Property Description

Casa San Gaetano – Very Affordable Home in Sicily’s Loveliest Hilltop Village

Simple but wonderfully positioned, and at a very enticing price, Casa San Gaetano is classic two up, two down property in one of the Madonie Natural Park’s most charming villages.

Offering incredible value, it benefits not only from a location at the heart of the picturesque hilltop community of Pollina, a fifteen minute drive from the beautiful beaches of Sicily’s north coast, but also from having been fully renovated in the past few years.

This affordable home in Sicily is a chance to buy a two-bedroom base for family holidays in a perfect little corner of this characterful and beloved island that is ready to be moved into tomorrow, at a price point more usually associated with dramatic restoration projects. As a first foray into the island’s tourist rentals market it would offer ready returns, and as a window into a traditional culture which is still devoted to life’s simplest and most important pleasures – food, family and nature – it offers exceptional value for money.

The Property

At the top of a short exterior flight of stairs, Casa San Gaetano has a simple layout and clean, freshly plastered lines. It has a kitchen downstairs, a bathroom upstairs and then a pair of large rooms which could both be bedrooms, or perhaps see one used as a more flexible living space.

The kitchen is directly underneath the light wooden timbers of a slowing roof, giving it an almost alpine feel. The view of the surrounding buildings may not be spectacular but it does let plenty of light into this cosy cooking space. The downstairs bedroom is roomy and bright, overlooking the stairs to the front of the property.

Upstairs, the bathroom has been nicely tiled and is in good condition. The master bedroom benefits from large windows on two sides, double doors opening out onto small Juliet balconies with views over the streets and terracotta rooftops of the town. Plenty of light and fresh air can flow in and the central position will mean that the house stays fresh and pleasant even at the peak of the roasting Sicilian summers.

The floors are finished with a variety of durable and easy-to-clean surfaces – downstairs the orange tiles are regular and unmistakeably Mediterranean; the partially open staircase is finished in marble and upstairs the ceramics are a classic Italian pattern.

The windows are new and in PVC, and both the electrical and water infrastructure has been recently refreshed and is in great working condition. There is no heating installed at present, but if you would like to use the house all year round the necessary connections have already been fitted.

A simple but well maintained property, Casa San Gaetano is unlikely to stay on the market long at this price.

Surroundings

The cobbled streets and courtyards which surround Casa San Gaetano are the perfectly escape from the modern world – a peaceful network of characterful little thoroughfares accessible only to pedestrians and the little motorini that are such an emblem of the country.

The community of Pollina is still an abundantly traditional one, despite a steady little influx of overseas purchasers in recent years, drawn by the superb value to be found in one of our favourite spots for real estate investment in Sicily.

You can read our full profile of the town and its surrounding areas which we produced a couple of years ago, to find out more about the surprisingly modern infrastructure beneath the timeless exterior of the small hilltop village. Suffice to say that if you’re considering Pollina as a smart-working destination you won’t be lacking for reliable high speed internet, and that if you’re interested in the arts you can’t fail to be charmed by the monumental backdrop to its open air theatre.

The hills of the Madonie Natural Park are dotted with quaint villages and medieval market towns of varying shapes and sizes, but you can be sure of finding lovingly-prepared food, fascinating historical monuments and a warm local welcome everywhere you go. For lovers of nature and the great outdoors this is a real paradise, with opportunities to ride, hike and trek to your hearts content. In winter it is even possible to ski and snowboard on the range’s highest peaks.

At sea level the beaches of Tusa, Finale and Sant’Ambrogio make underestimated alternatives to the most popular beach on the coastline, at the picture-postcard beach town of Cefalú. The open air sculpture park and art hotel at Tusa is a continually evolving showcase for creative talent from the local area and far beyond. Just an hour or so up the coast is Milazzo, from where boats leave regularly throughout the year for the mysterious and fiery Aeolian Islands, home to some of the most active volcanic hills in the world.

At the very heard of the island’s north coast, Casa San Gaetano is also conveniently located for day trips to all of Sicily’s most popular attractions, from Mount Etna and Siracusa in the east to the ancient temples of Agrigento in the South. Palermo’s international airport is reachable in an hour and a half, and the largest city in the region is a treasure trove of art, culture and sumptuous food.

Potential

Casa San Gaetano is ready for you to move in tomorrow, but there are some small touches you might want to look at. Decoration is obviously a question of personal taste, and the shower in the bathroom could benefit from being enclosed, but these are only minor details. As is visible in our video, the upstairs wall which is shared with the church next door is suffering a damp issue, and this will need to be addressed. We don’t see the expenditure needed as being dramatic, however, and would be very happy to put you in touch with some local technicians who can be trusted to work to an excellent standard. Speak to our team today for more information.

Just fifteen minutes from the coast, and less than thirty from the beautiful Medieval fishing community of Cefalù, with its UNESCO World Heritage Site cathedral and magical two kilometre strip of golden sand, Pollina is a great choice for the savvy traveller who wants to enjoy the best of the Sicilian beach life without the hassle and expense of finding accommodation in the beach towns.

While Casa San Gaetano is perhaps a little small to be a truly year-round residence, the position and price would make it an amazing holiday home. The question then becomes what to do with it when you and your family are elsewhere? Step forward our sister company, Solemar Sicilia, who have been helping discerning international travellers find their perfect holiday accommodation in Sicily for many years.

We can help you with everything from getting your new property to the widest audience, to managing payments, the practicalities of cleaning and check-ins, and even make sure the house is freshly aired and spotless when you manage to get back to Pollina for a visit yourselves. Ask us about our range of property management packages to find out more.

Whatever you have in mind for this charming and unexpectedly spacious affordable home in Sicily, our friendly international team is waiting to hear from you!