Property Description

One-bedroom Holiday Home in Sicily’s ‘City of Villas’, Twenty Minutes outside Palermo and 2km from the Beach

Compact, cosy and affordable, Appartamento Bitta is a great opportunity to get yourself a move-in ready holiday home in Sicily for a price that won’t break the bank.

In the busy little town of Bagheria, just 20 minutes east of the island’s booming capital Palermo, it is surrounded by beautiful coastline on three sides, with the Tyrrhenian sea no more than four kilometres away on for a full 180° arc of beautiful beaches, coves and cliffs.

The apartment stands in the old town, within easy walking distance of a huge array of bars, restaurants and shops, and you will find that in contrast to many coastal regions of the island the social life in Bagheria continues right through the winter.

It’s too small to be a year-round home, but it could certainly make you some money when you’re not visiting as a tourist rental.

The Property

You enter the ground floor apartment directly into a long narrow kitchen, two metres by six, with a gas hob, sink, worktop and storage. There is also an extractor fan and plumbing for a washing machine.

Around the corner is a living room of about 14m2. Despite being at street level in an area of the old town where the streets are not particularly wide, it actually gets some direct sunlight, thanks to a window which is not only south-facing but also directly opposite a side street.

The bedroom is the largest space in the home, with about 18m2 of floor space. The tall 3.4m ceiling is charmingly finished with exposed wooden beams crossing the smooth plaster, giving the space a more rustic feel. It is comfortable large enough to hold a big wardrobe and chest of drawers as well as a double bed. A window faces east, although it does not offer a view.

Finally, there is a small, fully tiled bathroom with a shower cubicle, and a little loft space for storage above the kitchen. Everything you need from a small holiday home in Sicily.

The wooden windows are fitted with external blackout shutters, and the small apartment is served by municipal supplies for water, electricity and sewage.

Surroundings

Appartamento Bitts is right in the midst of a social and very lively part of town, although its position on a side street means there is no issue with noise. Indeed, it takes its name from a famous local pub called Bitta, found eighty metres away on Piazza Larderia. It’s a really cool option for an evening, overlooked by a beautiful old eighteenth century palazzo which was once the home of a noble family but later became a convent. It’s a really evocative and photogenic spot to enjoy some food and drink as the sun sets, and at night there are sometimes concerts or other community events.

Another local institution on your doorstep is Verdone, on the arterial Corso Butera. In addition to its highly recommended menu of food and cocktails this popular meeting point also hosts DJ nights. If you don’t want a late party, go for their finger food ‘apericena’ .

There are all kinds of great dining options, too. Bagheria is home to not one, but two Michelin-starred restaurants, but if you want something more straightforward then don’t miss the 170 year-old Antica Focacceria on Piazza Sepolcro. It’s a big claim, but this writer (who has eaten more pizza than he would like to admit in every region of Italy) considers it one of the top five pizzerias in the whole country. Or for fantastic seafood, you can head to the little marina of Porticello, just a few minutes up the road.

Thanks to its proximity to the sea and the fresh breezes that cool the peninsula in summer, Bagheria originally grew up as the preferred summer escape of Palermo’s nobility. They built so many extravagant villas here that the town became known as ‘the city of villas’.

Train, bus and road connections will get you to central Palermo in twenty minutes, or to the city’s airport in a little over an hour (even less if you travel there by car).

Potential

Appartamento Bitta is in a very good state of repair, and you won’t need to spend any money renovating the property. Just furnish it and make yourself at home!

You could make it slightly more comfortable in summer by installing air conditioning. With good quality units that can also heat the property available with installation for €800 and up, this might be a no-brainer. In the medium term you might also want to put in some newer and more efficient windows, but here again the investment required will be limited, as there are only three of them to replace.

If you are drawn to the potential of leasing the apartment as a holiday home in Sicily’s popular Airbnb market, we are here to help. Our sister company, Solemar Sicilia, has decades of experience in the sector and would be happy to help with property management services, including oversight of the cleaning and check-ins.