Casa Alveston

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House |1 bedroom |Sleeps 4

Modica Bassa in Modica

£unknown / weekBookable online

This property can be booked securely online within a few minutes. Just click on the ‘Check availability and book’ button.

7 nights minimum stay

Changeover flexible

5 out of 5

2 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Beach or lakeside relaxation, balcony/terrace, car advised, no pets allowed

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About the home

Casa Alveston is a traditional Sicilian townhouse. Originally constructed in the 19th century and recently renovated the house offers flexible accommodation arranged over three floors for couples, or groups of friends wishing to explore this beautiful corner of Sicily.

Located just outside the centre of Modica but with ample off-road parking the house offers the benefits of being within easy strolling distance of the restaurants and bars in the town whilst only a short drive to the beautiful surrounding countryside and further attractions of this part of Sicily.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The accommodation is arranged over three floors with the ground floor being given over to the entrance hall, double bedroom and en-suite bathroom (double shower, toilet, bidet, wash handbasin). The middle floor is a spacious open-plan living area combining kitchen, dining room and lounge. There is also a separate toilet facility on this floor. The living room contains a substantial sofa that doubles up as a king-size bed - not a run-of-the-mill flop/fold out sofabed.

A further set of stairs takes you up to the private terrace that enjoys an open sunny aspect with views across Modica to the famous Guerrieri bridge, the historical centre, clock tower and the surrounding countryside. The terrace is furnished with dining table and seating for 5.

Our locally-based property managers (Modicasa) speak Italian, English and German.

Further details outdoors:
Whilst the house has no private parking of its own, the ample off-road parking nearby ensures that there is always somewhere to leave the car. Petty crime in the south-east, compared to other parts of the island - particularly in the west - is low, though you still need to take sensible precautions like removing your valuables/keeping them out of sight.

Local amenities include local supermarkets within two minutes walk, together with bars and a range of small shops.

It is possible to be outside of Modica and driving in the local countryside in 5 minutes.

Further details

Minimum rental is usually a week. Shorter lets may be available by agreement.

Photos

 

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The terrace

 

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Beach at Marina di Ragusa. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fav/27519904/

 

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Local view of the church tower

 

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Kitchen dining area

The Sicily region

Sicily is the largest of the Mediterranean islands and offers visitors a fascinating and unique geographical, cultural and historical experience, very different even from that of mainland Italy only 3 km away across the Straits of Messina.

The island has been a major strategic crossroads in the Mediterranean throughout its history and has in turn been conquered by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish and French. Each of these invaders has left their mark in Sicily's language, art, archaeology, history, food and drink.

As you'd expect with its proximity to Africa, Sicily enjoys mild winters (temperatures in the south-east rarely drop much below 10 deg C). In spring the island is a riot of colour with vibrant flower meadows dotting the back roads. The summers are hot and dry and autumn lasts well into November. The landscape is dramatic ranging from the spectacular mountainous interior to the sheltered coves and beaches dotted along the coast and of course on Sicily you are rarely very far away from either.

If you enjoy history, culture and cuisine then Sicily offers a seemingly unending choice of delights.

The Modica / Modica Bassa area

Modica itself is a thriving, beautiful baroque town with an abundance of art, history and archaeology enjoying easy access to the spectacular scenery of this unspoilt south-eastern corner of Sicily. The town boasts in excess of 20 excellent restaurants all of which have to survive on local trade, so standards across established businesses are uniformally high. Modica is also famous for its chocolate, made to an original Aztec recipe imported by the Spanish that famously doesn't melt even in the height of the Sicilian summer and indeed the town is host to an annual chocolate festival.

In 2008, Modica and the surrounding towns in the Val di Noto were established by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Following the disastrous earthquake of 1693 the towns were rebuilt - with a seemingly limitless budget - at the pinnacle of the Baroque era and this corner of Sicily rewards the traveler with a dazzling array of beautiful 18th century architecture.

In more recent times the area has become famous as the location for the renowned Italian TV series 'Inspector Montalbano' which has recently been syndicated to BBC 4.

The famous towns of Noto, Siracusa and Caltagirone are all easily reached with Taormina and Etna being a comfortable day trip away. The local landscape offers a dramatic choice between the mountainous interior, low-lying hills topped by centuries old carrubo trees and the gentle coastline typified by small sandy coves such as those found at the Vendicari nature reserve.

We bought a house here because we fell in love with this part of Sicily. We've traveled extensively through Europe and eventually we bought our house in Modica in one of the two most thriving (the alternative being Ragusa) towns in this furthest corner of Sicily. If you share our enthusiasm for landscape, culture and cuisine then we're confident you'll feel the same about Modica and the southern provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa.

How to get there

Casa Alveston What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

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UK to Catania Airport flight time is approx 3 hours.
Easyjet or British Airways from Gatwick (no stops). Alitalia, Lufthansa and other carriers with a stop via Heathrow.

Airfares start from £100 return per passenger including tax depending on travel dates through Easyjet or British Airways.

All the major car hire companies, together with their national Italian counterparts, have offices at Catania Fontanarossa. Competition is strong and the vast majority are conveniently located right outside Departures. If you plan to hire a car it is best to organise collection from the airport as only local car hire companies operate in Modica itself and they are relatively expensive.

There are seven direct buses to Modica from Fontanarossa on most days during the summer months (from mid-June) which are supplemented further by stopping services. Only the stopping services run in the winter. The timetables are online via http://www.aziendasicilianatrasporti.it/

It is perfectly possible to navigate around Sicily using the cheap and efficient coach services, or indeed the train, but if you want to make the most of your time on the island hiring a car is strongly recommended. So much of Sicily's beauty is to be found off the beaten track.

Activities near Modica

Reviews

Review: 1 to 2 of 2

03 May 2013

“A pleasant, traditional house in an old town with views of the town and an easy walk to the historic centre.” Everything we needed in the house was available (we did not need a television set) and the house was perfectly comfortable. There were good views of the town, and the roof terrace permitted very... more

24 Sep 2012

“A true home from home” The drive from Catania was about 1.5 hours on a quiet "motorway" which made the travelling an easy hop out of the airport to the car hire place (pre-booked) quick and... more

Review: 1 to 2 of 2

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Rental prices

Prices for group size 4
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
low season	1 Mar 12	1 Jul 12	280£ 280	-	-	1 Week
high season	1 Jul 12	16 Sep 12	310£ 310	-	-	1 Week
low season	16 Sep 12	1 Nov 12	280£ 280	-	-	1 Week

The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here