Property Description

Huge 20 Acre Sea View Plot near Cefalù: Build Your Own Home in Sicily or Rebuild a Ruined Cottage

Just north of the little hilltop town of Collesano, at the western edge of the fabulous Madonie Natural Park, Plot Cinzia is a huge 80,000m2 expanse of pasture and woodland, with the ruins of a pair of rustic cottages to redevelop.

The old buildings will need to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch, but their position is unbeatable, with an uninterrupted view down the eastern side of a deep valley which joins the sea at the coastal town of Campofelice di Roccaella. 400m above sea level, the estate enjoys a fresh sea breeze as well as those panoramic views, and the sunsets that fall over the gulf of Termini Imerese put the finishing touch on a landscape of natural beauty that is much greener than you might expect given the hot, sunny climate.

This is immensely valuable land for three reasons. Firstly, the enormous size of the estate gives you the potential, within planning regulations, to build a villa of essentially any size you could imagine, plus the option of an annexe or outbuilding on the site of the smaller cottage. Secondly, the this is an area of very fertile soil, with the olive oil produced by trees alongside the provincial road the locals know as Contrada Bosco ‘(the forest road’) considered the best in the area. Finally you have the mix of rural isolation and proximity to some lovely small towns and fantastic beaches.

The Property

The plot is roughly a triangle shape, on a hillside which slopes down from the south-east to the north-west, towards the base of the valley. These are the very last slopes of the Madonie Park, which eventually rise up to a height of 2,000m.

For the most part it is wooded, with a wide strip of dense greenery following the southern edge of the property. On the remainder it is grassy, with over a hundred olive trees breaking up the landscape. You will also find some other fruit and nut trees and bushes, especially around the rear of the buildings.

The larger of the two old buildings, close to the northern boundary of the property and with an unimpeded sea view, has a footprint of 100m2. Just a short distance to the east is the annexe, about 40m2 in size. This could make a beautiful guest house, pool house, or perhaps a workshop or garage of some kind.

A well on the property gives you a private water source, although as we will discuss later, you will probably also want to connect to the water main for peace of mind and practicality.

A small stretch of the boundary with a nearby property has been fenced, but for the main what you will be purchasing is a huge expanse of raw, unspoilt nature.

Surroundings

The SP128 road, Contrada Bosco, passes right by the property. In good condition and not too busy, it is a reliable route south, seven minutes up the hill to the village of Collesano, and down to sea level.

We have sold several homes in this area to clients in the past – some could even could give first-hand advice on how best to build your own home in Sicily. They have spoken very favourably of the peace and quiet, the rich soil and abundant nature, and the welcoming nature of Collesano to newcomers from all over the world. A community of around four thousand people, it punches above its weight as a famous centre for ceramics, and as the home of the famous Targa Florio car rally. A museum dedicated to the historic event can be visited in the centre of the village.

If you would like to know everything there is to learn about Collesano, be sure to take a look at our deep dive into the life of the village and the real estate opportunities it presents.

25 minutes downhill you will come to the slightly larger towns of Lascari and Campofelice. You’ll find supermarkets, white goods stores and garden centres, railway stations and beaches. A similar distance around the hillside to the east will bring you to the similarly picturesque village of

Gratteri, another one of our top investment picks for Sicily.

The famous seafront of Cefalù is a 35 minute drive away, with some excellent restaurants and centuries of history alongside the iconic two kilometre strip of golden sand. This is also where you’ll find the nearest hospital.

To reach the great city of Palermo will take about 75 minutes, but your trip will be rewarded with an opportunity to enjoy some of the world’s best street food, an internationally renowned opera house and high class shopping. It’s also home to the nearest airport, 90 minutes from your new front door.

Potential

The scale of the work to do is significant, and first of all the access road to the property needs to be created.

You will also need to connect to the municipal supplies for electricity and water. The electric meter is in fact already present, but the supply finishes about 160m away, so you will need to lay new cables. Water pipes of 130m will be needed. For sewage you will have to install a septic tank or Imhof pit.

You will definitely want to consider a private swimming pool. The steep terrain means that even a relatively low-cost above ground option would have the effect of being a top dollar infinity pool with an unbeatable view down to the sea.

Read our guides on how to build your own home in Sicily and renovate property on the island for a full outline of the necessary procedures to follow, key factors to bear in mind and an outline of how to calculate what kind of budget you will need to have available. Alternatively, our approachable and multilingual team are always happy to discuss these questions either in person, over the phone or by email.

We can help with everything from helping you assemble the best team to full-scale project management, giving you the confidence to take on an ambitious project in a new country with the security of having locals you can trust at your side throughout. Take a look at some of the testimonials we’re proud to have received over the years for this work.