This is the second time that we have stayed at the amazing Lemon Tree apartments, it has now become one of our favourite places on earth. The breathtaking views of Taormina one side and Etna the other, take your breath away every time you see them, the accommodation is clean tidy, relaxing and very Sicilian, however what really makes this place special are Karen and Diego. The hosts give you a very Sicilian, friendly stay, always on had to help and advise. Karen will also cook traditional Sicilian food upon request (as long as you give her notice), and it is better than a large proportion of restaurants that we have eaten (the pasta Ala Norma was sensational). I highly recommend a stay at the Lemontree, whether you use it as a base to explore Sicily, or a retreat to unwind, relax and recharge, you won't be disappointed.

The location, a short ten minute drive from Taormina was perfect. We had the peace and quiet of the countryside with a short trip into Taormina or Castelmola for great food, bars and sight seeing. The Lemon Tree is perfect for relaxing during the day with a pool, table tennis and plenty of places to sit and read and take in the amazing views of the sea, Caselmola and Taormina. The pictures do not do the Lemon Tree or the views justice. Karen and Diego are fantastic hosts providing much more than a self catering experience. We were arriving on a late flight and took advantage of their offer to arrange airport transfer, stocking our fridge and ordering pizza delivery for when arrived. A car is recommended but we had a fabulous holiday based in the Lemon Tree without one. Karen and Diego provided transport into Taormina or the supermarket when we needed it and if they were not available, there was also an excellent taxi service. As a family, with three teenage children, we loved our time in the Lemon Tree whether it was playing volley ball in the pool or relaxing in the evening on the Terrace taking in the spectacular views. Just perfect....

We had 11 wonderful days at the lemon tree in july, staying in the lovely Etnea apartment. It was ideal for us, spacious, well equipped and very comfortable accomodation with a large terrace to dine and relax on while gazing at views of Taormina, Castlemola, and the Ionian sea.Bliss! I cannot speak highly enough of Karen and Diego our hosts. Warm, friendly and welcoming without ever being intrusive, from meeting us at the train station on our arrival into Taormina to guide us up to their villa, stocking our fridge for us for our arrival, giving us tips on everything about the area, to organising volleyball in the pool which my sons loved, they added so much to our holiday and are first class hosts. Also I have to mention Molly their lovely gentle dog, she was an added bonus for all of us!! There is so much to see and do in the area, hire a car to make the most of it. We loved snorkelling around Isola Bella, visiting the Alcantara gorge for a cool off, going to see Mount Etna - amazing sight, then the beautiful hilltop villages -already mentioned, and thats only some of it! Highly recommended, we'l be back some day!

No exaggeration at all when I say, this place is FANTASTIC. Hands down, the best holiday we've ever had. So much so, we're booking for next year ASAP. The location is great, the views you just wont believe until you're there but trust me they're amazing. The room was spacious and spotless with a great balcony. The pool area was large, had everything you needed and was cleaned daily. There is nothing bad I can say about this place at all. However, one thing that puts The Lemon Tree above every other place to stay in Sicily is Karen & Diego!!! (The owners) They live on site with their dog Molly (The most laid back dog in the world). They are both great people, always on hand to help you in ANY way they can. They ferried us about anywhere we asked, they picked up food for us on the odd occasion, gave advice on where to go and how to get there, entertained us, even fed us! - This is a self catering holiday, when you book self catering you dont expect any input from the owner..its in the name (SELF-catering) yet the service and hospitality we received was the best in my entire life, well surpassing that of 5 star hotels. I cant stress enough to you if you're reading this, just book it! - You will not be disappointed.

I stayed here a couple of weeks ago with my husband. It is very rare that we want to go back to a place twice but I think we'll have to make an exception for Taormina and the Lemon Tree.The apartments are set high up in the mountains and the views, overlooking Taormina and the sea in one direction and Etna in the other, are spectacular. The historic town of Taormina and beautiful beach of Isola Bella, are very close by and it is a great base from which to explore some of the best sights of North East Sicily. We had great trips to the Alcantara Gorge, the villages of northern Etna, and the stunning hilltop town of Castelamola. The apartment(Ulivio) was immaculate, well equipped and with a large cool balcony, ideal for 'siestas' or chilling out with a glass of wine. Karen and Diego were the best of hosts, friendly welcoming and helpful without being at all intrusive, it was like a home from home. Prior to arrival Karen had offered to cook us a Sicilian meal and, as we'd set off in the middle of the night, I took her up on this. She produced the most delicious meal, three courses with wine/water for 25 euros each. It was one of the best meals we had on holiday, and this is Sicily we're talking about. I must admit I shamelessly grilled her (no pun intended) for the recipes and will be trying them out at home. I think having a car is a great advantage if you are staying here although I noticed bus stops on the road nearby and my husband walked a couple of times to the town of Giardini Naxos but I didn't fancy the hour walk there and back in the heat. Karen and Diego also offer a shuttle service. I can't wait to go back.

