Family break in Sicily at Mangia’s Brucoli!

During the last Easter holidays, we traveled around Sicily as a family. Our first stop: Mangia’s Brucoli.

The hotel is located just under a 30-minute drive from Catania Airport, which is very convenient when traveling with a child.

I recommend visiting the city of Catania, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some neighborhoods in the city are picturesque and quaint, with chaotic traffic, but some squares and historical monuments are splendid and definitely worth a visit.

Mangia’s Brucoli hotel is located right next to the small village of the same name. A small boat even shuttles between the hotel and the village (allow 5 minutes for crossing at a price of €8 per person). Brucoli is a picturesque seaside village with fishing boats and houses where the waves crash against, so don’t expect a touristy village filled with restaurants and attractions. However, there is a small amusement park (trampolines, inflatable castle, etc.) perfect for children.

From the hotel, there is a nice view of the village and the surrounding hills. During our stay, the castle next to the lighthouse was under construction, and the scaffolding somewhat spoiled the view, but this is a minor detail and temporary. However, the most impressive view remains the magnificent panorama of the sea and Mount Etna in the distance, recognizable by its snow-capped summit. The hotel blends well with the landscape. Here, there are no tall buildings: all constructions do not exceed one floor. I also recommend that parents with strollers stay in ground floor rooms to avoid stairs. Note that some suites have a very small pool the size of a very large bathtub, but these rooms do not offer a sea view.

We stayed in a Suite. This newly renovated room (like all others) is very beautiful and comfortable. The dimensions are generous. Our son slept on the large sofa bed in the living room. The parents’ room is separated from the children’s room by an open bathroom and a dressing area. Sliding doors close each room. This layout is perfect and ensures everyone’s privacy. The Suite has a large terrace overlooking the gardens and the sea.

During our stay, we met many French families. Many staff members speak French and English, including some kids’ club entertainers, which facilitates interactions with French-speaking children.

The hotel is really child-friendly. Opposite the kids’ club, there is a large pool specifically for the little ones, with a lifeguard, two slides, and easy access due to its lagoon construction. Adults can also enjoy a pool reserved for them, away from the main pool. Although it doesn’t have a sandy beach, the hotel has provided quick access to the sea for easy and safe swimming.

It also houses an amphitheater for shows, and activities are organized several times a day.

Sports enthusiasts will be delighted: paddle tennis, tennis, football, gym, yoga sessions, water sports… My wife really liked the sports studio facing the sea. My son played football every day. The football is provided free of charge, and the rental of tennis and paddle tennis rackets and balls costs €20 per game.

The dining is of quality, as is often the case in Italy. Special mention to the Neapolitan pizzeria for its decor and menu.

During our stay, the hotel had only reopened for fifteen days. There were few guests, and the hotel had adjusted its buffet restaurant offer. Breakfast was more than decent, but in the evening, the variety of dishes offered was a bit limited. This may not be the case in high season. During this reopening period, the service was not always optimal. We felt that the teams in some restaurants needed to get used to it. In the room, there was sometimes a lack of a water bottle or a box of tissues. We mentioned this, and it immediately improved. We have experienced this in other hotels that had just reopened. Teams need to find their footing, and we were tolerant.

The hotel has a spa (without indoor pool, sauna, or steam room) and a shiatsu center. We regularly suffer from tension and muscle aches, so we tested both formulas. The result was up to our expectations!

Customer experience is at the center of attention. When we arrived in our room, we received a small terracotta amphora that had to be painted with a local artist and in which we had to blow our dearest wish. A beautiful activity that we did as a family.

Even though the hotel has 400 rooms, you feel like you’re staying in an intimate resort because of the way the rooms are distributed in multiple small, human-sized buildings. The numerous and large green spaces also promote this feeling of space. The hotel indeed has quite amazing vegetation: olive trees, cacti, palm trees… it’s very pleasant to stroll through the gardens and pathways.

We have wonderful memories of our stay. I sincerely recommend staying at Mangia’s Brucoli if you are looking for a typical Sicilian hotel offering all the services of a 5-star resort and highly adapted to children.

Ciao!