We arrived at Lido Valdesi to our four pre-booked, pre-paid beds and found two of them already…read morecovered with someone else's belongings. Since we had the reservation, we moved the items aside and set up on our beds. The woman whose things they were then showed up and insisted the beds were hers, despite not having a wristband confirming payment. Things escalated quickly, we ended up face to face in a heated argument, and while I went to find staff, she physically lay down on top of my friend, who was already on the bed, and refused to get up. Staff and security got involved but told us they "couldn't touch her because she's a female," leaving us to resolve it ourselves. My friends spent a good chunk of the morning on edge, worried the women would come back. Despite paying in advance and dealing with a situation staff should have handled, we received nothing beyond a verbal apology , no refund, no gesture of goodwill. That said, we didn't let it ruin our day, Mondello itself is gorgeous, and once things settled we had an amazing time. But if you're paying for a reserved spot, know that staff may not step in to actually enforce it.

We had a wonderful day on Mondello Beach at the Lido Valdesi. We took a taxi from he historic area…read moreof Palermo where we were staying. It worked out perfectly. We visited a great coffee shop named Touring Bar as we arrived prior to settling in at the beach. Delicious croissants and cappuccino! Later we enjoyed a delicious lunch right on the private beach at Valdesi. Excellent food and service. I recommend this private lido as the chairs and umbrella were high quality and the bathrooms were easily accessible. It was also just a quick walk across the street for excellent gelato!

Really enjoyed my tour here. It was roasting and the humidity + heat are intense so bring water or…read moreyou won't make it hiking up to the temple. There is a bus to the other area where the theatre etc is so that's what we did going up and walked down. We had a private guide so I felt like I learned a ton. You could on your own too but would be easy not to get into the history unless you make an effort -- you should. It's amazing to see the 5th and 6th century temple and infrastructure. Nice views from up on top of both hills. Come early to bear summer and early fall heat and be ready to walk a lot.

Sat one early morning, drinking my second cup of coffee, overlooking the English Garden. Prepared…read moremyself for a visit to the Villa Trabia, a few minutes away, having some expectations, as always. Went out, crossed the street, walked up to the gate of the villa. Not so much to expect, so far. No tourists, just a few locals having their morning run. Birds, though, plenty of them, singing and opening their wings in the breeze. Just a few steps and you experience a unique atmosphere. Once this garden had 2700 species. Today only 150 remains. But past and present can´t be separated - it´s all there. The grandeur, the greatness, is still present. Nothing is perfect, the decline can be seen everywhere, but beauty remains and the romantic impression is without sentimentality. The Villa Trabia holds an art library. A sweet lady showed me around. The house filled with students reading, listening to music, watching film videos - studying art, right in the eye of art itself. Sat down on a bench underneath a very big tree, talked to an engaged gardener, telling me the names of the trees. Flowers from one of them covered the ground. Left the Villa Trabia through another gate? Yes, I did. But not really. Still inside.

They have a slide and swings and monkey bars. Tons of green space. Romantic benches. People playing…read moresoccer. Watch out for some broken parts of the playground.

PARADISE FOUND We…read morearrived into town at the wrong time! It was 2pm and all of the restaurants were closed. Everyone went night night for the afternoon and the city looked like zombie land. We were starving. We literally ate 3 figs we had in our trunk and THEN decided to regroup. With our clear minds, we figured that the beach would have some food. We stumbled upon Lido Paradiso and we were in heaven. It was a beautiful beach facility with rocking music, a covered deck, beach chairs, cabanas and a self serve bar with food. We had no options for food except this one. There wasn't much food left in the glass counter. We wanted some rice balls but they were out of them. Our bartender told us we could only order what we saw. There was one slice of lasagna left and we ordered it. It was honestly one of the best lasagnas we ever had and I make a really good lasagna. The creaminess was incredible. Beach food is never this good anywhere except in Italy. I tried ordering tap beer and they were out of it. It makes me laugh because this wouldn't fly in the United States. We also got some bottled beers and a Fanta too. It was so nice to just sit on the beach with a cool breeze blowing. We stumbled upon paradise and I never want to go home again. Some of the best moments are unplanned.

Don't miss this enchanted oasis, a peaceful, whimsical botanical garden built in a former quarry…read more It's a short bike ride from some of Favignana's most popular beaches and absolutely worth a visit. You can download a free app at the front desk (WiFi available, in English and Italian) for a guided tour. Proceed at your own pace, rest in the shade, admire cacti, bright flowers, majestic trees, pools and fountains... unforgettable!