Review: Tonnara di Scopello

We’ve been wanting to visit the Tonnara for years. I’m sure if you’re reading this you’ve likely seen photos of the Tonnara across the internet and social media. It’s the kind of image that stands out immediately purely because it is just that beautiful. I can confirm that it is indeed equally as outstanding in person.

So let’s dive into the experience and help you decide whether or not it’s the right accommodation for you.

THE TONNARA

It’s rare to find a place like this these days. I know Europe is not lacking in history and beautiful architecture but staying at the Tonnara is like stepping back in time. Although the hotel has been converted into the most beautiful apartments, they have left the key features and elements that remind you that you’re still staying in a 13th-century building. In true Italian style, there’s an effortless class about it all. Even though the outside paint is peeling, it’s what makes it so beautiful.

None of the rooms have air conditioning which for most people can be an immediate red flag for a summer holiday in Europe but I can only speak from our experience. We love air conditioning but we honestly didn’t need it. We’ll elaborate on this a bit further down in the article. Once you see the Tonnara it makes perfect sense why they probably can’t or don’t want to install air conditioning. The building is too precious and they want to preserve its tradition and history.

The Tonnara was originally built and designed with catching Tuna in mind. Tuna would pass through this particular area between May and June and with the building being set into the cove and protected from the wind it was a perfect place to set up business! You can visit the Tonnara museum when you’re staying or visiting and it is an amazing way to learn the history of the space. You’ll also see a lot of older photographs and realise how little the Tonnara has changed. Magical!

I was told during my stay by some of the staff that the Tonnara is owned by a few different families. I think I was told 5 by someone and then 10 by someone who was staying there so I’m not entirely sure exactly how many families own it but it starts to make more sense when you realise it’s not a hotel owned by one individual or family. It’s a shared place that has a lot of meaning for everyone. After meeting quite a few of the staff, it turns out many of them are descendants of the owners of the Tonnara. Very special.

There is a reception and the staff is very helpful checking you in and providing recommendations. It’s also the place to go for a cold bottle of wine to have on your balcony. The Tonnara establishes itself as apartments, not necessarily as a hotel and that’s what makes it so great. Every apartment comes with a small kitchen and your room will be serviced every day. It’s a great place for couples and I believe it’s a great place for families. This is partly why I loved it. It’s not a pretentious place to stay and a lot of the apartments sleep 4 people, so families are welcome.

When you arrive at the top of the driveway there will be people lining up at the booth where the gate is to enter. If you are driving, best to get out of your car and skip the line and tell them you are a guest of the Tonnara. They will find your name and let you in. Someone will meet you at your car and help you with your luggage.

If you aren’t a guest of the hotel don’t worry you can still visit the beach and even book the museum tour! The Tonnara is open most days and usually between the hours of 10 am – 7 pm. You will need to pay to enter the site even if you just want to go for a swim. It’s currently 15 euros per person to enter. There are sunbeds for you to use and a small cafe on site that has lunch, pastries, ice cream, coffee, and beer/soft drink available for purchase. It’s best to check on their Instagram if they are open or closed on the day you’d like to visit. Private events such as weddings at the Tonnara will mean the entire space is closed on that day.

THE ROOMS

As mentioned there are 14 apartments across the property. We stayed in the Franca room which is on the top floor of the main building. Our room had the most extraordinarily high ceilings and not one but two balconies overlooking the ocean. As mentioned before, the rooms don’t have air conditioning. For us, this was fine and we are big fans of air con on a summer holiday! In the Franca room, we would keep the windows open all day and all night and when we went to sleep we would draw the red and white stripe curtains across the main windows to keep out any sunlight that we could in the morning. I’ll admit this was tricky as the sunrise was right in front of you but I’m not sure that’s something to complain about! We were up every day for the sunrise because it was my favourite time of the day. You do of course have the option to close the windows and completely black out the room. There was amazing airflow throughout the whole room at all times when the windows were open. All the rooms also come equipped with fans for anyone who is needing that extra breeze.

If you’re visiting in the colder seasons, there is heating.

THE FOOD

The Tonnara doesn’t have a restaurant but it does have a little cafe on site where breakfast is served. If you’re a guest of the hotel you can turn up in the morning and have your coffee and pastry which are all included in your stay.

There are little tables out the front undercover on the water where you can enjoy your breakfast or you can take it back to your room and enjoy it with your view. It’s a simple breakfast but it’s the Italian way. Get on board it’s glorious.

There’s a fabulous supermarket called ‘Market Scopello’ nearby which has an amazing wine section! You can find some of the most unique local Sicilian wines here. There’s also a deli where you can pick up fresh pre-prepared Italian food, snacks, cheeses, meats, fresh fruit, and vegetables. Since the apartment has a fridge and small kitchen we did a lot of antipasto platters and wine for lunch or dinner. Much cheaper and easier than always having to eat out.

THE PRIVATE BEACH

When you’re a guest at the Tonnara you have access to the entire space which includes the private beach that is only accessible to hotel guests. There are seating areas all across the oceanfront so there are plenty of places to sit for the day and take in the view. There’s an easy access point to the ocean in the little bay if you don’t want to jump off the rocks!

THE LOCATION

The Tonnara is only a 40-minute drive from Palermo airport so it’s the perfect destination if you aren’t wanting to travel too far. The town of Scopello is above the Tonnara on the hill. It’s full of great little restaurants, shops, and gelaterias! The closest main town is Castellammare del golfo which is on the water and home to the marina where you can pick up a boat for a day trip through the Zingaro reserve. Here you will find a lot more choices as well as many more restaurants.

The Zingaro reserve begins right around the headland from the Tonnara. The reserve is Sicily’s first protected reserve that was set up in 1981 and stretches around 7km of the coastline. It’s all untouched and unspoiled by people and it’s incredible. There are plenty of hikes you can do and it’s a great place to explore and take a picnic for the day. As mentioned before, it is also great to explore by boat which you can hire in Castellammare del golfo.

We can’t wait to get back to Tonnara di Scopello, as soon as possible.

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