoreline, and our breakfast table heaves with ambrosial Italian coffee, a mountain of traditional pastries and bowls of fresh-as-can-be ricotta. Three flavours of home-made granita sit temptingly on the buffet table; it might technically be a dessert, but as it has been made with the oranges and almonds that grow on Verdura Resort’s estate, it would be rude to ignore them.

Across the pool, Italy’s kaftan-clad glitterati have settled themselves in for the day, chattering at full tilt, espressos in hand, oversized sunglasses on head, as the lifeguard tends to their whims. Rocco Forte’s one and only resort hotel offers modern, laidback luxury.

The pool itself is impressive, sprawling across two levels: 60 metres of clean lines and curves. The hotel behind it is comprised of low-slung, statement architecture, finished in natural materials that complement the breathtaking surrounds.

Mr Smith and I headed beyond the pool, down to the waterfront to find our own sun-worshipping spot for the day. After a wander down the jetty and a quick dip in the sea, I take a blissful time-out with my book, all set and ready for a day of seemingly endless lounging.

Verdura is a playground for the rich and famous, and our room’s ensuite does a stellar job of making me feel like one of them, with twin sinks, rain shower, deep bath tub – hell, we seem to have our own massage table, too… Delightfully scented Ortigia bath products are the icing on the cake; made locally, using nothing but natural Sicilian ingredients, they certainly smell good enough to eat.

Instead, we devour the homegrown white peaches that have magically appeared in our bedroom, a warm and inviting space. An enormous wooden four-poster bed takes centre stage, billowing mosquito nets giving it a fairy-tale feel. Outside, our private balcony is the perfect spot for quaffing cocktails as the sun dips slowly into the sea below.

Later, we head to Zagara, the resort’s fine-dining restaurant, where the chef stays true to Sicilian tradition while exploring the boundaries of modern Mediterranean dining. Our waiter is as effervescent and entertaining as he is knowledgeable; we heed his recommendation to try the Sicilian pink fizz produced on the other side of the island, in the shadow of Mount Etna.

Our meal is nothing short of spectacular, from the intoxicatingly fresh olive oil harvested from the grounds, to the veal carpaccio, shrimp spaghettoni and pistachio-crumbed lamb loin. We roll back to our suite like two fat but very happy Italian pigs.  

Shortly after the morning light peeks through the gap in our shutters, we stir and head out into the grounds. Our plan was to blow away prosecco-fuelled cobwebs with a bike ride around the estate. However, we frequently pull over to admire the fresh produce planted every few metres – tomatoes, pomegranates, melons, olives, almonds – which made this a ride of lower-intensity than planned.

Verdura is a large resort, with a few more rooms than the average Smith boutique hotel anyway… But thanks to its clever design, cosy restaurants and grounds you could happily lose yourself in, the stay feels intimate.

Post-workout, we tested the limits of the breakfast buffet. Once again full of Italian goodies, we then head to the nearby Unesco World Heritage Site Scala dei Turchi or ‘Stair of the Turks’.

We climb the slippery white-marl rock, dodging selfie-stick wielders and weary Instagram husbands to reach the summit. Our timing is ideal as we nab a prime spot on the ‘sunlounger’ carved into the rock summit by Mother Nature. It’s a truly magical spot and one that was made even better when Mr Smith wandered off – only for him to return with two ice-cold Birra Morettis from the beach shack. A true romantic…

We headed back to the ranch in time for a late lunch. At Verdura fresh pasta is a specialty; well, that and the pistachio gelato. We ordered both – well, we were on holiday – before heading our separate ways: Mr Smith to take on nine holes of golf; me to ‘tackle’ the four thalassotherapy pools in the spa.

Two hours later, I’m in seventh heaven. Then Mr Smith returned with a beaming great smile and newfound confidence in his swing, thanks to the on-site golf pro whom he credits as a real-life magician. I took one last circuit of the jetted pools as I was regaled with tales from the golf course, before it was time to go home.

‘Sicily is the clue to everything’, said German poet and polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. After a weekend spent on the south coast, warmed by the late summer sun, I’m inclined to agree with him. And if Sicily is the clue, the Verdura lifestyle is without doubt a piece of the puzzle.