Al Profondo Blu

Porto Palo di Menfi, Sicily

The summerhouse in a nature reserve

6 Guests

3 Bedrooms

2 Bathrooms

Set on a gorgeous, secluded stretch of golden sandy beach, Al Profondo Blu takes its name from the enticing colour of the sea that gently caresses the surf just beyond the garden gate. Sun-baked Mediterranean maquis, shady trees and succulent plants make up the 15 hectares of private nature reserve that envelope the house in a cocoon of fragrant tranquillity, providing the perfect retreat for those wishing to get away from the rigours of everyday life.

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Winner of Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Best Villa Rental Company in the World

 Winner of Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Best Villa Rental Company in the World

Keyholder highlights

  • IncludedPrivate, 15-acre seafront nature reserve
  • IncludedGarden access to an idyllic sandy beach
  • IncludedPanoramic sea-view pool
  • IncludedWalking to a beachfront restaurant

Gallery

Aerial views of Al Profondo Blu.

Views out across Al Profondo Blu's infinity pool to the sea.

The elegant shady pergola in front of the house is a relaxing spot from which to take in the sea views.

The glorious sandy beach accessed directly from Al Profondo Blu's garden.

Your gateway to the beach.

Al Profondo Blu with its garden gate access to the beach and the sea.

Includes

  • IncludedSole use of the villa and the grounds
  • IncludedThe support of our Villa Specialists to help you select your perfect villa
  • IncludedThe expertise of a dedicated team to help you fine-tune the logistics of your trip and to plan a range of experiences, many of which are exclusive to The Thinking Traveller
  • IncludedA Local Specialist available during your stay for emergency support
  • IncludedA comprehensive guide to your villa and its surrounding area, including our restaurant recommendations, cultural highlights and other activities
  • IncludedAn easy-to-use online holiday planner to keep all your booked experiences and services in one place, ensuring that nothing gets missed during your stay
  • IncludedThe ability to coordinate and share the details of your trip with your group via Your Account
  • IncludedAll sales taxes, electricity, gas, Wi-Fi, linen, bath towels, pool and/or beach towels
  • IncludedAccess to our in-villa wine delivery service – choose from our handpicked menu of the best regional wines and find them waiting for you at your villa
  • IncludedA mid-week cleaning and linen change service (the latter is available on request)

Excludes

  • Not IncludedFlights
  • Not IncludedCar hire
  • Not IncludedTransfers
  • Not IncludedMeals (unless otherwise specified)
  • Not IncludedTourist taxes (tassa di soggiorno) levied by many town councils in Italy. The amount varies by location and usually amounts to between €1-€5 per person per night

From the Guest Book

Read the insightful reviews from travellers who have experienced this villa and our service firsthand.

An illustration of a guest book

We have stayed at Al Profondo Blu efore and love the seclusion of the villa. The outside space is stunning - there’s a spot for everything, from relaxing with a book to sunbathing - and there are jaw-dropping views everywhere you look. We loved exploring the reserve, the deserted beach, the donkeys and the perfect new pool. It was again a privilege to stay in this treasured family home. We had everything we needed - and more! Unsurprisingly we hardly ventured out. Would we return? Yes, we would stay for ever at Al Profondo Blu. It is magical, mesmerising and a place where you can blissfully retreat from the outside world. We are totally besotted and already planning our next visit.

Sally Wolstencroft October 2025

We've just spent an unforgettable holiday at Al Profondo Blu and we couldn't have hoped for better. The location is simply a dream: immersed in a nature reserve between Selinunte and Porto Palo with a garden, pool, sea view, and direct access to a beach. It's a little corner of paradise where tranquillity reigns supreme. The villa has all the comforts and every detail is taken care of - perfect for relaxing throughout the day. The welcome and the management of the house were impeccable. We felt pampered from the first day to the last. Our days, spent between swims and walks through the reserve with the sweet donkeys for company, were unforgettable. Every day we lived in an oasis of peace and beauty. It was an experience that we will remember forever.

