Ruffiana

Gallery

The bedroom's sitting area has gorgeous views of Noto.

The generously proportioned bedroom on the first floor includes a pair of sofas and banks of windows that bring in the views.

Ruffiana's inviting zero-edge pool with the house rising behind.

Expansive views out over the surrounding countryside and the sea.

The shady al fresco dining area - perfect for lazy lunches and romantic dinners.

Take a proper look

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Includes

Sole use of the villa and the grounds
The support of our Villa Specialists to help you select your perfect villa
The 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
A Local Specialist available during your stay for emergency support
A comprehensive guide to your villa and its surrounding area, including our restaurant recommendations, cultural highlights and other activities
An 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
The ability to coordinate and share the details of your trip with your group via Your Account
All sales taxes, electricity, gas, Wi-Fi, linen, bath towels, pool and/or beach towels
Access 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
A mid-week clean and linen change
The opportunity to book additional services, including car hire, cooks and wellness treatments

Excludes

Flights
Car hire
Transfers
Meals
Tourist 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

The Area

La Ruffiana sits in the rolling hills above the fascinating baroque town of Noto and the beautiful natural reserve of Vendicari Nature Reserve.

Noto is the most easterly of a chain of baroque towns now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while Vendicari Nature Reserve is home to some of the finest sandy beaches in Sicily, not to mention thousands of migrating birds, including flamingos, and sea turtles, which come to nest on its sands.

If hiking in the hills is your thing, then there is some spectacular scenery in the rushing streams and waterfalls of Cassibile and at the Paleolithic burial sites in the dramatic valley of Pantalica.

Syracuse is just half an hour's drive away, and a day there is highly recommended to anybody spending a week or two at Agata. A little further afield, the other baroque towns of Modica, Ragusa and Scicli are easily reachable in a day.

Getting to and around

Catania airport:

80km-50miles-1hr

Comiso airport:

83km-52miles-1hr30

Palermo airport:

315km-195miles-3hr15

Trapani airport:

396km-246miles-4hr25

Nearest beaches at Vendicari:

15-20mins by car

Noto (shops, bars, restaurants):

10mins by car

Syracuse:

35km-21miles-30mins

Modica:

40km-25miles-45mins

Ragusa:

60km-38miles-1hr

Local Experiences

Wine tastings in Southeast Sicily

Nero D’Avola, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Frappato, Syrah and Moscato Bianco are just a few of the grape varieties cultivated in the Noto area, and we heartily recommend a vineyard visit during your stay. We know the right people and the most prestigious wineries in the area, and we’d be delighted to arrange a chauffeured wine tasting tour with lunch for you.

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Private boat charters in Southeast Sicily

From here until the southeasternmost tip of Sicily, the coastline is an uninterrupted stretch of sandy beach, dotted with picturesque little resort towns, including Punta Secca (Inspector Montalbano's home), Marina di Ragusa, Donnalucata, Cava d'Aliga, Sampieri and Marina di Modica. The last strip, made up of several miles of dunes, is where the Allied forces landed in the 2nd World War. At the southernmost tip of Sicily is Isola Delle Correnti, offering an almost African scenario. Indeed, here we are considerably further south than Tunis.Just around the southeastern tip and heading north up the east coast, are the beaches of Marzamemi, San Lorenzo and Vendicari Nature Reserve. The reserve's salt water lagoons and varieties of flora offer the ideal habitat for a wide range of fauna, including nesting turtles and migrating flamingos.Continuing up the east coast, between Vendicari and the historic Greek town of Syracuse, are the popular sandy beaches of Marina di Noto, Calabernado, Marina di Avola, Gelsomineto, Fontane Bianche and Arenella.

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Private guided tours in Southeast Sicily

The southeastern tip of Sicily is home to mile after mile of largely unspoilt sandybeaches and an impressive list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica, the towns ofthe Val di Noto, and Villa Romana del Casale.

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Culinary experiences in Southeast Sicily

The southeast of Sicily is famed for its superb tomatoes, cheeses, meat, olive oil, vegetables and seafood. Our culinary experiences in the area will enable you to transform these exquisite ingredients into some of southeast Sicily's most celebrated dishes.

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From the Guest Book

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

We had a very relaxing experience at Ruffiana. What stodd out was the pool and the patio area.

Verified guest, August 2025

Our stay at Ruffiana was amazing - the villa was full of style - with beautiful views of Noto - we loved the area - and The Thinking Traveller's restaurant recommendations were fabulous. The local team at the villa were faultless - couldn't have been more helpful.

Verified guest, September 2025

Excellent

4.7/5

1,174 Reviews

Noto, Sicily

2 Guests

1 Bedroom

2 Bathrooms

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