Villa Calamare

A Seafront Sicilian Lookout

Set on a cliff overlooking the sea near Avola, this villa offers modern home conveniences in a timeless ancient setting. With Noto and Syracuse both about 20 kilometers away, the clifftop contemporary offers five ensuite bedrooms, a beachy garden dotted with flowers, sea grasses and shrubs, and a bright living area with an upscale kitchen and panoramic windows.

From its clifftop perch, the 11m x 4 lap pool sparkles. The home’s shaded, poolside pergola lined has vast views across the waters, and while swimming isn’t possible right outside the garden gate due to its dramatic clifftop location, there’s an enchanting pathway a quick stroll away that leads down to the sea via a staircase carved into the rock.

Additional features

Two hours of cleaning are included each day, along with family-friendly supplies such as a crib and high chair.

Around

Known for its wide golden beaches and its famous foodstuffs—tuna, almonds, Nero d’Avola wines—Avola offers a beautiful waterfront location on the Ionian Sea, halfway between Syracuse and Portopalo di Capo Passero. Chock full of Renaissance and neoclassical charms, the town was built post earthquake into a hexagonal geometric shape, with a network of streets dotted with architecturally significant homes, squares, and churches. The town’s stone architecture is remarkably blonde—a honey-colored island rock known as Hyblean stone. There’s an Almond Museum in town that details not only the delicious nut's importance to the area, but also the town’s history as the island's culinary/oenological capital.

The beaches at Avola offer shallow waters and golden sand. The old fishermen’s village of Marina di Avola is dotted with abandoned tuna fisheries, another former livelihood of the small city. For outdoor/eco adventures, explore the Gelsomineto Oasis Beach nearby, set within the Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve. The closest beach to the villa is a rock beach, walking distance from the house, and the nearby Contrada Gallina is a sandy stretch only three kilometers from the property. The landmark cities of Noto and Siracusa are easy drives away, both offering plenty of cultural tourism, services, restaurants, bars, and nightlife.

Location

Avola, Sicily, Italy. Nearest airport: Catania (78km)

Best time to visit

March to November