Property Description

Traditional Village Life Surrounded by Nature in this Immaculately Renovated, Fully Furnished One-Bedroom House in Sicily

This lovingly renovated one-bedroom house is really very special, not only because of its stylish and high quality design, but also because of the views it offers. Standing on the outskirts of the village of Rodì Milici in the northeastern province of Messina, it is practically the last house you’ll come to before the hillside land starts to rise upwards into a wooded hillside.

As well as offering views of the surrounding rooftops and colourful nature in which the traditional Sicilian community is found, this position also allows it to benefit from a beautiful garden with fruit and olive trees.

With a motivated seller who is looking to invest in another property, Casa Rustica offers great value for a one-bedroom house in Sicily. Sold fully furnished, exactly as seen in our photos and virtual tour, it is one of the easiest possible ways you could buy a property here. Whether you want a holiday home to escape the world, are a nature-loving couple looking to relocate to Sicily for the weather, relaxed lifestyle or favourable tax climate, or have an eye on well-presented homes as an investment in the tourist sector, this is well worth a closer look.

The Property

Really interesting entrance, down a half flight of stairs into a living room but with a mezzanine up above you. The rounded brickwork around the doorway, the dark timbers and sections of exposed masonry on display and the decorative light fittings make the first impression an almost medieval feel, like some old castle transplanted into the twenty first century and the middle of a green, olive-filled hillside. It immediately draws you in.

The ground floor is an open plan kitchen-diner which balances character and comfort. The diagonal criss-cross on the windows, the uncovered ceiling beams and the traditional Sicilian kitchen, solidly built and finished with brick tiles, all give a sense of history to the room. The Candy electric oven, efficient extractor fan, microwave and dishwasher all give you twentieth century convenience. There is plenty of worktop space and a double sink. Sunlight comes from the glazed door to the garden and a window over the sink. A solid wooden dining table is a lovely piece.

The living area is beautifully cosy, with a deep sofa and armchairs arranged around a rustic stove, whose flue carries heat up to the bedroom above. More natural light travels the other way, through a glass section of the ceiling. A bathroom has been immaculately finished in large tiles, with a walk-in shower and split hand basin. If you need to cool the property in summer an air conditioning unit is already installed.

The beautiful wooden staircase leads up to the mezzanine floor under the gently pitched chalet-style roof. As well as the double bed, large wardrobes and antique dresser you’ll find a home office and another lounge area, with full-wall glazing on one said allowing sunshine and extra warmth into the space.
The garden and terraces around the house have also been lovingly designed and the split level space is full of greenery. You’ll find fruit trees, flowers and succulents around a nicely maintained lawn, and there is an outdoor oven if you want to grill in the summer.

Surroundings

An important point to note is that the road up to Casa Rustica is narrow. This is great for peace and quiet, but does have the drawback that the closest you can bring a car is 50 metres away. At least you’re buying something renovated and furnished! A motorbike, scooter or one of the small cart-like vehicles called an ape (not after the primate but the Italian word for bee, whose sound the small 150cc engine evokes!) would be able to squeeze through.

About two thousand people live in Rodì Milici, and many of them come from families who have done for generations. Although the beach is just ten minutes away, it’s very quiet, safe and beautifully untouched by mass tourism. The crowds head to places like Taormina, an hour away, and the Aeolian Islands – a stunning volcanic archipelago reached by regular ferries from Milazzo, just half an hour up the road. The nearest airport is 90 minutes away at Catania.

You’ll find small shops selling fruit, vegetables and meat, as well as bars to get coffee and a breakfast pastry. A mini market is just a couple of hundred metres away, and you’ll also find a couple of nice pizzerias, an aesthetician and a pharmacy.
A beautiful, deep sandy beach can be found at Marchesana, just down the road. Further afield, the Nebrodi Park offers glorious hiking trails and a spectacular array of wildlife – chief amongst which is the Nebrodi pig, which locals serve with great pride in their traditional cuisine.

Messina, 40 minutes away by car, is the gateway to the Italian mainland, with a shuttle ferry connecting to Reggio Calabria, at the toe of the peninsula’s boot. Beautiful Taormina and the northern slopes of the spectacular volcano Mount Etna are just 70 kilometres to the south east. Our nearest office is in the resort town of Cefalù, 1 ¾ hours away to the west, on the way to Sicily’s capital Palermo, a 2 ½ hour drive.

Potential

Not only is this a very fair price for a beautiful one-bedroom house in Sicily, The joy of Casa Rustica is that you won’t have to invest a cent beyond the purchase price. Not only will that save you money and stress it also means that you can start making use of your lovely new home as soon as the purchase is complete.

If you are interested in leasing the property when you can’t be there in person, allow us to put you in touch with our sister company, Solemar Sicilia, who have years of experience helping discerning visitors to the island find high quality holiday accommodation.

On the other hand, if the characterful cottage is going to be your new home, we would be very happy to help you settle in with our Welcome to Sicily package, a relocation valet service which handles all the logistical responsibilities of moving here, from registering your residency with the municipality to getting utilities connected.

Contact our friendly, multilingual team today to find out more.