Property Description

Large Sea-view Villa in Sicily’s North-east, with Fabulous Panoramas from Terraces and Balconies

This beautiful sea-view villa in Sicily’s scenic north offers the kind of vantage point you can only dream about when you start to contemplate buying real estate on our storied island. From the long, east-facing balcony on the upper floor to the deep terrace that wraps around the property on its lower level, the panorama is exhilarating.

To the south, the hills which will become the natural park of the Nebrodi mountains rise up, densely covered with verdant foliage. Looking along the line of the coast heading east towards Messina, you will see beaches and towns, as well as other holiday villas and year-round homes perfectly positioned to take in the rolling Tyrrhenian sea that unfolds to the north.

On a clear day the views of the volcanic Aeolian archipelago, some of the most seismically active territory to be found anywhere in Europe, will take your breath away. The rocky islands lie some thirty kilometres out across the water, but the clarity with which they snap into focus from your bird’s eye vantage point, nearly 270m above sea level, is remarkable.

The property is listed for sale including very nearly all of the contents which you can see in our photographs and video. Most of the furniture remains, with only the armchairs and those around the dining table marked to travel away with the vendors.

This offer makes Villa Capperi not only a gorgeous escape to one of the most picturesque and unexplored stretches of Sicilian coastline, but also a practical solution for a buyer who perhaps doesn’t want to relocate to Sicily on a permanent basis with a convoluted international house move, but who sees the property as an investment in the region’s burgeoning tourist economy or a second home in the sun.

The Property

A clean whitewashed exterior with colourful accents and the classic Sicilian terracotta roof, Villa Capperi stands out against the greenery in which it nestles. From the street a gentle stone-paved flight of stairs curves up to the front door of the house, leading you underneath some of the mature olive trees which you’ll find throughout the plot. Even the small patio which greets you before you enter the building is offered shade by another fine example of these.

The villa is built on a fairly steep slope, and so the lower level is partially subterranean. However, it is completely open on the eastern side, and bordered by an even larger terrace, also dotted with olive trees but which takes you right up to the edge of the flat area and offers an unbroken sea view. This is a stunning spot on which to enjoy outdoor dining or simply relax with some music and a cool drink. In total the terraces cover a hundred square metres, well-maintained and finished with outdoor furniture.

On the ground floor (remember, this is actually the upper of the two), the largest space is a long living room, over 30m2 in size. It connects directly to the kitchen and indirectly to the upstairs bathroom and first bedroom, however the eye is drawn immediately in the other direction, out towards the balcony. A pair of French windows at either end of the versatile and welcoming space take you out to this long, mostly uncovered veranda with incredible sea and countryside views.

Even between these windows, the focus of the room is still squarely in the same direction. A wide open fireplace has been built in the centre of the wall, with a chimney that has been well looked after and is in good working order. The brick-lined place is finished with a beautiful chestnut-toned wooden mantelpiece, picking up on the exposed beams of the ceiling overhead. The doors and windows, too, are in this warm yet informal shade of timber.

The kitchen is not enormous but big enough to comfortably prepare food and convenient for the dining area in the main open plan living room. It is wonderfully bright thanks to a dual exposition, with a long window over the breakfast table and patio doors taking you out to the rear terrace. This actually wraps completely around the villa, leading down to the lower level via two external staircases.

An internal route downwards is a spiral staircase which stands near the small hallway that also brings you to the narrow bathroom with a shower, and the upstairs bedroom. This is a roomy double with a fantastically practical full-wall cupboard and a nice easterly view, allowing you to be woken with the morning sunshine.

On the lower floor we find a study, which could become a guest bedroom, and the master bedroom with its en-suite shower room. These face out to the east, underneath the balcony off the living room, and the study opens onto the terrace through a glazed door. Reached by crossing this terrace, you will find the property’s water tank and a stand-alone storeroom filled with garden tools – several of which are sold with the villa.

There is a little storage space in the loft above the first bedroom and kitchen, and a small cellar suitable for keeping oil supplies and a few bottles of well-chosen local wine.

