travel dreams – Stylishly Zen

Stylishly Solo – The Cefalu Travel Guide

Published on January 8, 2024January 8, 2024 by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

Planning my trip thru Sicily took a bit of research as I wasn’t familiar with many of its towns and cities. Taormina was the one destination that had been previously recommended but I was persuaded by a colleague to visit Cefalu instead, as Taormina may be beautiful but it was also quite overrun with tourists (aka my travel nightmare). It was great advice and my stay in Cefalu was one of the many highlights of my trip to Sicily.

A coastal city in Northern Sicily, in my opinion Cefalu should be at the top of every Sicily travel list. The buildings are beautiful, the beaches breathtaking and the foods is incredible. I spent three nights in this memorable city and enjoyed every moment of it.

Where to Stay

I stayed at the Hotel Kalura which is located just outside of Cefalu. Full disclosure – the service at this hotel leaves a lot to be desired especially when you are a solo traveller, but the location is perfect so I was willing to overlook it. It’s about a 20 minute walk into town from the hotel but I would only recommend walking during the day. At night I would suggest taking a taxi (10- 15 Euro) as part of the walk is along the highway and it’s quite dark. The reason that I loved this hotel as it has it’s own private beach. The views are stunning, the water is heavenly and the beach is not too crowded. If you are looking for a fabulous beach the Hotel Kalura is not to be missed.

What to do

Aside from enjoying the beach, the city of Cefalu is gorgeous! Walk along the cobblestones, visit the duomo and people watch while enjoying a spritz in the town centre. There are so many gorgeous options for ceramics so spend some time walking into different shops admiring the talented artists, and wander down to the beach and take in the gorgeous sights. It looks straight out of the pages of Conde Naste Traveller!

Where to Eat

Qualia – I had a reservation booked here a month before I landed in Sicily. It is typical Sicilian fare with an artistic twist. The restaurant is gorgeous, designed to look like a wine cave and you can see all of the magic happening in the kitchen from your table. The food was delicious and the service was friendly. If you are looking to treat yourself to a high end meal during your stay in Sicily, Qualia is the place to go.

Al Faro – this restaurant was recommend by my hotel and it did not disappoint. With an intimate outdoor terrace overlooking the sea, this is the perfect restaurant to enjoy the beauty of Cefalu. The vongle pasta was the best that I had in Sicily (and I tried a lot of them). They don’t take reservations and get quite busy so getting a table can be challenging. I recommend stopping by during the day and asking to book a table for that evening. They are really friendly and happy to accommodate as best they can.

In my opinion Cefalu is magic. I left feeling lighter and more relaxed then I arrived. It has earned its place at the top of my Sicily travel list.

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Vacation Dreaming – Kalesma

Published on September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 by soreiyaLeave a comment

Today’s Vacation Dreaming feature exemplifies the care and understanding with which K-Studio designs their projects. Located in Mykonos, Greece Kalesma is built as a village rather than a typical hotel. It is meant to grow and expand over the years while still providing an intimate hospitality to its guests.

There is something about every project that K-Studio designs that hooks me. Every project that I have seen of theirs has left me swooning and dreaming of visiting the project in person and experiencing it for myself. The time and care that they take to design projects that work within its environment really comes thru, resulting in projects that seamlessly integrate within its surroundings.

Whitewashed buildings set against the rugged landscape and inky blue sea sets the communal image. Intelligently positioned for visitors to enjoy both the sunrise views to the east along with the sunsets views to the west. These views can be enjoyed from the many wellness and social areas by guests as they relax and enjoy amenities that the hotel has to offer.

The hotel has 25 suites and 2 villas. I love that the entry offers a outride shower for guests to “de-sand” before entering their private quarters. Natural tones and textures along with an abundance of natural light gives the indoor spaces an elegant and calming vibe. The colour palette also allows the stunning views to the centre stage even while indoors.

The beautiful pergola covered bar, infinity pools and cushiony sun loungers are just some of the amenities to enjoy while visiting this gorgeous hotel. The hotel even has a traditional stone “Aloni” which historically was a circular structure used for grinding wheat into flour. It has been modified to be a relaxing platform from which guests can socialize and enjoy the sunset with a glass of wine.

This hotel is a dream and demonstrates perfectly K-Studios incredible design talents. It is yet another project that I am dreaming of visiting.

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

All images from http://www.k-studio.gr

Vacation Dreaming

Published on June 29, 2020June 28, 2020 by soreiya2 Comments

Hi Everyone!

while things are slowly starting to open up around the world, the long term effects of this post pandemic world have officially started to set in. While I consider myself fortunate to have had a safe place to isolate, I am a little sad that I will be forgoing a vacation this year. I initially had plans to go to Italy for a friends wedding in August and then spend a couple of weeks exploring parts of Italy that I haven’t yet had a chance to see. But now the wedding has been postponed until next year, and the idea of getting on a plane (especially for a long distance flight) makes me uncomfortable. So I will be having a staycation enjoying the fun that Montreal has to offer along with vacation dreaming and planning for future trips.

Today is the first stop of my vacation dream. Villa Mandra was completed last year incredibly talented design and architecture firm K-Studios. Located in Mykonos, Greece this six bedroom holiday home looks straight out onto the sea and the neighbouring island of Delos while being almost entirely hidden from view.
The villa’s design is signature K-Studio – raw and natural with clean lines and a refined and elegant twist. It’s both modern and timeless and a total design and vacation dream destination.
The home was built around the idea of slow and laid back living with an emphasis on mindfulness. The home and its surroundings encourage calm, healing, retrospection and connection.
Spacious and airy, with a natural palette of wood and lime washed and stone walls this home is quietly confident, with classic elements but with a modern elevated twist.
Taking into consideration the warm climate and the desire to enjoy the breathtaking views in comfort, the villa has a custom built chestnut pergola that covers a large part of the outdoor space including an outdoor dining and living area that overlooks the pool.
Stone tiled floors, natural wood furniture and a touch of green from the plants combine for a natural palette that brings the outdoors inside and offers a shaded respite from the hot midday sun. My favourite touch is the deep burgundy leather chair paired with an abstract painting with a similar tone in one of the bedrooms.
Overall this villa is classic yet modern and the perfect destination to relax and reconnect, both with nature, loved ones and ones self. Something that I think we all need after this crazy past few months.

What do you think of Villa Mandra? Where are you dreaming of vacationing this summer? Let me know in the comments below.