Property Description

Three Storeys with Mountain-view Roof Terrace; Freshly Renovated Holiday Home in Sicily’s Friendliest Village, Collesano in the Madonie Natural Park

Casa Patrizia stands in the historic old town of Collesano, a fabulously scenic community of about four thousand residents in the gentle lower hills of the Madonie Natural Park. Close to the edge of the town, where the land drops steeply away downhill, it has views over a beautiful green valley which can be admired both from the balcony and, above all, from the sunny roof terrace.

The quaint, typically Sicilian village is nearly silent bar the church bells and the chatter of the locals, while the scent of freshly baked bread is carried throughout the one bedroom house from a wood-fired oven just a few metres away.

On three storeys, Casa Patrizia is nearly a century old, but has now been totally renovated over the course of three years. In fact, this is the second time that the property has been remodelled. The 1940s original predated rules against using the same building for residential and animal use, so there would have been livestock kept on the ground floor. In the 1970s the previous owner transformed the building, giving it the layout we see today.

The recent work has been less outwardly dramatic but no less thorough. All of the floors, ceilings, stairs and windows are new. The roof has been relaid, and the wiring and plumbing brought up to code. This finished a year ago, but changing family circumstances – which now force the sale – the vendor was not in fact able to move in. All of the work, therefore, is as good as new. It will make a beautiful, quiet and scenic holiday home in Sicily.

The Property

With smooth white plaster and grey trim, the two-storey house stands at the end of a short terrace on a street just off a lovely open piazza. Dark wooden shutters and heavy balcony railings define the fascia, which compares very favourably to those of neighbouring properties, without seeming in any way out of step with the rustic aesthetic of the village.

An important thing to note from the start is that it is accessed via an alley which has steps rather than vehicle access, so this won’t be the right purchase for anyone with mobility issues. However, if that’s not an issue, it would be the perfect base for holidays and longer stays in one of Sicily’s friendliest and most outward-looking villages. There is parking on the piazza above the property.

The floor plan is a simple one, with one main room on each level. The ground floor is a living room with a window to the front. The first floor is a 16m2 bedroom, with a balcony that faces onto the street and, facing south, catches some direct sunlight. On each of these floors is a bathroom, the ground floor having just a WC and sink, the first floor also having a shower which has been finished with a beautiful local tile pattern. The ground floor has storeroom partially under the stairs.

On the second floor, the kitchen has been kept compact in order to maximise the space available for that fabulous roof terrace, which is afforded a spacious 12m2. This will be an unbeatable spot not only to relax in the sunshine but also to eat any meal you like al fresco in the most convenient way possible. The views of surrounding hills and green fields are a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air.

The ceiling of the kitchen is low, at only 205cm, and the room is unfurnished. However, all the pipes and wiring you need is already in place.

Underfoot, the floors are in hard-wearing, high quality marble, including the staircases. Latest generation PVC window frames have recently been installed. The roof has a water tank with a pressure motor. Your new one-bedroom holiday home in Sicily is connected to municipal infrastructure for water, electricity and sewage.

Surroundings

Collesano is a totally walkable little town, with all of the shops, bars and restaurants that it offers just a couple of minutes from your front door. One of our favourite restaurants in all of Sicily is just outside the town, the charming Casale Drinzi just two kilometres up the road.

The town reached fame in the motorsport world for its position on the route of the Targa Florio rally, the world’s first ever sports car race. Local attractions of note include the museum which has been built to commemorate the event, still held in a modified format to this day. The castle is another unmissable landmark, and significant money is being invested on the restoration of that area of town. Collesano was a key centre in Sicily’s majolica industry and some enormously talented local artisans still carry this torch today.

If you would like to know much more about Collesano, including finding out why we named it one of our top areas in Sicily for international arrivals in 2023, take a look at our full report on the town and its life.

The town’s 500m elevation gives it a cooler climate than you find 10km north on the coast, but the beaches of Campofelice di Roccella and Cefalù couldn’t be easier to reach.

Collesano is very popular with overseas buyers at the moment. We helped a lovely American couple buy the house next door in 2023. 20m away is a home on Piazza Garibaldi which we helped a Swiss client buy in 2022.

Potential

Almost no work is required to finish the lovely Casa Patrizia. To finish the renovation work you will only need to add some internal doors (which will cost about 1,500€), a shower cubicle (approximately 500€), and organise the installation of an air conditioner which is already in the house.

Of course, you will have to fit a kitchen, which should cost between €3,000 and €6,000 depending on your preferences for materials and appliances. Beyond that it is only a question of furnishing the home and moving in.

If you would like any assistance getting used to life in Sicily, whether you are just enjoying a holiday home in Sicily or taxing advantage of the tax breaks for transferring your residence to the region, our Welcome to Sicily package is a popular way for buyers to know that they will have expert advice on call whenever they need it.