Timothy Giuliani September 2025

The location of Al Profondo Blu is stunning, the grounds were well thought out and beautifully maintained, and the villa was beautiful but comfortable and felt homely. Thank you for a perfect, much needed break. We have returned relaxed and refreshed.

JF August 2025

We had a very special holiday at lovely Al Profondo Blu. Thank you. Adorable donkeys for neighbours and beautiful views with privacy. It easy access to the beach.

Verified guest, April 2024

At Al Profondo Blu we felt we were honoured guests in an extraordinary home. The villa was in an extraordinary location - we felt extremely lucky to spend a week there. What we felt about the whole experience was a sense of generous hospitality, from the care taken by our team, to the quality of the property, and of course the fantastic food from the chef. Your welcome gifts were so thoughtful - the cookery book, the Easter cake, and the delicious food starter pack. Thank you.

Verified guest, April 2025

The location of Al Profondo Blu is extraordinary and the villa was far beyond our expectations. The home and grounds are just gorgeous. We felt very comfortable and at home there. We loved the fact it is very private and within a nature reserve. The views and proximity to the beach make it very special. We spent most of our time out on the terrace enjoying nature and being able to swim at the beach whenever we felt like it. The house is beautiful and very comfortable. Every thing has been thought of to make the stay enjoyable. We especially loved the little donkeys who came to say good morning every day. The manager was super helpful also, and the local eggs we were given to try were delicious! It was a really special experience and we just loved every minute of it. We would go back every year if we could. The relaxed pace and the location away from the heavy tourist areas makes it perfect.

Verified guest, June 2025

Excellent

4.7/5

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The Area

The beauty and peace of your own personal nature reserve may make it difficult to get out and explore but you really should visit Selinunte and the Cave di Cusa and have a superb lunch or dinner at the seafront restaurant La Pineta. La Pineta is a 3.5km walk from the villa along the beach of the Belice Nature Reserve. Several of the towns nearby are also well worth a visit. Sciacca and Mazara del Vallo both have charming old centres, some great restaurants and working ports with large fishing fleets that work the Mediterranean daily. A little further afield but still in easy day-trip distance are Marsala, Trapani and Erice. Caltabellotta is spectacularly situated in the craggy hills overlooking both coast and interior, while Menfi itself is an up-and-coming centre of excellence for the wine trade.

The beaches in the area of Porto Palo-Menfi have received 20 consecutive "Blue Flags", attesting to the cleanliness of the water and their general ecological excellence.

Cycling in the Menfi area is a very pleasurable pastime, thanks to both the quiet back roads and the purpose-built cycle track along and around the old railway line between Menfi, Porto Palo and Sciacca. We’d be delighted to have bikes delivered to your villa and, if anyone in your group is an inveterate pedaller, arrange for a local guide to show them the best routes.

Getting to and around

Trapani Airport:

100km-62miles-1hr20

Palermo Airport:

102km-63miles-1hr15

Catania Airport:

251km-156miles-3hr30

Comiso Airport:

200km-125miles-3hr5

Sandy beach:

a 2-minute stroll down the path below the house or at Porto Palo (about 10mins drive)
Shops and amenities at Menfi (13km-7.5miles-20mins) or Castelvetrano (18km-11miles-25mins)

Nearest restaurants:

La Pineta (about a 3.5km walk along the beach) or in Porto Palo, Menfi and the surrounding area (10-20mins drive)

Cycle path:

550m-3min to asphalted road. Then 8km-4.9miles-20-30mins to cycle path

Sciacca:

30km-19miles-35mins

Selinunte:

12km-8miles-20mins

Mazara del Vallo:

38km-23miles-35mins

Agrigento:

88km-55miles-1hr30

Local Experiences

Culinary experiences in Western Sicily

Culinary experiences in Western Sicily

Every civilisation that dominated Sicily was inspired by the produce this fertile land offers. In western Sicily it was the Arabs, French and Spanish who shaped the roots of the local culinary tradition, that went on to develop throughout the centuries into the unique, rich and eclectic specialities we find there today.

