Location : Viagrande (Catania)
Sleeps : 14
Bedrooms : 7
Bathrooms : 9
Features : Aristocratic estate, Pool with hydrojet, Mediterranean garden, Walk to town, Nearby restaurants
Surrounding : Acireale, Catania, Mount Etna, Alcantara gorges, Bronte, Taormina, Siracusa & Ortigia
Idela for : Families, Groups, Cultural & relaxing breaks
Overview
Antique-filled aristocratic Sicilian residence with extraordinary gardens and pool area. Approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Catania Airport, with a spacious interior, wonderful garden and a live-in caretaker who can organise a wide range of services, The Villa is an excellent villa for groups and special celebrations.
The villa is on the south side of Mount Etna on Sicily’s east coast.
Dating back to the early 1500’s, The villa is unquestionably reminiscent of another age, with exquisite gardens scattered with stone statues and hidden nooks and crannies, and inside, the original wine press and an astonishing collection of antique furniture.
Property
Outside
Ancient roses, jasmine and camellias weave their way around faded stone columns and walls, ornamental hedges frame tree-filled manicured lawns and the fragrance of flowers and plants fills the air.
The pièce de resistance, however, is undoubtedly the pool, fringed with towering palms and built with black lava stone resulting in inky-blue waters. The pool also has a hydrojet and is overlooked by two vast conservatories, dotted with large planters containing citrus trees. Alongside the swimming pool is a changing room with bathroom in addition to a barbecue area.
Inside
This is traditional Sicily at its best - painted wooden bed frames and imposing wardrobes preside in the bedrooms, magnificent carved dressers and ornamental tables are distributed throughout the villa, dwarfed by lofty beamed ceilings, and an atmosphere of historic elegance reigns throughout the house.
Enter the villa via two hallways, the second of which houses the estate’s original wine press, and along a wide corridor, lined with several elegant sofas. From here, there is access to the dining-room and three of the bathrooms. A spacious Sicilian-style kitchen, a living-dining area and a sleeping quarter with three double bedrooms are at the back of the house and each of these ground floor bedrooms open on to the terrace. There are two bedrooms, a double and a twin, on the upper attic floor. All bedrooms have bathrooms.
For more than 10 guests, a guest house on the property is available for up to four extra guests, with one double and one twin bedroom, both with en-suite bathroom, a living room and fitted kitchenette.
Area
Local sights
Viagrande is a charming town on the southern slopes of Mount Etna. There are some great restaurants, such as Antico Campanile - a super pizzeria restaurant that is only a few steps from the villa - and some fun bars. You will also find fresh fruit and vegetable stalls selling delicious local products.
East Sicily’s most famous landmark is undoubtedly the magnificent Mount Etna. The Museo d’Etna in Viagrande gives a fascinating insight into the history of the volcano and how it continues to shape the landscape and the lives of the locals.
The delightful city of Catania is a 20 minute drive from the villa. It is full of superb restaurants and its striking Baroque architecture and great nightlife will give you a true flavour of urban Sicilian life.
Visit Catania’s famous markets: La Pescheria has a lively atmosphere and you will find the freshest fish around. For a more traditional experience, head to La Fera O’Luni, where you will find everything from clothes to fruit and veg!
For a taste of chic Italian life, visit nearby Taormina, a captivating town with gorgeous beaches, a relaxed atmosphere and spectacular ruins of a Greek-Roman amphitheatre. There are several restaurants offering wonderful food, and the lovely cafés on Corso Umberto I are the perfect spot for observing the elegant locals during their passeggiata.
Taormina’s most popular beaches are Isola Bella and Mazzarò (mixed pebbly and sandy) with their excellent seafront bars and restaurants. The sandy beaches of Giardini Naxos, Schisò and Recanati Beach, with their crystalline waters and a good selection of bars and restaurants, are lovely places to spend a day.
The rocky beaches of Acireale and Acicastello, with free-access and equipped areas, are the closest to the villa, with great views of the Isole dei Ciclopi.
Local Experiences
Try the local specialities of the area: Pizza Siciliana is a fried calzone filled with tuma cheese, anchovies and pepper. Gran Caffè Urna has the best in Viagrande - just a few minute’s walk from the villa.
