Property Description

Skiing in Sicily? It’s Possible with this Idyllic Mountaintop Chalet in the Madonie Park

Casa Marilena is a perfect little ski chalet, in the Madonie Park’s highest region. At an altitude of 1600 metres it sits a stone’s throw below the tallest peaks of the park, with a ski slope and lift right on its doorstep.

While winter sports may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of buying a home on our sunny little island in the Mediterranean, the resort is a popular spot with locals and whether covered in snow in the winter months or basking in sunshine the rest of the year, this is a beautiful spot. It’s certainly unique in our extensive catalogue of properties. The mountainous landscape means that very few homes have been built in Piano Battaglia, with just a handful within walking distance of the slopes and lifts.

The detached cottage is sold exactly as seen in our photography and virtual tour, save for a few personal items. So you would have no worries about buying or transporting furniture. Sitting in a plot of about 200m2, it offers 48m2 of indoor space, perfect for staying cosy on a winter’s day or as a base for a summer visit to trek, cycle or hike in the mountains.

The Property

The house is a classic mountain cabin design, with a long slow sloping roof and sturdy exterior. The pine tree-filled garden is bounded by by a picket fence. It’s not big enough to be high maintenance, but it surrounds the whole detached house and give you enough space for kids to run around in summer or build a snowman in the winter. The windows have solid wooden shutters and mosquito nets.

To the front of the building is a raised veranda facing south-east, enclosed by a wooden fence. This offers a lovely space to eat in the crisp mountain air or simply to enjoy the sunshine as it filters through the trees.

As much as you know you’re stepping inside a chalet in the Madonie Park, once indoors you could believe you were in Austria or even Scandinavia. The decoration is all in exposed reddish wood – on the floors, walls, ceiling and even window frames to match. It perfectly reflects its rugged surroundings. This may not be the largest property we have for sale but it’s one of the cosiest. The whole interior can be heated from the open fireplace, although wall-mounted convection heaters offer a simpler alternative.

The living room is very bright thanks to a large feature window facing south across the front porch, and the front door which is also glazed. At one end is a little dining area with a nice solid wooden table and four matching chairs, while underneath the window is a two-seater sofa. A couple of colourful dressers complete the picture.

The bedroom to the rear is compact but snug, furnished with twin beds. Overhanging cupboards provide a good bit of storage and a loft space accessed up a ladder has been cleverly modified to become a second bedroom with a double bed, meaning that a family of four can use the chalet in comfort. It’s not shown in detail in our video but you can see it in the photographs of the property. Back at ground level an en-suite bathroom is fully tiled and brightly lit, with a shower and top-loading washing machine.

The kitchen picks up on the orange notes of the house’s wood with a tile frieze in that colour. A free-standing oven with four hobs is powered by a gas cylinder. There is also a fridge-freezer, cupboard, sink and worktop.

The bathrooms and the electrical system are in working order, and an LPG cylinder buried in the garden feeds the convection heaters. Water is drawn from the municipal supply and, unlike some of the lower villages in the Madonie Park, the supply is seven days a week. An electric boiler serves both the kitchen sink and bathroom. Meanwhile, a large cistern under the terrace collects rainwater and snow melt, which is then used for irrigation. Waste water drains into an Imhof pit – a form of septic tank which treats it in situ.

All of Casa Marilena’s paperwork is in perfectly order, including the all-important certificate of habitability.

Surroundings

While the beauty of the Madonie Park is all around you, the chalet is located in a very nice little complex of cottages, meaning that you will never feel totally isolated here. A ski lodge just around the corner even has a restaurant, and the mountainous region’s popularity with cyclists means that it can operate all year round. There is also a field centre for education in sustainable tourism.

There aren’t many shops around, but the simplest thing to do is to pick up supplies in the lovely town of Collesano, 40 minutes away on your way up the mountain from sea level. Alternatively, the twin villages of Petralia Sottana and Petralia Soprana are only a twenty minute trip to the south.

The nearest beach is 50 minutes away at Campofelice di Roccella, or the more famous sandy seafront of Cefalù is only a slightly longer journey. The airports of Palermo and Catania are roughly equidistant, a two hour drive from the lovely chalet in the Madonie Park.

Potential

Casa Marilena is completely functional, and it needs no major work. As you spend time there you will add your own touches, but you don’t need to budget for anything at all.

The remote location and compact size mean that it’s probably not a base for a permanent move to Sicily, but the beautiful scenery and proximity to the ski slope mean that you could certainly attract some rental income from such a nice chalet in the Madonie Park. If you are interested we would be very happy to put you in touch with our sister company, Solemar Sicilia, who manage tourist properties and would be perfectly placed to offer guidance on how best to maximise your investment.