The best villas in Sicily
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With all the hallmarks of a dream getaway – warm weather, azure waters, a rich and storied history, a distinct culinary scene – the seductive allure of the Mediterranean Sea’s largest island is an enduring one. Its distinct Italian flavour has long been coveted in popular culture; it was practically a character in The Godfather film trilogy. More recently, it starred as the mysteriously beautiful backdrop in season two of The White Lotus. Suddenly, the Sicilian attraction is stronger than ever. For a taste of its sweet, cannoli-filled life, these are the villas that have caught our eye for their grandeur, location and charm. For a stay with room service, see our pick of the best hotels in Sicily.
Arbolì, Villasmundo
Olive groves, vineyards and citrus trees curl for miles around this stunning terracotta villa, and patterned blue tiles, lemony hues and ultra-stylish furniture sit within. No doubt you’re in Italy – and what a beautiful part of the country; nestled between Catania and Syracuse on a historic 150-acre estate, with far-reaching views across an endless sea of orange orchards right across to Mount Etna. A unique T-shaped pool makes a centrepiece outside, next to which an al-fresco dining space is shaded by a fluttering palm frond roof. Sit with a cocktail and enjoy.
Sleeps: Eight
Price: From £7,086 per week
Casa Gazza Ladra, western Sicily
This traditional house has all the Sicilian hallmarks, but it’s the extensive gardens that set it apart from other villas across the island. Among the verdant olive groves that stud the landscapes, this home is set among expansive lawns with lush leafy foliage and a huge shimmering blue pool with plenty of loungers. The interiors are bold and rich, with three roomy double bedrooms an impressive kitchen kitted out properly for big family dinners, and lavish marble bathrooms giving that top hotel feel.
Sleeps: Six
Price: from £2,730 a week, with a seven-night minimum
Sicilian Sun, Trapani
Pantelleria, with its steamy hot springs and bubbling fumaroles is Sicily’s most volcanic island, and the interiors reflect the wild ruggedness of the landscapes – raw plaster and exposed stone walls, driftwood and easy-breezy Moroccan style low sofas, with huge windows overlooking panoramic azure sea views. Families especially will love this villa – baby baths and cots are available, there’s plenty of space for little ones to roam and a pool to splash in. It’s even pet-friendly, so it’s good news for those bringing the dog.
Sleeps: Six
Price: from around £993 per night, with a three-night minimum
Il Faro, Brucoli
Located in the small southern seaside village of Brucoli, this smart villa has an unbeatable location – jutting out of a rocky outcrop, overlooking the Ionian Sea with Mount Etna in the background. The spectacular seafront spot comes courtesy of the villa’s previous life as a lighthouse – the beacon still tops the villa, while the rest of the building has been meticulously restored and modernised into a sleek three bedroom, three bathroom villa. Inside, the mood is minimalist and monochrome, with an airy open-plan living room and sea views to be spied at every turn. In one of the bedrooms, a chocolate velvet bed frame sits within steps of a freestanding bath, while white teste di moro (Sicilian ceramic heads) are perched above on the window sills. Up on the roof terrace, a spacious lounge area sits on beautiful turquoise majolica tiles, while the wrap-around terrace has everything you could need for a dream Sicilian holiday – sun loungers, a covered dining area and a jacuzzi. The villa has direct access to the shore, where guests can use the deckchairs by the water. A small sandy beach is a short walk away.
Sleeps: 6
Price: from about €728 (£634) per night, or €121 (£106) per person per night, seven nights minimum
Stefano CorsoVilla Tasca, Palermo
If you’re here to live out the White Lotus fantasy, you’re in luck – the dazzling Italian palazzo Harper Spiller and Daphne Sullivan (played by Aubrey Plaza and Meghann Fahy) stayed in is available to rent on Airbnb. Villa Tasca is an exquisite neoclassical palazzo with all the trimmings – romantic trompe-l’oeil frescoes, Murano chandeliers, high ceilings, tall windows and gilt-framed paintings. The time warp continues in all four bedrooms, beautifully kitted out with vintage furniture and freestanding bathtubs in the ensuite bathrooms, along with much-needed modern features include mini fridges and air conditioning. Outside there are 20 sprawling acres of manicured gardens, including a swimming pool, alfresco dining area and even a swan lake.
Sleeps: 8
Price: £4,874 per night, or £609 per person per night, three nights minimum
Rocca delle Tre Contrade, Sicily
The only property on this hill near Santa Venerina on Sicily’s east coast, Rocca delle Tre Contrade has some of the most jaw-dropping views on the island – on a clear day, you can see Mount Etna as well as the glittery Ionian from its carefully manicured garden. The house is staffed with a housekeeper and a chef who will pick up the freshest produce from the market for late lunches by the horizon-pushing pool or suppers on the terrace. There are 12 bedrooms and as many bathrooms, with reclaimed furniture and vintage finds beneath triple-height vaulted ceilings. Plus the water is heated with solar panels, and the vegetable garden supplies many of the ingredients used in the kitchen, making this a villa to book for those keen to lessen their ecological footprint.
