This home is the perfect location to explore many areas of Sicily
Villa Laura Marie is truly a beautiful home for a visit to Sicily. Antonio and Deborah’s location on the rocky hillside overlooking the seaside are just as described in listing, only more spectacular in person. Our family of three arrived in early May, Antonio greeted us with easy check in and even arranged reservations for dinner at Can Caus Restaurant. This is a lovely restaurant, close to house and the food was great. This home is the perfect location to explore many areas of Sicily. We had a car, manual drive Jeep Cherokee, necessary to get to grocery stores and day trips from home. We drove to Cefalu for the day, had drinks overlooking the sea at Porta Cefula, then walked the charming area around the cathedral. A must visit is to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, a two hour drive from Villa Laura Marie. These ancient ruins are incredible, only a visit in person can describe the site and experience. Our trip to Mount Etna did take longer than anticipated, the highway was closed in areas, but this allowed us to see parts of Sicily that included a drive through high mountain passes with hairpin curves, spectacular views over valleys and a few wild hogs grazing the roadside! We were too late to get close to Mount Etna but were able to explore the town of Adrano, with views of the volcano and lots of history from the Norman era. Palermo was a short drive from the home once we discovered a good route, we were able to visit on several days for shopping and dining on excellent food in the small alleyways in front of the Massimo Theater. The port area was also great for a walking experience in Palermo. Above all, we were able to relax and enjoy Villa Laura Marie, a beautiful home and the best place start a visit to Sicily, Again, many thanks to Antonio and Deborah for our family to enjoy our first visit to Sicily. from: Donna G. – USA The house is built with inspiration from boats
We had a wonderful stay in Antonio and Debbie’s house. The terrace and view from there is amazing and the house is built with inspiration from boats – such a lovely atmosphere. There is a steep staircase with access from the garden going down to the ocean where you can swim from the rocks – bring swimming shoes! One of the best things was also the outdoor shower where you can take a bath under the stars. The house is a little remote, so it is definitely an advantage to have a car for going to town, the beach, for ice cream etc. from: Sinne – Copenhagen-Denmark The terrace is the icing on the cake
We spent an idyllic six nights at Villa Laura Marie and loved every minute. The house is cosy, comfortable, clean and very well loved. We ended up eating there more than we thought we would, as it was such a wonderful place to be. The terrace is the icing on the cake at the Villa with the most amazing views and direct access into the sea. It all feels so relaxing, private and special. We were there with two 18 year olds and they loved it. Our tips are to bring proper beach shoes to help when getting into the sea. And come prepared for mosquitoes. Especially if you are coming in September. Bagheria is good for shops and supermarkets. We had an evening at La Punta Pizza restaurant in Santa Flavia – the food is good and the setting is quite lovely. Regarding our host Antonio, he was fantastic. A very good communicator and very attentive and helpful. We would love to come back again in the future, and the only problem was having to leave so soon after only six nights. from: Christine – UK Wonderful stay at Villa Laura Marie We were so happy to be able to visit Sicily during this particular 2020 summer with Covid around… we were even happier to have stayed for a week at Villa Laura Marie near Bagheria. The house is beautiful, clean, very well-equipped for those who like cooking. You can easily stay at 5 people, there are 5 real beds. But the most exciting thing with this house is the incredible view on the clear blue sea and Capo Zafferano. You can relax on a big terrace, with multiple seats or beds, surrounded with tons of exotic flowers. A direct access to the sea behind the villa allows to practice snorkeling when the sea is calm…it is a real aquarium! The house is very well-located, 25 km from Palermo, 50 km from Cefalu. And at 5 min from the Bagheria train station. Train was very convenient to visit those cities and be relax. We thank Antonio and his family for their kindness, complete explanations about the house and the region, but more than anything, for their beautiful little nest where we spent an unforgettable week! from: ClairelovesItaly – Rosieres, Belgium Beautiful villa in a tropical, terraced garden on the stunning Mongerbino coastline