The presentation of the property is really first class. The walls are clean and smooth, The terracotta flooring which runs throughout the home perfectly compliments the rest of the internal decoration and the flagstones outside. The double-glazed windows are in great condition, and the electrical system is in good order.

Water is from the municipal supply, and you have the security of a 15,000 litre reserve cistern for emergencies. Waste water currently runs into an Imhoff tank, but the municipality is working to connect this neighbourhood to a public sewer.

Villa Capperi is fitted with radiators throughout, heated by water from a gas boiler. There is no air conditioning present, but you will find ceiling fans.

Beyond the building and terraces, the estate measures a total of about 1000m2, and includes an olive grove with 24 mature trees as well as a variety of fruits including lemons, oranges, cherries, plums and the capers after which the villa has been named. There is a little off-street parking space and easy access to a well-maintained local road.

Surroundings

The sea-view villa in Sicily’s northeastern Messina province is actually around an hour outside the port city by car. A similar drive connects it to Cefalú, the most iconic of the small towns of the island’s Tyrrhenian coast. The nearest airports are at Catania and Palermo, each about two hours’ journey by car.

Boat travel out to explore the spectacular Aeolian islands is within even easier reach. 45Km to the east is the peninsula town of Milazzo, from which ferries leave regularly for Lipari, Vulcano and the rest of the archipelago. From Messina you can cross the short strait to the Italian mainland, and trains which board the ferries will carry you to Naples, Rome and beyond.

If you have your own small vessel, you will be able to take advantage of the new marina which has transformed the town’s seafront. The glamorous seafront structure plays host to everything from the smallest motor-powered craft to large sailing boats, and the region’s sailing fraternity is always pleased to welcome new additions.

Inland is the picturesque Nebrodi park, a rolling tapestry of green hills and mountains which is home to some beautiful lakes, woodland and pastures. The park is famous for its food and drink, including the cured meats of the Nebrodi black pig, and cheese production which includes both the soft ricotta and some excellent provola.

The smouldering peak of Sicily’s great giant, Mount Etna, lies barely 50km to the south east. Beyond these mystical and fertile slopes lie beautiful coastal towns like Taormina and Syracusa.

The immediate vicinity of the villa is mostly comprised of similar properties, and a vehicle will certainly be needed. However, you can reach the centre of Capo d’Orlando in ten minutes. The friendly little coastal town is home to all of the shops, restaurants and public services that you’ll need.

Potential

There is nothing to do except move in to this immaculate sea-view villa. In Sicily buyers will always anticipate the need for restoration work, but Villa Capperi has been really well taken care of, and we didn’t find any issues with the property.

All of the certification and legal registrations are in order, with no issues to resolve their either. And since even the furniture is included, you really could move in next month if you moved quickly.

With a view like that there is obviously room to buy the villa as a tourist rental property – or perhaps a dual purpose villa which you visit for some periods of the year and let out for others. If you would like any advice on entering this competitive market, we would be delighted to put you in touch with our sister company, Solemar Sicilia. Specialists at pairing trustworthy holidaymakers with well-presented villas and apartments across the island, they have been offering help to our buy-to-let clients since Property in Sicily’s inception. Whether you need a hand with advertising, managing the property in your absence or cleaning and maintenance, they will be able to find the perfect economic but reliable solution.

If you are planning to take this route, you might want to consider adding air conditioning units, although the sea breeze does provide a tremendous natural alternative. Good quality appliances can typically be bought and installed for around €800 – €1,000.

Of course, the crown jewel of any coastal Sicilian holiday property is the sea-view swimming pool, and here you will have the possibility to build something with a really fabulous panorama. A suspended structure with an ‘infinity’ edge would make a huge statement, and obviously increase massively the value of your new home.

The estate’s olive trees produce around 120 litres of great quality, organic oil per year. Whether you want to sell this on, or keep it to share with friends and family, the routine of harvesting and pressing the fruit is a timeless ritual which puts you right at the heart of one of Sicily’s oldest and most important traditions.