Sleeps: 24
Price: from £28,887 for a one-week stay, or £1,203 per person per week
Rustic villa, Noto
Noto is one of our favourite towns in Sicily, and this renovated house is a brilliant base from which to explore it. Huge glass doors lead from the pastel-hued bedrooms to the rugged garden, where a little pool has panoramic views of the treetops below. Back inside, there’s a farmhouse-style kitchen for long breakfasts of locally sourced pastries (pick them up from Caffè Sicilia in town) and strong coffee.
Sleeps: 7
Price: from about £292 per night, or £42 per person per night, seven nights minimum
Serena EllerVilla Valguarnera, Sicily
The Sicilian seaside town of Bagheria was once where Palermo’s high society disappeared for the summer, staying in neoclassical mansions along the coast. Villa Valguarnera is one of these former escapes, now owned by Princess Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca, whose ancestors built it in the 18th century. The piano nobile, or first floor, of the vast building is available to rent – it has its own entrance via an external staircase, and encompasses three frescoed reception rooms, a ballroom, a huge kitchen and three terraces that overlook the impeccable gardens. The place comes fully staffed with a cook and a butler, and guests can explore the whole house, where Vittoria will regale them with stories of the famous people who have stayed here over the years (Salvador Dalí is likely to be name-checked).
Sleeps: 6
Price: from about £9,800 for a one-week stay (fully staffed), or £233 per person per night
Cozzo Coniglio, Noto
If you’re travelling with little ones, Sicily’s ornate neoclassical villas, while incredible, aren’t the most family-friendly when it comes to sticky fingers and fragile antique furniture. An ideal alternative is this modern and minimalist house that’s a short drive from San Lorenzo beach. Instead of frescos and chandeliers, Cozzo Coniglio is all clean lines, minimalist decor and block colours – a cheery egg yolk yellow kitchen and a bold olympic blue lounge room. The six bedrooms are washed in breezy white, with two located in the separate guest house, each with their own ensuite bathrooms. Just outside, there’s room for the whole crew to gather in the courtyard, with two separate dining tables, beanbag seating and an inviting turquoise pool.
Sleeps: 12
Price: from £675 per night, or £57 per person per night, 5 nights minimum
Casa Grande di Santo Pietro, Torrenove
Not a palazzo, nor a slick modern box, but what this seven bedroom farmhouse lacks in grandeur or minimalism, it makes up for in charm. This is an authentic taste of Sicilian life, at an accessible price (split between 13 people, it works out to around £170 each for the five nights). Home cooks will love the rustic kitchen, well equipped with all the pots and pans you could need to cook a traditional Sicilian pasta dish. There’s the option to have cooking lessons from the host, or have them take care of supper all together by firing up the outdoor pizza oven. For the full experience, serve it in the dining room – the long wooden table seats 10 – followed by drinks overlooking the sea from one of the three terraces. The home is surrounded by 50 hectares of gardens, with much of the action happening around the swimming pool, lined with loungers and a shaded pool house.
Sleeps: 13
Price: from £444 per night, or £34 per person per night, minimum 5 nights
Masseria Cardinale, Syracuse
The south-eastern corner is a gorgeous honey-hued part of the island with wonderful countryside and quick day-trip nipping between the ancient artefacts of Syracuse and the wild beaches of Noto, via the world’s best cannoli and ice cream at Caffè Sicilia. This lofty masseria will swallow up families and friends in its cool spaces and shady courtyards. Its meticulously restored cane-vaulted hall is lined with Picasso-style frescoes illustrating Ovid’s Metamorphoses, great for inspiring GCSE revision, and the seven bedrooms are neutral, with lots of knocked-back greys and off-whites. Whip up pizza in the wood-burning oven or leave the in-villa cook to it – there are all sorts of pretty tables around the grounds for suppers under the stars before everyone retreats to the cinema room for a late-night movie.
Sleeps: 14
Price: from £10,575 per week, or £755 per person per week
Giuseppe La CollaVilla Di Sole, Messina
This warm and homely three bedroom house is ideal for a family stay, especially if you have little ones. The set up includes a bedroom, bathroom and studio with a double sofa bed on the ground floor. Cots and high chairs can be provided. Parents should make a beeline for the upstairs bedroom with patio doors that open up onto a private balcony – although you don’t even need to get out of bed in order to admire the azure blue views of the Mediterranean. Outside, if you can bear to pull yourself away from the infinity pool, the beaches and charming towns of Capo d’Orlando are a short drive away.
Sleeps: 6
Price: from £3,877 for 7 nights, or £646 per person per week