A dream vacation, the lovely Laura Marie Villa sits on a spectacular stretch of rocky coastline just east of Palermo. There is easy access to the water nearby, either a walk to a rocky outcrop which is great for snorkelling or a short drive to sandy beaches. The view from the large terrace is fabulous and there are plenty of chairs, deck chairs and sunloungers to enjoy it from, all surrounded by a well tended tropical, terraced garden. There is also a barbecue and outdoor kitchen area. Inside there is a comfortable open plan lounge/dining area with small, well stocked kitchen, along with 3 bedrooms. We are a family of 5, all children now grown, and we fitted the villa perfectly. Each bedroom has a ceiling fan to help stay cool in the hot summer months, which we really needed in early July, as the weather was hot and humid. The property has a driveway on a slope with a parking area that is big enough to use as a turning circle. Our large rental car needed to do a 7 point turn in the space, so probably best to book a smaller size car if possible. Antonio and Debbie look after the villa exceedingly well, with a friendly personal service and plenty of information and advice if needed. Although it was hard to leave the lovely terrace each day, we managed to visit many interesting places. Very close by is the ancient archaeological site of Solunta, well worth visiting and has great views of the region. We took the train into Palermo, which was also easy from Bagheria, and a short walk then to the main sites of interest. Driving in Sicily can be startling around the towns and cities at busy times….reminding us of Mariokart!! Be prepared for cars overtaking on both sides and free for all busy junctions! However, outside the city, the autostrada routes were an easy drive. We were able to visit Segesta and Ericae in one day and also Cefalu is an easy day trip. In nearby Castelldaccia we found a scuba diving company and 2 of our party enjoyed a half day scuba trip with them, while the rest of us relaxed at the nearby lido! Overall, we had a wonderful holiday made very memorable by the spectacular location of this very special villa. Thank you Antonio and Debbie. Perfect in every way I couldn’t recommend a more beautiful place to stay! Villa Laura Marie is the perfect place to relax, surrounded by the sparkling sea and the jasmine infused air. The villa is completely private with a view that is unforgettable!! The gardens all around the house are pretty and well managed, and there is safe access to the rocky beach below, although it was too cold to swim in April. The house is very clean, modern, organized and comfortable (there are space heaters for spring weather, hair dryer, washing machine, kitchen utensils, many travel brochures, and maid service). The wifi works all over, including most places outside. There is an alarm system, safe, and locked gate at the top of the driveway. The towns of Porticello and Santa Flavia are 5 minutes away by car for shopping and restaurants. There is a hiking trail just down the road from the villa on the clementine and cactus covered hills. Further along the road are other beaches- one rocky, one sandy by Porticello. The archeological site of Solunto is 10 minutes by car on the hill above- it has a great little museum and spectacular views and pretty mosaics and ruins. We took several day trips including: Cefalu and nearby archeological site Halaesa; Valley of Temples in Agrigento; enormous temple at Segesta; land art site “Cretto di Burri” by famous artist Alberto Burri; and charming Palermo by train (only a 15 min train ride) from Bagheria (can park car outside train station for free). The owners, Antonio and Deborah, were gracious and accommodating and put much care into their beautiful villa. They have prepared an entire notebook with house instructions, points of interest, restaurants etc., and were always available to answer any questions. You leave feeling very attached to such a friendly environment! I cannot wait to come back and stay again at Villa Laura Marie! Glorious and Wonderful Villa – Sarah-Tony-Ben-Sam The house is light and breezy, facing the gorgeous Mediterranean with all its sparkle and blue. Capo Zefferano looms to the East (right, facing the sea) and the hills behind Palermo to the West. The house feels secluded even though there are neighbors on both sides. The patios are wonderful and one can always find shade as the sun moves around, behind, the house over the course of the day. The kitchen is more than functional and has the “right” pots for vacation cooking with a family. The beds are comfortable (we slept four in three rooms) and the living space is big enough to be able to find a private nook for reading or thinking. (TV and WiFi are good.) The gulls and doves “debate, argue, and comment” amusingly, through the day. The mosquitos are a fact of life but as long as you prepare for them and keep the screen doors closed, all is well. The house is quiet, surrounded by lovely gardens tended to by Vincenzo and nestled up snug against its cliff; even the busy weekend traffic on single-laned Via Perez is not noticeable. Porticello is close by for shopping and there are numerous green markets there. Day excursions to Cefalú or Trapani or Agrigento are easily done. For a day trip to Palermo, one can take the short (15 minute) train trip from Bagheria but one needs a car to reach the station. In fact, a car is pretty much necessary for this property, although my son and I did walk to Porticello for groceries one day. It’s about 8 