Property Description

The Perfect Sicilian Beach House, with Four Bedrooms and Direct Access onto Golden Sandy Beach; Just 5km from Central Palermo

The perfect Sicilian beach house, Villa Sole has a back gate which opens directly onto a strip of golden sand and the sparkling waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Situated on the lovely seafront west of the the small fishing of Aspra, it is also just five kilometres outside Sicily’s biggest and most important city, Palermo. It’s a luxury property that’s perfectly suited to being a full-time relocation, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

At night the lights of the great metropolis reflect in the calm waters of the Gulf, but the district is far from congested, a relaxed and residential neighbourhood with detached properties and large gardens.

Villa Sole sits on a 1000m2 plot, with a tree-filled front yard and a raised patio to the rear which provides a great view of the sand and sea. The first floor terrace gives an even better vantage point – you can roll out of bed and greet the morning sun with the sea breeze on your face and the unbeatable soundtrack of the tide washing onto the beach.

The design is a blend of traditional Sicilian and contemporary, with 252m2 of living space generously allocated between two floors. Stone trim borders smooth, pastel yellow plastering while baroque balconies with stone balustrades are a touch of grandeur against the wooden window frames and shutters. The curved terracotta roof tiles are locally produced and unmistakably Sicilian.

The Property

The green front garden filled with palm trees of all shapes and sizes, and a mix of other local flora. There is also space to park three or even four cars off the street. Patches of durable grass have been cultivated between pathways that lead you to the imposing, round-topped front door.

The impact is no less when you step inside: the lobby stretches up to the full height of the property, a theatrical staircase with gallery landing leads the eye straight up to the exposed wooden ceiling, which contrasts nicely with the far more modern lounge area ahead of you. Well distributed lighting from embedded bulbs gives a smart feel and balanced tones. It’s big enough for a large family to gather together, and cosy in winter despite its generous proportions. Turning right, a broad square archway leads you into the dining room.

In summer, the massive sun room at the back of the house will be the primary living space. Full-wall glazing opens out onto the patio with the sea in full view beyond, and doors connect to both the living and dining rooms. There is an open fireplace framed with grey stone, whose heat is intelligently distributed to generate under-floor heating.

The kitchen is galley style, with mahogany coloured cupboards and plenty of worktops alongside a double sink and efficient extractor fan. There is also a small cellar.

A passageway leads under the staircase to a guest bedroom which is currently used as a home office, and a bathroom with a shower cubicle.

Upstairs are a further trio of bedrooms. Two of them have access onto that huge terrace, partly shaded by the eaves of the roof. The third, at the front of the property, has a garden view and a southern aspect which floods it with sunshine all day long. The master bedroom is especially spacious, including a walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with a box shower.

A family bathroom contains an ample tub which has also been enclosed for use as a shower. A lovely detail is the frosted glass brickwork alongside this, which lets light in without sacrificing privacy.

In the back garden, a side wall has been left in rustic bare stone, where an outdoor kitchen gives you space to barbecue. A modern shed will store all your patio furniture in winter. There is plenty of space to play, socialise and of course to dine al fresco.

Everything is modern and well maintained. The windows are excellent, keeping noise out and helping to control the temperature. Radiators guarantee comfort even in the short Sicilian winter. These are fed from the same boiler that provides hot water. In summer you will be very happy with the air conditioning, installed in every room. A well offers a private supply of drinking water, a reserve of which is always stored in a large cistern.

Surroundings

The villa is only five minutes’ walk from the charming fishing village of Aspra. As well as the ubiquitous fish market you’ll find some excellent restaurants, great bars and a highly recommended gelateria (the best in the area, for our money).

The nature reserve of Monte Catalfano is only five kilometres up the coast, a short drive. It’s a beautiful spot for an afternoon walk. If you are a history buff you’ll adore the archaeological site of Solunto, just 15 minutes away.

The nearest small city is Bagheria, just a ten minute trip by car. Known as the ‘City of Villas’, it was the preferred summer home of Palermo’s nobility for many years, and their legacy is a stunning array of the 18th century homes and gardens. You can find out much more in our complete guide to the peninsula that surrounds Aspra.

You can reach central Palermo in just 20 minutes, avoiding the motorway, and reach the nearest city’s airport at Punta Raisi in 40.

Potential

It’s worth noting here that the local authorities are investing heavily in this area, and over the next half decade a number of new leisure facilities will be built on the seafront. A brand new sports centre is also on the way, just a few metres from the sea. While this may bring some construction work in the short term, it makes Villa Sole not just the perfect Sicilian beach house but also a very strong investment, too.

With everything in excellent working order, there is no need to budget for any work after the purchase of your new home. All you will need to worry about is moving in and making it your own. If you would like to do all this in the simplest way possible, ask us about our always-popular ‘Welcome to Sicily’ after-sale package: It’s a complete concierge service for your relocation, including a designated assistant to take care of all the paperwork and utilities and put you in touch with the most trusted local professionals for any and every job.The only area of the property which we could see being improved with a relatively small investment would be the lower part of the back yard, between the terrace and the seafront boundary. It’s a little underused at present and a good designer or gardener might find a smart way to take better advantage of this part of the property.

Having a private water supply is a great start, but you could give yourself even more independence by installing photovoltaic panels, which would deliver a great return in this exposed spot, which catches the sun’s rays almost from dawn until dusk.