Villa San Tommaso

• Bedroom 1: double bed (160x190)
• Bedroom 2: double-twin bed (180/90x190cm)
• Bedroom 3: double bed (160x190cm), en-suite shower room
• Bedroom 4: double-twin bed (180/90x190cm), en-suite shower room

Bedrooms 1 and 2 share both an adjacent bathroom and separate shower room

NB: A double-twin bedroom has two single beds that can either be joined together to create a double bed or left separate as two single beds.

Reduced Occupancy

During the shoulder seasons, Villa San Tommaso has reduced prices for groups that don’t need to use all the bedrooms. The bedrooms not required will be closed, but the rest of the villa, its amenities and its grounds will remain at the complete disposal of guests. If unspecified, the best rooms for your group will be prepared.
For reduced occupancy bookings for 3 bedrooms sleeping 6, the choice of bedrooms is yours.
For reduced occupancy bookings for 2 bedrooms sleeping 4, the choice of bedrooms is yours.

Inside

accommodation at Villa San Tommaso is spread over two floors. Decoration, furnishings and fittings throughout are of impeccable taste and quality.

The main entrance takes one into the generously proportioned, double-height living and dining area, offering views over the Anapo valley and access to the gorgeous panoramic terrace at the top of the garden.

This space is beautifully and comfortably furnished and comprises a slightly raised living area, complete with the original stone olive oil pressing wheel (a hint at the property's former life), and a dining area with easy access to the spacious, well-equipped kitchen. Above the kitchen and accessed via stairs from the living area, is a mezzanine gallery, home to a large snug area with fireplace, TV and stereo.

At the far end of the living area, a corridor leads to two bedrooms, a double and a double-twin sharing a bathroom with tub and a separate shower room. Stairs lead up from the corridor to the first floor, where there are two more spacious bedrooms, a double and a double-twin, each with its own en-suite shower room.

Outside

arrival at the house is either via a courtyard to the rear on the same level as the living area (and so convenient for loading and unloading) or from the bottom of the garden, where there is shaded parking.

The inside living area leads directly to the top terrace, which has a large shaded dining table and views over the garden, the pool and the valley. The hanging gardens are ingeniously designed and planted, impeccably maintained and amongst the most beautiful we've seen anywhere in Sicily.

Paths lead down from terrace to terrace, past the panoramic Jacuzzi and decked solarium below the house, across manicured lawns and through a cornucopia of colourful Mediterranean flora, to the stunning pool. Here there is a selection of shady and sun-drenched terraces and more fabulous views.

Villa San Tommaso began its life as the olive oil press, winery and watch tower of an extensive 18th-century aristocratic estate, which, until 1843, was also home to a Carmelite convent. The first owner, the Marquis Grimaldi di Terresena, sold the property to a local notary in 1860, and the present owners purchased it in 1994.

The grounds of Villa San Tommaso are traversed by an ancient Greek aqueduct, and the view from the top terrace would certainly be familiar to those living in the area over 2,500 years ago: olive trees, Arcadian hills and the reed-veiled River Anapo flowing gently down to Syracuse.

The impressive volume and triple-height ceilings of what is now the living and dining area hints at the space's original function, while the presence of a monumental, sculptural stone press wheel at the centre leaves no doubt. The atmosphere is one of peace, tranquility and meditation (remember those Carmelite nuns), and the beautifully designed gardens, featuring a wide variety of Mediterranean flowers, shrubs and trees, including lemon, orange, apricot, mulberry, apricot and fig trees, hark back to the agricultural heritage of the estate.

The number of steps that must be negotiated to get into and/or around this property might make it unsuitable for people with mobility problems.

A neighbouring property shares the courtyard parking area to the rear of Villa San Tommaso.

Cats may be seen in the villa grounds. However, they will not enter the house unless encouraged to do so.

One section of the access road to Villa San Tommaso is a little rough, so we recommend guests hire a car with high ground clearance.