Noto Art Villa

A Sicilian Villa at Once Classic and Carefree

From its lemon-tree-lined driveway to its shining white stone floors, this villa oozes the carefree, rebel-elegance of Sicily. A breezy beauty, the contemporary structure features smooth walls softened by gauzy drapes, and an interior that combines contemporary with refurbished antiques. Standout pieces include a trompe l’oeil armoire, reupholstered Louis XV-styled armchairs, and a saintly wall collage of religious art. This villa for rent in Sicily also has a pervading earthy ambiance, with just the right touch of Mediterranean boho.

Cool and contemporary, yet classically Sicilian at the same time, this open-air villa stands like a polished box brimming with easy elegance. The angular whitewashed volumes hold rooms of hip, unassuming style—spaces to unwind in. Earth-toned natural fibers cover furniture or appear in bedroom linens or area rugs. Modern leather and blonde wood furnishings give depth to the pale bone-to-sand color palette, and storied antiques mix artfully with the clean-lined contemporary pieces. There’s even a pair of terracotta Teste di Moro busts in a nod to local love lore (and to White Lotus).

The garden of this hacienda-styled villa for rent in Sicily is fragrant and just a little wild, a backdrop of jasmine vine and citrus trees, almond groves and centenary olives, atop manicured greens. The swimming pool is an upstairs affair, part of a sun-bleached rooftop terrace, with a solarium, outdoor shower and dressing room, perched over the pelouse that plays home to an alfresco dining pergola. Daily breakfast, an in-home chef, and daily housekeeping services are part of the stay.

AROUND

Occupying southeast Sicily, Noto defines Sicilian Baroque. Built in the 1700s, the small town is big on lauds and honors. It’s got UNESCO World Heritage status, churches, theaters and palaces galore, and hosts a long-standing annual flower festival, the Infiorata di Noto, that transforms the already stunning small city into a fairytale of architectural grandeur lined by streets carpeted in flowers. Dozens of beaches, from the pebbly to the sandy, extend along the coast—this is a Mediterranean island, after all. But before heading to the water, take a walking tour of the stately city and take note of all its Baroque curiosities—gargoyles and curlicues, cherubs and grotesque visages, regal balconies and winding stone balustrades. Grab a granita from one of the town’s many cafes and chic taverns, and check out the Fountain of Hercules across from the majestic Church of San Domenico. Admire the noble palaces such as the Palazzo Trigona Cannicarao, the Palazzo Castelluccio, the Palazzo Nicolaci and the Palazzo Astuto, and window shop along Corso Vittorio Emanuele between the Porta Reale and three church-anchored piazzas. Noto’s cathedral is a superstar, a much-photographed and cinematic structure that starred in the 1960 film L’Aventurra and more recently made an appearance in White Lotus, Season 2.

Around Noto, nearby Ragusa is also a Baroque masterpiece, a town of two “downtowns” in which 18 buildings are UNESCO protected. The village of Modica occupies a deep gorge below the 300-meter-high Guerrieri bridge, also a town divided into two parts where domes, bell towers, and church spires rise from the red tiled roofs. The hamlet Marzamemi is one of the island’s prettiest seaside villages, a stony beauty with an adorable harbor, arms’ length wide streets made narrower by blooming geranium window planters, and a piazza worth reclining on before dining in one of its charming seafront seafood restaurants.

LOCATION

Noto, Sicily, Italy. Nearest airport: Catania (approximately 50 minutes)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Spring through fall