Casa Pinuccia – Gratteri

• 4 Rooms

• 2 Bathroom

• 95 m²

Casa Pinuccia is a 95 m² three-storey house for sale in the historic centre of Gratteri, Sicily, priced at €45,000. The property requires full renovation and features two balconies with views towards the Tyrrhenian Sea, around 7 km from the coast.

A Sea-View Renovation Project in Gratteri

A sea-view renovation project with great heritage and even better balconies, Casa Pinuccia is right in the heart of the hilltop town of Gratteri in the Madonie Natural Park. As you'll see from our photos and virtual tour, it will require an investment of time and money, but based on the renovation work currently visible, we believe that a total purchase-and-renovation budget below €100,000 may be achievable. This is an indicative estimate only and will depend on contractor quotations, the chosen finishes and any additional technical work identified during renovation.

The three-storey property has a simple floor plan, with a living room and a bathroom on the ground floor, a bedroom on the first floor and a kitchen and dining room on the top floor. There is an additional WC and a pair of balconies offering views of the Tyrrhenian Sea about 7 km to the north. At around 650 m above sea level, Gratteri typically benefits from cooler temperatures and refreshing breezes, as well as some stunning and largely uninterrupted views.

The neighbours are extremely friendly, and the couple living directly next door are recent buyers from London who have begun renovating what is now their second home in the village. So whether you need to borrow a cup of sugar or some advice on restoring an antique tiled floor, a friendly source of help is right at hand!

The example wasn't chosen at random – there is some lovely decorative flooring which you will surely want to retain in your renovated home. The built-in wood-fired oven on the top floor is another such treasure. The only question is how you plan to make the rest of the place home!

The Property

The house is located on a stepped street and cannot be reached directly by car. However, public parking is available very close by, approximately 10 metres from the entrance.

The property has two separate entrance doors. One opens into a small hallway leading to the bathroom and staircase, while the other provides direct access to the living room.

The living room measures a little over 15 m² and gets plenty of light and air through the double-glazed doors opening onto the street. The floor features a checkerboard pattern in beautiful old cement tiles. There is some rising damp, and the ceiling has also been affected.

The bathroom was renovated in the 1980s and remains in working order. Thanks to the simple white tiling, it has aged relatively well. At the far end there is a small bathtub with a shower attachment.

The staircase was also rebuilt at a similar time, in concrete topped with attractive marble flagstones, and is in very good condition. The roof also appears to be in generally good condition, although its condition should naturally be confirmed as part of a technical inspection.

The first-floor bedroom is approximately the same size as the living room below and also has a small balcony with a lateral sea view. Some water has entered through the window and the ceiling will need to be redone. Unfortunately, this is not only a plaster issue: some of the wooden timbers have become brittle and will need to be repaired or replaced. Here too, however, there are some attractive old tiles which could be retained and reused.

On your way up the second flight of stairs, you pass a small room containing a separate toilet. Beyond this, the top floor consists of a landing, a kitchen and a 12 m² living room. The original tiles remain particularly attractive, and the kitchen already enjoys a good view.

The best panorama is from the second balcony, where you can look straight across the surrounding rooftops towards the green hills and the blue Tyrrhenian Sea on the horizon. It is a beautiful, sunny spot with a bird's-eye view of a particularly scenic stretch of coastline.

Surroundings

The whole of Gratteri is within easy walking distance, at least if you're comfortable with steps, slopes and cobbles. You'll find that most of the locals shop locally in small quantities, paying regular visits to stores that include a bakery, pharmacy and butcher's shop. The village also has a post office, a couple of bars and a good pizzeria. At one end of the town are the remains of Castle Ventimiglia, around which the little community originally grew up.

We've always loved Gratteri, which we profiled several years ago, believing it to offer value for money even beyond what you can find in the 'One Euro Homes in Sicily' promotions. A growing number of the village's 800 residents are international arrivals who have bought homes here through us, but we believe that it has retained its traditional character better than some of the places offering those high-profile schemes.

On all sides are the dazzling green hills of the Madonie Natural Park, whose highest peaks rise just above 2,000 m. Whether you like to hike, ride, trek or simply visit its idyllic little towns to taste their local flavours and globally recognised specialities, you can find new sights to explore all year round. Maybe you want to paraglide down towards the golden sands of Cefalù on a sunny summer's day, or even try out the ski slopes of Piano Battaglia during the short winter season.

The nearest small town is Lascari, about twenty minutes away by car. When you need a larger supermarket shop, this is the place to head.

Palermo, the largest and most important city on the island, is around 70 minutes away. Palermo Airport can be reached in approximately an hour and a half, while Catania Airport is roughly thirty minutes further.

Renovation Potential and Estimated Costs

It's never easy to be exact about the costs involved in renovation work on this scale, because everyone's ideas and tastes are unique. However, we want to be as transparent as possible, so here is an indication of what we believe it could cost to restore the house to a standard that is attractive, comfortable and reliable without being excessive.

The figures below are indicative estimates based on current local costs and are not binding quotations.

You will definitely need to redo the internal ceilings, which are in wood and have been damaged by humidity. Allow approximately €10,000 for this. Also essential are upgrades to the electrical system and plumbing, probably around €7,000 each, including the necessary re-plastering. The windows have aged badly, and replacing six of them could cost approximately €9,000 including labour.

Less urgently, but still recommended as part of a complete renovation, we would suggest installing modern and efficient heat pumps for reliable winter heating and summer cooling. An existing air-conditioning unit is already present in the property, although its functionality has not been verified. A budget of around €5,000 should be considered for a new heating and cooling system. Restoring the façade could require approximately €10,000, while updating the bathroom may cost around €5,000.

In the realm of discretionary spending, we would personally consider removing the two dividing walls on the top floor. The enclosed landing is not particularly useful space, and an open kitchen-living room would be brighter and more sociable. You might also want to add a bathroom on this level, but if you chose not to, the resulting room would be about 20 m², comfortably the largest and most welcoming space in the home – especially with that great sea-view balcony.

If you like the sound of this sea-view renovation project but feel intimidated by the prospect of taking on such a big task in a foreign country, our project management service can support you throughout the renovation process, including regular site visits, translation, local coordination and access to our network of trusted professionals. In a village where we have already helped numerous international clients to buy and renovate homes, this local experience can be particularly valuable.

This property listing was last updated in September 2026.