Surrounded by palms, CASA VELIZ offers a view of the mountains and the gently-undulating fields of Sicily. From here you can experience beautiful sunsets. From the covered terrace you have a coastal view. Casa Veliz offers a get-away-from-it-all holiday with the advantage of still only being five minutes away by car from Balestrate and the beach. Rental bicycles are also available.
The building is looked after by my sister Signora Mazzola.
Balestrate is a former fishing village with approximately 5000 inhabitants and is situated only 40km west of Palermo in the Gulf of Castellammare. Magnificent, kilometre-long beaches stretch west and east along the coast from the village (Sicciara Beach, Golfo Rosso, Golfo Verde.) By Baia di Normani there is an approximately 300m-long cave. Beyond the cave, hidden-away, there is a wonderful small beach with fine, golden sand and shallow, crystal-clear water. Behind the beach to the west of the village, there is a wood with Eucalyptus and Tamarisk.

Balestrate offers everything you might need. Restaurants, bars, pubs, discotheque, supermarkets, bank machine, internet cafe. Monday is market day. In Balestrate you will find everything you need for scuba diving, angling and for motor boot sport. It also has a yacht marina.

Sport facilities in Balestrate: swimming, scuba diving, surfing, riding, tennis, hiking and cycling

Traditions and festivals in Balestrate:

February: Carnival Parade
Shepherds’ Dance in the streets
March: Festival of the holy San Giuseppe
Visit to the Alters
Easter: Good Friday procession Via Crusis
April: Festival at the pilgrimage church Madonna dei Ponte near Balestrate
June: Festival of the holy Saint Peter, Blessing/Consecration of the fish (29 June)
July: Festival of the holy Saint Anna (26 July)
Summer festival in the Piazza - entrance free
(plays, art exhibitions, music groups, folklore events, singers, concerts)
August: Summer festival in the Piazza - entrance free
15 August Ferragosto - Festival on the Beach Falo
(Campfire) with music and culinary specialities
December: 31 December large New Year’s Party in the Piazza

I Murales: These interesting murals can be found all over the village

Balestrate is very centrally-located and is thus and excellent starting point for sightseeing.

Palermo 30 minutes Erice 40 minutes
Monreale 50 minutes Trapani 35 minutes
Lo Zingaro 20 minutes Selinunte 45 minutes
San Vito 40 minutes Agrigento 110 minutes

How to reach Balestrate:

By train: By train to Milan. Overnight train Milan - Palermo. Palermo - Balestrate.
Timetable information: trenitalia.it

By car: Motorway A29, exit Balestrate

By air: Distance from Palermo Airport - 28km
Distance from Catania Airport - approx. 180km

By sea: From Naples to Palermo by express ferry
Departure: 4.30pm - Arrival 9.30pm

Sailing time from Genoa to Palermo - 20 hours