DolceVita - Two Bedroom Villa, Sleeps 4

A wonderfully stylish, architect-designed home with beautifully configured spaces, a tempting pool immersed in an orangery, and sea views.

Subtly incorporating elements of the local architecture, DolceVita is a delightfully inventive contemporary home where indoor spaces flow out seamlessly outside onto extensive sea-view terraces, North African-inspired walled gardens guarantee privacy, a gracefully sleek cobalt pool invites immersion, and views of Vendicari Nature Reserve tempt guests to explore their surroundings.

Inside: accommodation at DolceVita is all one floor. The main entrance draws one into a luminous, inviting open-concept space with Paola Lenti sofas and armchairs gather in front of a huge designer fireplace, a lava stone dining table and a contemporary, one-of-a-kind stainless steel kitchen that appears to float above the polished concrete floors.

Three large banks of sliding glass doors offer access to the surrounding terraces and gardens and bring in the wide-open views of the surrounding countryside, Vendicari Nature Reserve and, on the horizon, the sparkling sea.

On either side of the main entrance are the two bedrooms, a double and a double-twin. Each has its own rather special private bathroom next door with a walk-in double shower, beautifully crafted lava stone elements, and a tempting al fresco shower screened by high walls of local creamy limestone.

Furnishings and fittings throughout reflect the luxurious, contemporary pedigree of the architecture, and the ambience is one of refined tranquillity.

Outside: the polished cement floors of the interiors flow seamlessly outside to the front of the house, where they fan out over a series of extensive terraces on slightly different levels. Outdoor furnishings are given the same level of attention as those inside, with yellow lava stone-tiled low tables, designer chairs and top quality cushion loungers.

To one side of the house, just above the main sea-view terraces, is a lawned area planted with shade-giving orange trees. Next to this is the gorgeous slender pool. A slatted structure extends from the house over the centre of the pool to the perimeter wall, providing not only shade but also, divertingly, support for a swing above the water of the pool.

The outdoor spaces have been designed with conviviality in mind, and nowhere is this more evident than in the sea-view al fresco aperitivo, dining and kitchen area. This culinary and gastronomic oasis, shaded by a pergola and surrounded by centuries-old lentisk trees and rosemary bushes, features two large concrete worktops covered with hand-glazed lava stone tiles, an electric barbecue, induction hobs, a sink, and a fridge. A capacious lava stone dining table, meanwhile, comfortably seats up to 10 guests, creating a truly unique spot in which to dine with friends and family late into the night under the summer stars.

If you need some extra accommodation, why not book DolceVita's sister villa, TerraMia as well. It's just 120m away.

You may also wish to know that the pool has a single depth of 1.5m.

Due to the nature of the property including terraces low walls and several drops around the grounds, children must be supervised at all times.

The final section of the access road to DolceVita is a little rough, so we recommend guests hire a 4x4 or one with high ground clearance.
DolceVita offers fabulous views of and easy access to Vendicari Nature Reserve, with its fabulous array of beaches, and its unspoilt coastal habitat. The closest entrance to the reserve is about 4km away (please remember that there are no lidos or bars on the beaches of the reserve so you should take your own supplies/facilities with you).

Other gorgeous sandy beaches nearby include those of San Lorenzo and Marzamemi, which are 10 and 15 minutes' drive away respectively. Both have facilities.

The nearest major town, fascinating, gorgeous Noto (15mins drive), is the most easterly of a chain of baroque towns (protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), that includes Modica, Ragusa and Scicli. All were rebuilt in flamboyant style following a major earthquake in 1693 and are certainly worth a visit. Just south of Vendicari is the pretty little fishing village of Marzamemi, which is a great spot for an evening stroll and a seafront dinner. Quiet and unassuming for most of the year, it comes to life in the summer months with bars and restaurants spilling out onto the lovely square and narrow streets. A little beyond this is Portopalo di Capo Passero, Sicily's southeasternmost point.

A stay in this part of Sicily, however, wouldn't be complete without a visit to Syracuse, once the mightiest city in Magna Graecia, and one of Italy's most lovely historic centres.

If hiking or horse riding in the hills is your thing, then there is some spectacular scenery in the rushing streams, waterfalls and gorges of Cassibile and Pantalica, a Paleolithic burial site near Syracuse.

Arrival details will be confirmed by The Thinking Traveller after your villa is confirmed.

The Thinking Traveller can organise transfers and car hire and an agent will be in touch with you once your villa is confirmed.

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