Villa Caterina – Cefalù
€ 245.000
Cefalù - 90015 - Contrada Monte
#86835339
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8 Rooms
- 0 Bathroom
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215 m²
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1st
Sea-View Villa in Cefalù with Spectacular Sunset Panorama: A Renovation Project with Great Potential
Villa Caterina is a sea-view villa in Cefalù's hills, 300m above sea level in the Campella district just ten minutes' drive from what might be Sicily's best-loved old beach town. The detached house, 220m² in size, sits on 1,200m² of land with a direct view of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the coastline stretching from Lascari towards the peninsula of Monte Catalfano and the great city of Palermo beyond.
It was unfortunately damaged by a fire around ten years ago, and now needs a comprehensive renovation. This, however, gives you the opportunity to shape it to your own tastes, and brings us to an asking price that's almost unheard-of for a villa of this size so close to Cefalù. A clear plan has already been drawn up for the work, moreover, and detailed technical documentation is included in the sale. So there is no guesswork involved in the purchase, you can see exactly what you are getting into and we can help you create an extremely accurate budget.
Facing west, the villa gives you a perfect vantage point from which to watch the sun go down over the water and the valley below. Planning restrictions in the area are strict, and no new construction is possible, which guarantees your view even for future generations. The rich history of the region is on full display in the centre of Cefalù, just a ten minute drive away, with its medieval cobbled streets, UNESCO-listed cathedral and timeless sandy beach. Given this prestigious location, the trade-off of doing some work on the building for the value on offer is hard to resist.
The Property
The two-storey home sits under a chalet-style pitched roof with a terrace that wraps around it on all sides. Its front overlooks the so-called Conca d'Oro, the broad coastal arc that runs from Campofelice di Roccella through Termini Imerese to Bagheria and on to Palermo.
The scale of the renovation work required means that you could reconfigure the interior in many different ways if you wanted. However, in its current form, almost half of the ground floor is given to a a large open-plan living area of almost 50m2, incorporating a dining space and a lounge. The kitchen was originally separate, but if you really like a contemporary open aesthetic you could even incorporate this into a still larger space.
Beyond this is a family bathroom, a guest bedroom with an en-suite and a slightly smaller room that would make a perfect study or even a fourth bedroom.
Under the pitched roof upstairs, you will find two further bedrooms and another bathroom. Even allowing for the slope of the ceiling, there is easily enough room to create a pair of comfortable sleeping spaces. One of these feels like a natural master bedroom, with lovely little sea-view balcony. The final layout could therefore offer three bedrooms, two or three bathrooms, a huge open-plan daytime area and a study.
Part of the garden still has its original lawn, a hardy Mediterranean grass called gramigna which is able to thrive in even the hot Sicilian climate. A mature Peruvian pepper tree gives some very welcome natural shade.
On the panoramic side, the garden slopes gently towards the sea, while at the rear is room to park several cars at once.
Despite the obvious damage from the fire, there is reason to be bullish about the cost of rebuilding. The structure of the villa is relatively recent, built from resilient materials, and the load-bearing walls survived without major failure. In the aftermath of the fire, Villa Caterina was subject to an insurance dispute during which the courts commissioned extensive technical surveys, laboratory analyses and structural assessments. The benefit of this for the potential buyer is that you will have access to exceptionally thorough documentation of the building's condition and everything that needs consolidation or replacement.
Surroundings
The Contrada Monte area is about 8km as the crow flies from the old town of Cefalù, reachable in around ten minutes by car. Villa Caterina is in fact only just over a kilometre inland, but with the 300m elevation and green rolling hills you feel very much in the countryside.
An immediate neighbour property was recently sold through our agency. The buyers, a retired couple from overseas, tell us that they have loved the complete tranquillity and natural harmony of the surroundings. Construction in the area is very restricted, so privacy and seclusion are second to none, but it is nice to know that there are friendly faces around when you need to borrow the proverbial cup of sugar.
Cefalù itself is the very best of Sicily. The town is home to a little over 10,000 residents, although the population swells in high season. You'll find a full range of shops, supermarkets, restaurants and services, a major hospital and a lively cultural scene that continues even through the winter and one of Italy's best language schools. We have an office here and one half of our family team has called the beautiful fishing community home for many years. The two-kilometre strip of sandy beach and its view of the sloping old town, cathedral bell towers and the dramatic rocky outcrop that overlooks it all never lose their thrill, even when you are lucky enough to call them home.
Heading inland from the coast, you are at the doorstep of the Madonie Natural Park, one of the island's most important protected areas. The medieval village of Gratteri, a hidden gem tucked into the mountain slopes, is about twenty minutes away. Castelbuono, with its Ventimiglia castle and excellent restaurants, is a popular destination for food lovers. The village of Isnello, deeper into the park, is home to the Gal Hassin Astronomical Observatory, recognised internationally for its exceptional dark skies. It's perfect for trekking, mountain biking and horse riding, and you can even ski at Piano Battaglia in the short Sicilian winters.
Palermo's Falcone-Borsellino international airport is about an hour's drive to the west, with regular connections to all major European cities and direct routes to the USA in the summer months.
Potential
At the start 2026, an engineer prepared a detailed cost estimate for the full restoration of the property. The scope of work includes a new roof and floor slabs, consolidation of fire-damaged structural elements, replacement of all windows and flooring, new electrical and plumbing systems, heating and cooling, and the installation of a photovoltaic system of approximately 6kW.
Beyond this, optional extras that you might want to consider include a small infinity pool, which would fit perfectly into the slope of the gardens and give you a heavenly view of the valley and the sea beyond. There is also ample space for an outdoor kitchen and barbecue area, a feature that perfectly reflects the deeply traditional Sicilian food culture and which the region's beautiful climate will allow you to use almost year-round.
Taking into account the purchase price and complete renovation, the total investment could come in under €500,000, subject to your choice of finishes and how much landscaping or external work you want to take on. For this you would be buying an absolutely pristine sea-view villa in Cefalù, with three or four bedrooms, 220m² of internal space and a stunning garden. We've sold enough property in the area to tell you that good quality villas sell for at least €3,000/m² and you can do the maths to see what a solid investment this makes Villa Caterina.
If the prospect of managing a renovation from abroad feels daunting, we are here to help. Our project management service covers everything from appointing and coordinating local professionals to overseeing the work on your behalf, and the feedback from clients who have used it speaks for itself.
Details
- Category:
- Sale
- Type:
- House / Villa
- Condition:
- Requires renovation
- Availability:
- Free
- Services:
- Fence
- View:
- Sea, Mountains, Countryside, Garden
- Plot:
- 1,254 m²
- Areas:
- 215 m²
- Floor:
- 1st
- Price:
- € 245.000
- Rooms:
- 8
- Bathrooms:
- 0
- Water Heating Access:
- Individual
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Location Details
IT, Palermo, Cefalù