Those with a sweet tooth should try the small almond biscuits called Pazientini or enjoy a gelato schiumone.
Take the taste of Sicily home with you and book a Sicilian cooking lesson.
Learn how to prepare typical Sicilian dishes, either at Viagrande’s fantastic Cucina del Sole or in the villa itself. You’re friends at home will be delighted with your new-found cooking skills!
We also offer a cook service at the ville.
Book in advance and a chef will visit the villa and cook a delicious Sicilian feast or some fabulous pizzas for you and your guests.
Explore Mount Etna. With glorious views and fascinating flora and fauna, this exciting experience should not be missed. Scale the mountain on foot, take the cable car, or book a tour. There are many choices, including jeep or quad-bike tours.
Another great place for a hiking or swimming is the Alcantara Gorges where the river Alcantara runs through a spectacular series of basalt-walled gorges.
Nature-lovers will be enchanted by the Casa delle Farfalle - south Italy’s only butterfly house - which is found in Viagrande’s Parco Monte Serra. Hundreds of varieties of butterflies fly around in the large, tropical greenhouse. This is a great day out for youngsters with an interest in nature.
Take a guided tour of a winery: see the beautiful vines, learn about the production methods and, perhaps most importantly, taste some of the Sicily’s best wines.
Cantina Benanti is just outside of Viagrande and produces wonderful wines.
Amenities
GENERAL INFO
- Accommodates (max) 10+4
- Main house bedrooms 5
- Main house double * 4
- Main house twin 1
- Main house bathrooms 6
- ... of which ensuite 4
- Toilet 1
- Guest house bedrooms 2
- Guest house double 1
- Guest house twin 1
- Guest house bathrooms 2
- ... of which ensuite 1
OUTDOOR
- Pool (LxW in meters) 22x8
- Pool towels
- Changing room / Bathroom
- Private parking
- Private garden
- Covered gazebo
- Barbecue
INDOOR
- Air conditioning **
- Heating
- Washing machine
- Iron & ironing board
- Dishwasher
- Kettle
- Mixer
- Toaster
- Oven
- Microwave oven
- Coffee machine
- Safebox
- Satellite TV / Dvd
- Sky ***
- Stereo
- Adsl Wi-Fi internet
SRVICES
Included :
- Welcome pack
- Caretaker
- Pool cleaning ****
- Mid-week cleaning *****
On request :
- Final cleaning
- Daily cleaning
- Linen & towels change ******
- Maid service
- Cot & highchair
- Shopping delivery
- Cook service
- Pizza making
- Cooking classes
- Guided tours
- Vineyards tour
- Transfer
- Boat rental
- Wedding reception
Distances
TRANSPORT LINKS
- Catania Airport : 28 km - 17 miles - 30 mins
- Comiso Airport : 103 km - 64 miles - 1 hr 30
- Palermo Airport : 272 km - 169 miles - 3 hr 30
- Trapani Airport : 352 km - 219 miles - 4 hr 15
SURROUNDING AREA
- Nearest beach : 25 mins driving
- Supermarket : 10 mins walking
- Shops & restaurants : 10 mins walking
- Acireale centre : 9 km - 6 miles - 20 mins
- Catania centre : 15 km - 9 miles - 30 mins
- Etna cable car : 22 km - 14 miles - 35 mins
- Alcantara gorges : 45 km - 28 miles - 50 mins
- Bronte centre : 45 km - 28 miles - 1 hr
- Taormina centre : 47 km - 29 miles - 50 mins
- Siracusa & Ortigia centre : 80 km - 50 miles - 1 hr 5
Notes
Prices include - taxes, water, gas, electricity *, mid-week cleaning, bath towels, linen, pool or beach towels, welcome pack and our 24/7 local support during your stay at our property.
* Electricity & A/C - 300kWh included - € 0,30 per extra kWh
Heating system (optional) - € 210 p/w in Winter months
* One double can be converted to a twin
** Main house - only in the bedrooms upstairs | Guest house - in all bedrooms
*** Only in the Main house
**** Once a week
***** Twice a week
****** Weekly linen/towel changes are included for multiple-week bookings
