Property Description

Large, Fully Furnished Villa in Sicily’s Catania Province, with Views of Sea and Mount Etna

A semi-detached, end-terrace house on three floors, Casa Aci Catena feels more like a standalone villa. With a garden wrapping around on three sides, a quiet neighbourhood and great sound insulation, you won’t have to sacrifice the feeling of privacy and space that comes with a detached property.

If you want the easiest way to buy a property in Sicily, this is it. Sold fully furnished (‘turnkey’), exactly as seen in our photos and video, you won’t need to waste either a second or a euro before moving in to your new home on this magical island.

170 m2 of internal space, including four bedrooms and three bathrooms, guarantees you’ll never have any trouble fitting the whole family, or simply a regular array of visitors, into your new home. The basement is a self-contained flat with a kitchen-diner, living room and private bathroom, making a great base for an older relative or visitors who want a little more independence. There is even potential to add even more living space, with an attic which is ready for a conversion.

The garden of Casa Aci Catena is a generous 240m2, which includes a large, covered outdoor kitchen and dining room, as well as – to add a real touch of luxury – a jacuzzi. Surrounding these are a lawn, which has been beautifully kept, an array of colourful plants and four trees – three large palms and a lemon. You feel immediately as though you are in sunny climes, and not lacking in any creature comfort.

Although it is just 20 years old, the house has been renovated by the current, German, owner. Lovingly maintained to the highest standards, you can be certain that both the property and its contents of will be handed over in perfect condition.

It’s less than three kilometres to the nearest beach, in a friendly neighbourhood and a stone’s throw from the fascinating city of Catania. What more could you need from a fully furnished villa in Sicily?

The Property

The housing estate on whose edge Casa Aci Catena stands is set back from the main road, offering a practical on-street parking solution where you’ll never struggle for a space.

A secure fencing offers privacy and a deterrent to unwanted visitors, and a remotely activated gate is controlled by an intercom system. A beautifully paved path takes you across the short front yard and in through the front door into an ample living room.

This immediately inviting space has been furnished with a comfortable deep sofa, a full-wall shelving unit, and a widescreen TV. The tiled floor is covered by a lovely plush rug.

Beyond this, a tiny corridor connects three rooms – a kitchen-diner, a bathroom and a bathroom. The first of these comes with all fittings and appliances including an oven, a microwave, a fridge-freezer and an extractor fan. Plenty of cupboard space, tiled work surfaces and a large dining table guarantee that you’ll have no trouble storing and preparing food for all of your guests.

The little utility room comes with a large sink, a huge 15kg washing machine and a separate Miele tumble drier. As with the kitchen, a door connects straight out onto the patio behind the house if you prefer to let your clothes dry off the old fashioned way. The bathroom is modern, with a box shower.

Three of the bedrooms in the property come with large, comfortable double beds, huge wardrobes and all the comforts you need for a great night’s sleep. The fourth, on the first floor, is currently used as an office, but could fit a single bed with ease.

Two of the others are also on this level, one to the rear with a balcony overlooking the small street in this residential district, and more dramatically the spectacular flank of Mount Etna away to one side. Don’t worry, you’re at a very safe distance here, but the gently smoking crater is nontheless a dramatic sight to take in! It’s much bigger in real life than it looks in our pictures or video. The study-bedroom also opens onto a balcony, at the front of the property, from which you can enjoy a sea view.

Downstairs in the semi-subterranean, you have what is effectively a studio flat. The Bedroom is screened off from the living area with an enticing armchair, TV and rug. This leads into a kitchenette with an oven, fridge freezer, double sink and dining table. The bathroom has a shower, and there is even an extra storeroom down here.

The large, potentially convertible loft we mentioned earlier is reached by a staircase which is narrow, but fixed – not a ladder.

Outside, the Garden area of this fully furnished villa in Sicily is divided into two halves – the lawn and the terrace. The former is framed by flower beds and hedge, while the latter houses the outdoor dining area and equipped kitchen, all covered by a wooden trellis-type structure. Next to this is the modern, well-maintained hot tub, big enough to accommodate four users at a time.

The ground and underground floors are both finished with a diagonal tile, which extends up the staircases. On the first floor you’ll find a real parquet. Modern double glazed windows are standard throughout, and the whole house benefits from a central heating system which is powered by a gas boiler

Casa Aci Catena is served by the municipal supplies for water, sewage and also natural gas. Air conditioning units have been distributed throughout. The internet connection delivers reliably high speeds, and honestly, we have a hard time putting our finger on anything this property needs – except a new owner!

Surroundings

The residential estate has been sensible built and well looked after. It extends away to the rear and side of the property. Houses share a common design and size, and there are some nice informal common spaces where you can meet and get to know your neighbours, most if not all of whom appear to live hear year round – this is no holiday village but a thriving little community.

A shared maintenance cost for the complex usually amounts to about €140 per year.

Just a couple of hundred metres away you will find a shopping centre and the city hospital.

The municipality of Aci Catena is home to around 27,000 residents, although the town itself, just a few hundred metres from your front door, is much smaller and very walkable. You’ll find supermarkets, pharmacies, schools, parks, entertainment options and of course an almost unlimited supply of mouthwatering restaurants within twenty minutes of your front door – far less by car.

As you’ll have gathered from our description, the slopes of Mount Etna begin from where Casa Aci Catena is located, although the summit is some twenty kilometres to the north west. The coast lies due east of the property, and a variety of charming beaches are found at Acireale, Santa Caterina, Capomullini and on up the coast towards the spectacular Taormina.

Taormina is one of the most beautiful beach resorts in Italy, a clifftop town with an ancient amphitheatre and prestigious film festival overlooking a bay with an island so beautiful they called it ‘La Isola Bella’. The town was chosen to host a G7 summit in 2017, and reached TV screens the world over as the location for the second series of HBO’s glamorous comedy-drama The White Lotus, shot here in 2022.

Further north lies Messina, gateway to the Italian mainland, but the most useful major city is Catania, just a fifteen minute drive south. Sicily’s second largest and most important city has a famous nightlife, some outstanding restaurants, and an international airport which will have you at any major European destination in just a couple of hours.

Potential

This is not just a holiday property, but a home for the whole year. With heating and cooling systems, beaches 10 minutes away but all the amenities of a small town right on the doorstep of your fully furnished villa. In Sicily, the perfect areas are within reach of – but outside – the major cities: here you’ll have all the advantages of Catania just around the corner but the comfort and quiet of a charming, welcoming community to become a part of.

Casa Aci Catena is perfect match for a buyer who wants to make Sicily their new home.  There are, of course, many financial as well as cultural advantages to that move.

The heating system is recent, and in good condition, as are the wood-framed, double-glazed windows. Honestly, there is no need to spend a cent on Casa Aci Catena once you receive the keys… just make you way there, fire up the jacuzzi and celebrate the start of your new life!