Property Description

Own a Piece of Local History: Magnificent Palazzo Apartment for Sale in Bagheria

This three bedroom Palazzo apartment for sale in Bagheria, just 2km from the Sicilian coast, is available for rapid sale and ready for immediate occupation. With historic frescoes decorating its high ceilings and a stately lineage dating back to the nineteenth century, this characterful yet practical property is an opportunity to step back in time to the height of Sicily’s storied history.

History lovers, architecture enthusiasts and sun worshippers alike will fall in love with the instantly recognisable charms of Palazzo Di Quarto. Historical properties like this come on the market very infrequently, and if you’re seriously interested in purchasing a new or second home in Bagheria, one of north Sicily’s most charming market towns, you’ll struggle to find better on sale for less than a million Euro.

With the possibility of including the large atrium and a warehouse opposite in the purchase, this represents a sizeable opportunity for the serious investor.

The Property

With three bedrooms in its current configuration, and potential for two more, the total habitable area of this apartment for sale in Bagheria is a huge 240 m2. Built in 1887 by the well-renowned Caputo family, it was decorated to the highest standards of luxury for the age and has been beautifully preserved. Some of the original frescoes have recently been restored by the Ducato brothers, artists and art-restorers of the highest reputation.

A staircase leads from the shared-use atrium up to a front door, opening into a large hallway. While there is limited natural light in this internal lobby, vaulted, ornate ceilings guarantee a feeling of space and understated grandeur.

Off this branch three bedrooms, facing onto the main thoroughfare outside and each boasting those wonderful, newly restored frescoes on the ceiling. A pair of bathrooms provide a shower and a bathtub respectively, and the kitchen is a long, welcoming space with a dining area and an opening out onto the veranda.

A pair of reception rooms, which could easily be used to increase the home’s sleeping capacity, and a study with a lovely frosted glass skylight complete the sizeable floor plan. Palazzo Di Quarto could very comfortably sleep eight guests at a time – and if you could add another bathroom this could easily be even higher.

This long, deep sun terrace has been screened in with glass to guarantee that it’s available for your to use all year round. While the full-wall windows gives a feeling of being in the open air, the double glazing makes sure that the area’s endless sunshine is retained and amplified, keeping you in that summer mood even through the island’s brief winter months.

One of the nicest features of the property is its sturdy woodwork. The antique window frames have been fitted with double glazing, and the doors are sturdy and grand. Floors throughout are parquet, and in wonderful condition. On a final structural note, the property’s roof has recently been restored, with a copper covering added, in the French style.

Water comes from the municipal supply, via a 12,000-litre cistern. Heating is provided by a methane burner, heating water for traditional (and very effective!) cast iron radiators. The electrical wiring dates from the 1990s, but is certified to be in safe working condition, with a circuit-breaker present.

Surroundings

Known in Sicily as the “city of villas”, Bagheria is a satellite town around 20 minutes by road or rail east of Palermo. Founded as a trading post by the Phoenicians, it achieved its greatest fame from the seventeenth until early twentieth centuries as the favourite summer residence of the regional capital’s richest and most noble families. It is dotted with some superb examples of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture.

On the headland of Capo Zafferano, it is two kilometres from the sea on three sides, with some beautiful bays and secluded beaches within easy driving, cycling or even walking distance. Immersed in its citrus groves, the small city has proven fertile ground for great artists taking inspiration from the land and its integral relationship with the sea. Local figures who achieved prominence in Italian culture include the Oscar-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore and the poet Ignazio Buttitta.

Modern Bagheria is a vibrant community of around fifty thousand inhabitants, and holds all of the amenities you would expect, including a hospital, cinema and railway station.

Palazzo Di Quarto is found on Corso Butera, a little to the north of the old town centre, but within easy walking distance. The location is in fact perfect for travel, being just a couple of hundred metres from both the station and the state road which traverses the peninsula.

Palermo, the islands dominant, and Italy’s fifth-largest city, is surprisingly close at hand when you live in what seems from the ground a fairly provincial town. The metropolis is a hub of world class cuisine, music and excellent shopping (whether you prefer the street markets of the Ballaró, Capo and Vucciria or the upscale boutiques of Prada, Gucci and D&G on Via Libertá). The Teatro Massimo is considered Europe’s most acoustically-perfect opera house and in recent years has hosted performances by the legendary tenor Placido Domingo.

The nearest airport is Falcone-Borsellino, just over half an hour’s drive away on the far side of Palermo.

Potential

While some of the decoration could use a refresh, Palazzo Di Quarto is in excellent structural condition and there is no need for any complicated or expensive renovation work. project property which is 100% ready to use. While of course it might be advisable to refresh the slightly tired wallpaper and paint, this cosmetic level is the only work required. Naturally, the buyer will certainly want to preserve and feature those unique and storied frescos.

The glass-roofed atrium, currently for shared use, will be considered for sale if you want to expand on your investment, as will the sizeable warehouse opposite. Currently used for the production and storage of food sauces, photos of this unit are available by request. Whether or not you can persuade the seller to part with the family recipe is of course down to your personal charms! The asking price for these two extras combined is €200,000, although the vendor may consider offers for either or both.

At Property in Sicily our pre-listing surveys always include scrutiny of all relevant paperwork, and there are in fact two issues which need to be addressed. Both, however, will be resolved before completion of the sale. The office room is inaccurately sized on the cadastral records, and the enclosed veranda has been registered as a terrace. Two options are available here (both at the seller’s expense: you can elect to have the present sun-room legalised or to open it back up as the terrace recorded in the plans.

This roomy property, with heating and a great location, would be perfect for a permanent relocation to Sicily. If you are considering transferring your permanent residence to the island you will be delighted to know that numerous tax incentives for new residents can make sure your transition is not only an exciting adventure, but a savvy financial choice, too. If you are considering this step, why not take advantage of our Welcome to Sicily after-sales package, the most comprehensive in the industry here, which guarantees you won’t need to worry about anything from residency registration and getting your amenities activated to finding the best priced SIM card for your mobile phone.

In summary, the work needed to be done on Palazzo Di Quarto is really only decorative, and the benefits of the roomy, timelessly beautiful property are tremendous.

If you have any more questions about this beautiful Fin de Siècle apartment for sale in Bagheria, our friendly international team are waiting to assist you today.