Property Description

Superb Value for Money in this Three-Storey House in the Madonie Natural Park; One Bedroom, two Reception Rooms and a Sunny Mountain-view Balcony

On the atmospheric cobbled streets of hilltop Gratteri, seven kilometres from Sicily’s north coast is this charming house in the Madonie Natural Park. Casa Carò is an extremely affordable three-storey home. In the same family since 1800, handed down from generation to generation, it is a real slice of Sicilian history and would make a beautiful holiday home in an area of outstanding natural beauty and within half an hour of some stunning beaches.

There are actually two properties for sale here. Via Ruggieri 10 is the house, a one-bedroom property in good overall condition and with some lovely views from the top floor. Number 8, next door, is a 22m2 workshop with a wooden mezzanine and an interesting history at the heart of the village’s food culture.

At an incredible asking price, Casa Carò would be a perfect way to buy a second home in Sicily. Let’s give you the tour…

The Property

The front door of the main house in the Madonie Park brings you into a roomy entrance hall. Ahead of you is a flight of stairs, finished in a clean porcelain tile. Underneath this is a walk-in closet which is perfect for coats and shoes.

On your right is the bathroom, finished in black and white tiles with a tub. Behind this is a small utility room, which has recently been renovated but with the ancient stone walls left on display, with a little brickwork at the base and a wooden ceiling overhead. There’s a large sink, plumbing for a washing machine and a water heater for the bathroom. As the house backs onto another property and the side wall is shared with the storeroom next door, there’s no natural light except what enters through an internal window from the bathroom.

The first floor has a pair of similar sized rooms, one of which would make a perfect bedroom and the other either a dressing room, home office or guest room. Each has plenty of fresh air and natural light thanks to a matching pair of French windows. There are no balconies on this level, but the open view of the street outside gives a sense of space and the old railings provide a touch of character. So, too, do the lovely antique ceramic tiles underfoot whose colourful patterns are perfectly in keeping with the heritage of the region.

The floor of the larger room on the left (above the bathroom and utility room) is wooden. It’s is a little uneven, but there is no sign of sagging and it doesn’t seem like it needs to be redone. If you would like us to put you in touch with a technician who can give a more specialist opinion we would be very happy to!

The top floor has a high ceiling, where roof is steeply pitched, Even at its lowest point there is still comfortably enough space to walk around freely. The roof itself has recently been redone and is in great condition.

The kitchen is big enough to have a little breakfast table or counter. The fitted cupboards and worktop have been well looked after, and everything is definitely in a usable condition, but it’s fair to say that you might want to update it a bit when the moment is right.

The top floor living room is fantastic – really bright and with a great south-facing view of the neighbouring church, as well as the nearby mountainside where you’ll find the famous Grotta Grattara cave. There’s actually a dual exposition with a second window looking east. The fact that Gratteri is 650m above sea level means that you won’t often need air conditioning here, but the unit which has been installed also provides a welcome source of heat in the winter. The floor is in a more modern, neutral tile.

The neighbouring storeroom is spacious, with a mezzanine loft making the most of the tall ceiling. There is one window to the side, onto a little courtyard. It was used for a long time by a local cheesemaker, and one unusual feature which reveals this history is a small hole in the floor where excess water from the salted cheeses was able to drain away.

The external plastering is in great condition, well painted in a classic Italian shade of deep orange. There are all the connections you’d expect for electricity, tap water and sewage, and also one for gas. This last, however, only reaches the ground and first floors, where you will find little ‘Robur’ style radiators. It would not be a huge project to extend this up to the kitchen and living room if you wanted.

Surroundings

Casa Carò is found right in the middle of Gratteri, just around the corner from a very pretty village church. You’ll be relieved to know that although there is a bell tower, the bell inside only rings during festivals and on other special occasions.

You can’t park outside the property, but there is plenty of space available in the small piazza two minutes away.

Everything in Gratteri is extremely walkable – you can get from one end of the atmospheric little community to the other in ten minutes. Don’t expect department stores or shopping malls, clearly, but you can find what you need on a day-to day basis around the village. There’s a good butcher, a local bar, a pizzeria, post office and pharmacy.

The nearest supermarkets can be found twenty minutes downhill at Lascari, where you will also be able to enjoy a beautiful stretch of sunny seafront. The best beach in the area is undoubtedly in the unforgettable town of Cefalù, also home to a mystical Norman old town and to a cathedral which has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Gratteri is perfect for people who enjoy peace and quiet, nature and historical charm. You can read more about the community, which we’ve always heralded as one of the best spots in Sicily for top value real estate, in our full guide to the town. Then discover more of the Madonie Park in our popular articles on Collesano and Pollina.

Potential

While the house is completely habitable, there are certainly ways you could spruce it up and really maximise its charming potential. The wooden window frames are rather old, and would ideally be restored or rebuilt. To replace all six, including the three French windows, would cost around €6,000.

The ground floor bathroom and kitchen are both in working condition, but could certainly be modernised. You might want to add a shower, or a larger water heater.

The electrical wiring was last redone thirty years ago. It’s not urgent, but if you’re redecorating it might be worth speaking to an electrician at the same time to save yourself an expense down the line.

Of course, with two adjoining properties it would be tempting to combine the ground floor of the house with the storeroom next door and give yourself more living space. The position of the bathroom would be a bit of an issue to negotiate, as would the huge thick walls of the old houses, but if you could work around those you’d finish up with a large downstairs guest bedroom or cosy lounge.

Whatever you have in mind for this historic house in the Madonie Park, our friendly multilingual team is here to help. if you need any help budgeting or planning for renovation work, talk to us about the project management services which are popular with many of clients after their purchases have been completed.