I've stayed here before and came back recently with a large group of family and friends. We spent the week drawing, painting, writing, taking excursions, swimming, hiking, swinging in the hammock and laughing/eating/wine-sipping our way through a delightful cooking class. The hosts, Karen and Diego, go beyond expectations to make sure their guests are comfortable and have everything needed for a wonderful holiday. Comfy beds, gorgeous views, well-stocked kitchens. I would not hesitate to recommend the Lemon Tree for a holiday and also highly recommend it as an ideal artist's retreat.

De locatie van The Lemon Tree is perfect, mooi uitzicht over Taormina en je rijdt de berg af en de andere weer op en je bent bij het centrum van Taormina. Wij hadden een studio aan de achterkant met een smal lang balkon. Ik had er bewust voor gekozen, omdat deze goedkoper was, maar bij deze accommodatie moet je eigenlijk echt aan de voorkant zitten. Aan de voorkant hebben de kamers een groot terras met mooie loungestoelen, terwijl wij achter op houten stoeltjes zaten (grotere zou ook niet passen). De kamer was prima, ook al was het bed wat minder doordat hij een kuil had in het midden. Mijn advies als je hierheen gaat, boek een kamer aan de voorkant.

We stayed in this apartment at the end of October for one week. As we arrived up the steep hill we were wowed by the views over the sea, Taormina and mount Etna. The apartments have spacious balconies, all amenities and lots for the kids to do: table tennis, table football, volleyball, badminton, swimming and even lots of Dvds. The owners live on site and are very friendly and couldn't do enough for their guests. The kids loved it there, even miss the resident dog Molly - the sweetest animal ever!! Only thing I would recommend is hiring a car as you will need it you get around. Hopefully we'll be back one day!! Thank you again!!

We nearly booked a holiday at the Lemon Tree Apartments two years ago but decided against it as we were concerned that being a bit out of town it would mean us driving in the evenings to have meals out etc. And yes, we did have to drive for our nights out (although the owners do offer a very good value taxi service, which we did use a few times) but how glad we are that we eventually took the plunge as it goes down as probably one of our best family holidays! Everything about the holiday was perfect (except for the Italian driving – crazy!). Set in a really beautiful location with glorious views of the gorgeous hilltop town of Taormina, pretty Castelmola, the bay of Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna to the rear, the three apartments we had were all clean, comfortable, well equipped and of a good standard and far nicer than the photos on the website depicted. The pool was a good size and the daily pool volleyball was also a great way of bringing all the guests, of all ages, together, and certainly was one of the highlights for our children, aged 16, 19, and 22, plus friend aged 17. But what also made the holiday for us were Karen and Diego, the owners. Without being intrusive, nothing was too much trouble for them. From offering to get some shopping in for us on our day of arrival and cooking for us that same evening (a godsend!), to giving us advice on good restaurants, the best beaches, places to visit, parking etc., it was all part of the service. Their inside knowledge was invaluable and they made us so welcome! They were also such fun people – ‘awesome’, was how our children described them - and made their own limoncello, wine and olive oil, an added bonus! Sicily is a beautiful place but very big, so other than a day trip to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento (about a two and a half hour drive), we stayed largely around the Taormina area and found plenty to occupy us during our 12 night stay. The key highlight was undoubtedly Etna – we walked 10 miles that day from the cable car stop to one of the higher craters. Covered in yellow sulphurous deposits, the terrain at the top was so hostile that we could only stay for a few minutes as the poisonous gases were making us choke and our eyes run but it was well worth it! We also enjoyed a trip to the picturesque Alcantara Gorge, where the children did some river trekking in wet suits and helmets, visited Savoca where The godfather was filmed (and where there are some interesting catacombs), explored the coastline in a speedboat we rented for only 80 Euros for two hours (if you do this, be careful where you anchor as we got stuck!) and visited a number of beaches. All in all we had a fantastic holiday and would thoroughly recommend this part of Sicily and the Lemon Tree Apartments. Room for improvement? – Diego’s serving in the pool volley ball! Tip: All museums are free in Sicily on the first Sunday of the month.

We had a wonderful time (8 days) at The Lemon Tree. The look to the city of Taormina and Castelmola and the sea was great. With two minutes of walk also Mt. Etna can be seen from the street, and also from apartments. The pool was amazing! It is definitely a very good choice if you want to visit Sicily with children at the age of about 10---your children will enjoy not only the pool but the darts, billiard and table tennis in the garden if the sun is too hot. Karen and Diego run these Apartments and their hospitality is really admirable. Their help was very helpful in visiting the sights in Taormina and the Mt. Etna and transporting us to Giardini Naxos.