The Property
Inside: the indoor living area is all arranged on one floor and communicates seamlessly with the elegant, covered terraces outside. Enter the front door to the main living area, with sitting and dining areas, and a second dining area in a glazed veranda. The kitchen has direct access to both the dining area and to the driveway, making unloading easy and staff access discreet. To one side of the house there are three double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms while to the other, there is one double room with ensuite bathroom (when the property is rented for up to 8 people) or four double rooms sharing 2 bathrooms (when rented for up to 14 people).
Outside: after passing through the gate towards the ample parking area at the rear of the house, the first view of the villa is of white arches, green lawns and the turquoise Mediterranean Sea. Walking around the front of the house, over lawns and stone cut by Greeks over 2,500 years ago to the stunning pool, you will look out at the view of Mount Etna and the bay of Catania. Turning back to the house, the main living floor and terraces are accessed either from the ground floor level to the rear or directly from the pool via a staircase. The lower terraces, with comfortable seating, a sauna and Jacuzzi, enjoy the same fabulous view and is perfect for an aperitif. A private beach, down at the bottom of the cliff is accessed by a path winding down under fig trees.
The Area
Villa Saracena is situated on a stretch of coast just north of Siracusa inside a complex of holiday residences. In summer the complex gets more lively and offers facilities such as a tennis club, a bar-restaurant and a grocery shop. It is convenient for visiting Siracusa, Noto and the surrounding nature reserves such as Cassibile and Vendicari. There are good local bars and restaurants in the nearby town of Brucoli. Siracusa is a 30-minute drive away. Slightly further afield, Taormina, Mount Etna, Noto and Ragusa (Unesco World Heritage sites) are all good day trips, and a drive down to the southernmost tip of Sicily beyond Portopalo is highly recommended.
A great opportunity to see this beautiful part of coast is on board of the owner's boat…and if you are staying at Villa Saracena in September it will be free of charge!