Property Description

Between Fire and Water: A Front-row Seat to Watch Sicilian Nature in its Full Glory from this Sea-view Villa on Mount Etna’s Green Lower Slopes

On the lower slopes of Sicily’s most unmistakable natural landmark, the towering Mount Etna, Villa Marina and its 6,000m of terraced gardens offer some of the best views we’ve ever seen in a Sicilian property. immaculately renovated in the past two years, with high quality materials and a lovely eye for design, it’s a luxury home in every respect except for the lack of an eye-watering price tag.

Not only do you have the Ionian Sea in full view to the east, some seven kilometres away as the crow flies and 680m below you, but behind you is an unobstructed front row seat to the drama of Etna in all its fiery glory. On nights when the ancient volcano erupts you can see the sparkling flares and lava flows – of course, at a reassuringly safe distance.

It’s worth noting that while visibility wasn’t perfect on the day we filmed the property, on a clear one the fashionable resort of Taormina is in view, and you can even see as fas as Calabria, the Italian mainland some 50 kilometres away. So we are talking about the chance to buy a Sea-view villa on Mount Etna, a truly unique 360 degree panorama.

All of Villa Marina’s fixtures and furnishings are included in the asking price. This alone will save you tens of thousands of Euros, not to mention the time and effort of moving and redecorating.  The materials are of the highest quality and everything is perfect.

The Property

The Garden

From the moment you pull into the private driveway, the front garden sequence of neat terraces fronted with dark grey stone, the same used to built this characterful old villa. A tidy lawn is bordered by neat beds filled with large succulents and flowers which contrast with some dramatic, tall trees. Benches are perfectly positioned to let you enjoy the best views.

Patio in reddish clay slabs. Two separate outdoor dining areas. One next to the kitchen with a  glass-topped outdoor table and matching chairs under a little arbour covered with vines. The other on the right of the house next to the outdoor kitchen and the old well with round bench seat and canvas canopy to provide shade.  Fairytale outdoor kitchen under a fixed roof, with majolica tiling around wood-fired oven and grill – everything you need for a barbecue or to make your own pizza.  laundry room (that little stone outbuilding you see in the virtual tour on the left of the house at the rear)

The back garden is a little wilder, less manicured but with gentle terraces bounded by rougher walls and about 30 beautiful mature olive trees. On a cloudy day there’s something mystic about it, like a Mediterranean fantasy novel. Ancient, worn beauty. Fruit lovers will love the range of other trees, which include persimmons, walnuts, almonds, chestnuts and cherries.

The Villa

The main building offers 116m2 of indoor space, although the land registry also notes an additional 20m2 of covered outdoor areas. It’s a low-slung house with a shallow roof which blends in with its surroundings. Broad archtop windows are framed in thick slabs of dark local stone, a neat punctuation against the irregular masonry of the thick walls. The recently replaced roof is topped with traditionally Sicilian curved tiles in a light terracotta.

The step indoors makes a real statement. You’re immediately in a huge, barn-style open space, with genuinely beautiful design choices which perfectly accentuates the building’s historic charm. Large grey tiles underfoot match the exterior stonework. The modern kitchen is offset with a marble-pattern backsplash that evokes the rough walls. This recurs on the side of a double-size breakfast bar. The wooden beams of the vaulted roof are still on display but have been whitewashed to keep the place as bright and airy as possible. The huge windows provide plenty of natural light which is accentuated by stylish modern LED fittings.

A perfect round arch leads through from the lounge, with its comfortable sofa and huge wall-mounted TV, into a dining area that doubles as a library, with a full-wall bookcase next to the beautiful round table. In the far corner, under the stairs, is a neat bathroom with a rounded shower cubicle, lent character by a floral print wallpaper. Above this, a mezzanine floor offers a detached space to use as a home office.

The bedroom is sunny and bright with a south-east facing window which offers a garden view and perfectly catches the morning sun. A huge wardrobe runs the length of the room.

The whole interior is heated by a massive pellet stove next to the dining table. There is also air conditioning in all rooms, efficient modern units which can both heat and cool. Although in fact, the walls of the stone house are so thick, giving such good natural insulation, that you won’t ever run up huge bills on temperature control.

Villa Marina is connected to the municipal aqueduct, with a 24/7 water supply (not to be taken for granted in rural Sicily). An underground cistern holds over 20,000 litres for emergencies. Hot water is produced by a stand-alone boiler, and waste water flows into a cesspit.

Excitingly, the villa will be sold with a 6 kW photovoltaic energy system, already purchased and ready to be installed in the next few weeks. Despite the remote location rubbish is collected door-to-door, with full provision for recycling.

Surroundings

The villa is in a really quiet, unspoilt spot. Only a handful of other homes have been built within a kilometre radius. Etna has makes the soil extra fertile and if you look at satellite imagery of Sicily you can immediately see the deep greens which make this area stand out. We are right on the edge of the natural park which protects the whole of the upper slopes of the mountain and preserves it for generations to come. So there is no chance of large scale development to ruin your view.

The access road is very good, only the last part, a private road leading to Villa Marina and two or three of its neighbours, is unpaved, with loose stones. It’s not the most comfortable stretch to drive but it does give the neighbourhood a rustic charm.

The village of Sant’Alfio is just a few kilometres away. With one and a half thousand residents it’s small but very pretty, and you will find what you need for daily life here – a little mini-market and a couple of bars and restaurants. Fifteen minutes downhill is the town of Giarre, where there is a bigger range, including pharmacies and a post office.

Catania, Sicily’s second city, is only 35 km away and can be reached by car in 40 minutes. This is where you’ll find Italy’s fifth-busiest airport, offering regular connections throughout Europe and beyond. The tourist mecca of Taormina, brought to the world’s attention in the award-winning second season of HBO’s The White Lotus, is under an hour away to the north and the stunning Alcantara gorge is only a 45 minute drive.

Potential

There’s no need to invest a cent beyond the purchase price in Villa Marina, but if you really want to make the most of the epic views you could consider installing a swimming pool, which usually costs about €25-30,000 to complete.

If you want any assistance getting settled in your new home in the sun, you might want to consider our popular Welcome to Italy support package. This is a kind of concierge service to guide you through all the logistics and bureaucracy of relocating overseas, including regestering your residence with the municipality and getting all your utilities set up. This can all take place before you even arrive on the island. Ask us today for more details about this or anything else connected to the luxurious sea-view villa on Mount Etna’s lower slopes.