Italy - self catering holiday rental apartments on the small Italian island of Pantelleria, Sicily

Italy - self catering holiday rental apartments on the small Italian island of Pantelleria, Sicily - These self-catering holiday rental apartments are within traditional dammusi on the small Italian island of Pantelleria, off Sicily.

This volcanic isle actually lies 40km nearer to Tunisia than to Sicily and has a magical air of isolation and tranquility. One of the delights of Pantelleria is the traditional dammuso house - harking back to the buildings of the Neolithic era. These old homes have massively thick walls, little windows and domed roofs, keeping the temperatures low indoors. These holiday apartments for rent lie within original dammusi houses.

Pantelleria, 'the black pearl' of the Mediterranean, has been inhabited since Neolithic times and was a Phoenician colony during the seventh century BC. Dammusi La Palma is a lovely little building, family run, and ideal for those who want an alternative to the usual holiday hotel.

Pantelleria is the result of a volcanic eruption some 300,000 years ago. The coastline still sees volcanic activity and the island has thermal waters, natural saunas and hot mud springs. The island enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm summers, gentle breezes and low rainfall - the continual breezes keeping the skies clear of clouds, and it's a perennial favourite with celebrities such as Giorgio Armani, Sting, Madonna and Gerard Depardieu.

These dammusi are positioned in a superb position with a panoramic view, and are surrounded by grapes, olives and capers. The beautiful and clear waters of the sea are complemented by the breathtaking shades of the dawn and sunsets. You have views of Montagna Grande and even, on a clear day, the coast of Tunisia. The dammusi themselves have been recently restructured with great care, preserving the original, Arabic flavour of the architecture.