Property Description

Three Bedroom Beach House in Sicily, with Panoramic Roof Terrace and Unbeatable Sea Views

Casa Pietro is a perfect beach house in Sicily’s western Siracusa province, facing directly onto the Ionian Sea on Sicily’s east coast. It is literally metres from a beautiful sandy beach, and the uninterrupted sea views from its terraces on the first floor and rooftop are priceless.

It is found almost midway between Catania and Siracusa, in the small beach district of Agnone Bagni, a seaside community in the municipality of the small town of Augusta. Views to the north stretch past Sicily’s second city of Catania to the dramatic silhouette of Mount Etna on the horizon, while the whole eastern aspect is picturesque coastline.

A semi-detached house on two storeys, it offers an impressive 120m2 of indoor space, plus a large garage, small garden and that huge roof terrace, which makes use of the property’s entire 80m2 footprint. Its three bedrooms and open plan living area make it perfect for hosting a family holiday, whether you choose to take advantages of the impressive tax breaks and lifestyle advantages of a permanent relocation to the southern sun, or use it as a second home.

The Property

Starting at the bottom, the first thing you notice on entering the ground floor is that it’s cool and very refreshing, even in the hot summer months. There is no better place to cool off than the enclosed outdoor shower room, though in the region’s short winters you will find a more traditional option in the first floor bathroom.

The traditional terracotta floor tiles are a nice connection to the heritage of the area, and these continue into the garage – a huge, flexible space of 40m2 with room for three cars, or the potential to create a recreational space. The current owners have created a workout area, taking advantage of those refreshing temperatures. The double bedroom is roomy and impressively bright, thanks to a wide window and smooth-plastered white walls which amplify the space.

The first floor is the main living area, reached via an external (but covered) staircase. You enter into a huge open-plan living room with a real fireplace in the corner. Great modern lighting design is unobtrusive but stylish. Some built-in seating has been added next to the large windows, though there is also ample space to add sofas and armchairs. French windows lead out onto the mini terrace, which is the perfect spot to enjoy an outdoor breakfast or even dine with the waves across the street in full view. It’s really special in the morning sun, though.

The kitchen is fitted well with gas hobs and an electric oven. A large extractor fan guarantees that no odours will linger in the living area, and there is plenty of storage. The floors on this level are much more modern, large off-white ceramics which are easy to maintain and don’t get as cold in winter. Speaking of the temperature, two-way air conditioners distributed throughout guarantee your comfort all year round.

The two bedrooms are identically sized, each 11m2 – not spaces in which to spend the day, but practical and with more than enough room for a double bed and wardrobe. One is currently used as a home office, and with the additional bedroom downstairs the appeal of this option is easy to see. Finally, the bathroom has a box shower and is fully tiled in crisp white.

The huge panoramic roof terrace gives you a full 75m2 in which to entertain, eat al fresco or just soak up the sunshine. It’s been finished with some plants that are watered by an automatic irrigation system. The garden downstairs has a bit of local greenery, but the main asset is the outdoor kitchen, protected from the elements by a wooden canopy. You’ll be able to grill and barbecue in style and then run food directly up to the roof terrace for a perfect family feast.

The condition of the property is very good. The outer walls have recently been re-plastered, and the electrical and water infrastructure is also new. A UV lamp water purification and filtering system guarantees clean water, and a 2000-litre underground water tank gives you a full week’s reserve in times of low rainfall. Waste water runs to a fully certified Ihmoff pit.

The house is equipped with an alarm and video surveillance system which can be controlled remotely via an app.

Surroundings

The beach opposite is spectacular. Up to 40m deep and sandy., it actually reaches an end with a rocky outcrop about 300m along to the south, but it then runs north for 20km, right into the southern suburbs of Catania. It’s one of the longest unbroken strips of sand anywhere on the island, and being right at the far end certainly helps keep the footfall down.

Agnone Bagni is a small, mostly residential district, but plenty of shops and services can be found just minutes inland at Lentini. A 20 minute drive brings you into Augusta, a lovely small town with an important harbour.

Catania is Sicily’s second largest city, noted for its street food, baroque architecture and theatre, as well as for its proximity to Mount Etna. It’s city centre is a convenient half hour away. Alternatively, you can reach the town by train from a station 3km away from Casa Pietro, only a five minutes drive by car and easily managable by bike or even on foot if you prefer. The line continues past Catania up to the famous resort of Taormina and the city of Messina.

Heading South, the same line takes you 30km to Siracusa, home to a remarkable Greco-Roman amphitheatre with a full programme of theatre and music in the summer months. The little island of Ortigia is home to some beautiful views and great restaurants. Modica, Ragusa, and the other towns of the UNESCO-protected Val de Noto are all reachable in under an hour.

The closest airport is 25 minutes away, with a second option at Comiso that takes one hour to drive to.

Potential

No work needs to be done on Casa Pietro, it will only be a question of managing the house move and then maintaining the property. If you aren’t going to be living here full time it is very easy to see the property as a strong investment in the region’s burgeoning tourist economy. The beachfront location and the fact that you can swim here well into November (Northern Europeans may actually have no problem doing so all year round!) makes it a perfect holiday home, and the sleeping capacity of six won’t hurt, either.

Our sister company, Solemar Sicilia, has enormous experience helping discerning visitors find their perfect holiday homes in Sicily. We absolutely believe that you could get some terrific income from such a perfect vacation spot. If you would like to talk to our team about how we could assist you, from marketing to maintenance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today!