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Private boat charters in West Sicily

Private boat charters in West Sicily

Transparent waters lap dramatic, time-scarred sea stacks and weather-beaten cliffs, home to tumbling prickly pear trees and 16th and 17th-century watch towers. The old tonnara (a tuna fishing hub) is set evocatively between the cliffs, and a little time spent snorkelling here will be time well spent indeed. Then it’s off again, sweeping through the limpid waters of Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, whose towering mountains rise majestically from the sea. Idyllic pebbly coves break up the sheer rocky masses, and before you know it you’ll be rounding the headland and sailing west to Sicily’s most northwesterly town, the fishing village and seaside resort of San Vito Lo Capo, renowned for its golden sands, electric blue waters, and delicious fish couscous.

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Private guided tours in West Sicily

Private guided tours in West Sicily

From first glance, it would seem that the Saracen and Norman rulers of Sicily could have had very little in common. The former had arrived from North Africa and were part of the Golden Age of Arab civilisation that had made such huge strides in the fields of mathematics, economics, agriculture, science, poetry, and architecture. The latter were an offshoot of the Vikings from the frozen north of Europe, adventurers and hardened warriors.When the Normans ousted the Saracen forces in 1090, however, there was no obliteration of all things Arabic. Indeed, the men from the north were hugely impressed by what they found, and rather than destroying Arabic culture, they embraced it. Many institutions were retained, Islam was tolerated, and Saracen landowners were allowed to keep their estates. North African habits were adopted by many Normans as they acclimatised to life in the middle of the Mediterranean. Souks prospered, cool Arabic courtyards were de rigueur, and many Normans, including some of the sovereigns themselves, lived more like Emirs than knights. Where the fusion of cultures really stood out, however, was in the architecture.

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Private Guided Tours in Southwest Sicily

Private Guided Tours in Southwest Sicily

Our private guides are tried and tested experts in their field, with many holding PhDs in their particular specialism. Book a tour or two with them and you'll come away with fascinating insights into your destination's towns, archaeological sites, food, wine, landscapes and geology.

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Beach clubs in Southwest Sicily

Beach clubs in Southwest Sicily

The southern coast of Sicily is a broken line of sandy beaches and cliffs, dotted with the remains of Greek colonies such as Selinunte and Agrigento, and the odd modern metropolis. In the southwest are the seaside towns of Porto Palo di Menfi and Sciacca, with its large fishing fleet, the coastal nature reserves of Foce del Belice, Foce del Platani and Torre Salsa, all with gorgeous unspoilt beaches, and the historic site of Eraclea Minoa, which boasts a long expanse of sand flanked by fragrant pine woods. Also along this section of coast are the bright white chalk cliffs and bathing area of the Scala dei Turchi.

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Wine tastings in Southwest Sicily

Wine tastings in Southwest Sicily

The triangle of Menfi, Marsala and Sciacca is one of the oldest outpost for wine production in Sicily thanks to the versatile and mite climate created by the sea breeze coming from the coast. Some of the most important Sicilian indigenous grapes, such as Grillo and Inzolia were born here and throughout the centuries have been wisely combined to produce among the most popular wines of the region. If you want to start exploring Sicilian wine you should probably start here, and we would be pleased to help.

Discover
Culinary experiences in West Sicily

Culinary experiences in West Sicily

The west of Sicily is a great destination for food lovers. Inland, the scenery is dominated by vast expanses of vineyards and olive groves, and some of Sicily's best wines – for example those of the Alcamo, Trapani, Erice and Marsala areas - and olive oils are produced in this corner of the island. Restaurant menus offer a fabulous array of fresh fish and seafood dishes. Fish cous cous is one of the signature dishes, a tradition that is celebrated every September at San Vito’s international Cous Cous Fest. Other stand-out specialities include busiate al pesto trapanese - a homemade pasta served with a pesto of tomatoes, garlic, almonds and basil - and spaghetti alla bottarga - salt-cured tuna fish roe grated on steaming pasta.

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