kilometres round trip and uphill much of the way back. (Just a note, a small car with an excellent turning radius is preferable for negotiating the steep driveway and small turn around at the bottom.) The swimming is not for little children but is otherwise spectacular. Steep steps lead down to the rocky base of the cliff. On carefully sliding over barnacled rocks decorated with mossy seaweed into the sea, one is immediately in deep water with swell and, depending on the wind and tide, some waves sloshing into the rocky cove. Once past those waves the swimming is delightful There is occasionally a tow. For swimming with small children there are two beaches off the road to Porticello. There are plenty of places to eat in beautiful Porticello. Antica Pizzeria La Punta is worth it just for the view, but the food is excellent as well. The property was very clean when we arrived and Antonio and Debbie are terrific hosts. We would enthusiastically recommend this property to others and also to our family. We will always remember that special view We had a wonderful holiday and out time spent at the villa was so relaxing and enjoyable. The terrace is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the beautiful scenery – we will always remember that special view….some days it was difficult to leave and explore the island! The villa was very comfortable. Thank you Antonio for all your help with the reservation prior to our arrival and for everything you did once we were there. Charming villa, well located
A truly charming Mediterranean villa, very conveniently located. Here we enjoyed the calm and the view, while Palermo and the other main sightseeing sites were easy to reach. The very well organised owner , who doesn’t live on the spot, provided us with lots of informations, links and useful tips about this beautiful region . He was also flexible and supportive, for instance when we needed to match our meetings with our flights. Paradise lost when we finally had to leave . A fantastic villa with breathtaking views !
This villa is wonderful! The views are amazing. The villa is very private – not overlooked at all and it is comfortable. It was clean on arrival and well maintained and equipped. The private steps down to the sea are steep, so wouldn’t be suitable for young children, but we loved walking down and swimming and snorkelling in the clear, warm waters. If you’re not used to 25 degs at night, there are ceiling fans in all the rooms but no aircon. The gas for the cooker had run out on arrival, but Antonio the owner is very responsive and this was sorted within an hour of us calling the next day. Lots of information is provided about local amenities and places to visit in the surrounding area. The temple at Segesta was amazing and the restaurant ‘La Rotunda’ at Casteldaccia was wonderful. The local ruined settlement at Solunto (very close) was spectacular! Antonio and Deborah were really lovely and Antonio was fantastic at responding to any questions we had – including helping us sort out what to do about a parking ticket we had!! We highly recommend this villa and hope to return! 🙂 A terrace with a view !
We had a great 10 days in the villa in October. I took my parents who are of age and first we were a bit concerned about the steps down to the villa. But once you are on the terrace you are overwhelmed by the view and the location of the villa. The water temperature was still about 22 degrees C. this time of year and it was great to take the steep steps down to the rocks and take a dive in very clear water. I absolutely loved it. And once you know where to look you will often see a group of dolphins passing by later in the afternoon. A trail right behind the house takes you for nice walks and even more views. The house is really nice, good beds and ceiling fans and all windows are screened so you can leave all open during the night. The minor things were the mosquitos on the terrace after sunset, You need to be prepared. And the sun disappears behind the hill behind the villa after about 15.00 pm. But… that is October! We had a great stay and we would certainly recommend this villa on the superb location. Antonio, the owner, makes sure that you are comfortable. Schönes Sommerhaus in beeindruckender Lage
Villa Lauramarie beeindruckt durch seine exquisite Lage etwa 10 m über dem Meer. Über eine kleine Treppe gelangt man abwärts auf große Felsen und kann bei ruhigem Seegang von dort aus wunderbar schnorcheln oder schwimmen. Für 4-5 Personen bietet das geschmackvoll eingerichtete Haus mit seinen großen, nach Norden und Westen ausgerichteten Sonnenterrassen, die Möglichkeit, einen ruhigen und erholsamen Urlaub zu verbringen. LIke a summer house for movie stars said our daughter “This is like a summer house for movie stars”, said our daughter when we arrived. And it’s true – every detail is so well chosen, clean, sophisticate in a relaxed way. We had two weeks of wonderful holiday, swimming from the “private cliffs” (swimming shoes are recommended, the rocks can be sharp), sunbathing and enjoying beautiful Sicily. The owners a very nice and helpful. Don’t hesitate to book! Carin & Gabriel |
