Ortensia - Quatre Chambres Villa, Couchages 8

A stylish, contemporary, architect-designed villa with pool and views to take the breath away.

Arrival at Ortensia is a feast for the senses: fragrant floral gardens fill the air with heady Mediterranean scents, the cobalt Ionian Sea sparkles down below and the vibrant green slopes of Mount Etna combine with the transparent turquoise of the pool and the pure white façade of the villa to create an eye-catching, kaleidoscopic palette of colours.

Inside: accommodation at Ortensia is spread over three floors. The property's light-filled interiors are a study in cubic elegance, where tall slender windows alternate with banks of glass sliding doors, and where lofty ceilings and pure white-painted walls combine to create a welcoming, light-filled atmosphere. All of this serves as the perfect backdrop for an intriguing mix of contemporary and traditional furnishings, modern artworks, antique ornaments and Sicilian ceramics.

The main entrance takes one into the ground floor, which is a cleverly designed open-plan space that flows around a central stairwell. To the left is the generously proportioned living area whose wall of floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors hint at the architect's brief: bring the views inside and provide seamless access to the outdoor areas. Continuing our loop from the living area, heading past more sliding glass doors leading to the pool area, one soon comes to the indoor dining room. From here it is but a few paces to the large, superbly equipped kitchen which looks out towards Taormina.

The central staircase leads from the living area to the first floor, where there are four spacious bedrooms, three doubles and one double-twin. The two bedrooms at the front come with sea views, a shared balcony and en-suite bathrooms with shower. The two at the side also boast sea views, but have the added bonuses of walk-in wardrobes and en-suite bathrooms with both shower and tub.

The staircase continues from the first floor landing up to the second floor, home to a panoramic sitting room with large glass doors accessing a fully furnished wrap-around terrace offering magnificent 360-degree views of the sea, Taormina, the Ionian coastline and Mount Etna.

Outside: two sides of Ortensia are given over to manicured emerald lawns bordered by flower beds, well-trained creepers, fruit trees (including banana trees) and an organic vegetable garden.

One of these areas, accessed from the kitchen and dining area, provides the ideal spot for al fresco dining with Mount Etna for company.

The second, reached via large glass doors between the living and dining areas, is home to the tempting pool, in which you can swim to and fro between Etna and the deep blue sea.

The two most panoramic spots, however, are the large east-facing balcony off the living area, which offers views the coastline and the sea down below, and the roof-top terrace, whose 360-degree vistas take in a vast swathe of Sicily's Ionian Riviera, the Ionian Sea, Taormina, and Mount Etna. Both are comfortably furnished for lounging in the sun, reading, sipping on an aperitif or simply chatting in good company.

The large citrus estate surrounding Ortensia is home to another of our villas, Camelia, which is located around 120m below. Owned by members of the same family, the villas share part of the access road but each enjoys total privacy. If you're travelling in a large group or with another family, why not take both of them?

Due to the nature of Ortensia, which includes terraces with low walls, drops, steep slopes, and some unfenced areas in the grounds, younger children must be supervised by an adult when exploring the property.

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.

Road noise is audible from the property's grounds. The volume may rise or fall depending on climactic conditions such as wind direction.

CIN No. IT087017B5U68EXWQ4
Situated in a panoramic position above the town of Giarre on the east coast of Sicily, about half way between Catania and Taormina, Ortensia is an excellent base from which to discover the area's historic towns, Mount Etna and the fascinating villages that populate its flanks. There are some lovely beaches down on the coast below, including those at Fiumefreddo and Marina di Cottone, which have received several consecutive "Bandiere Blu", attesting to the cleanliness of the water and their general ecological excellence. The chic lidos and evocative beaches below Taormina are just up the motorway, while an 18-hole golf course is 45 minutes' drive away.

Further afield, Syracuse, the baroque towns of the Noto valley, the quiet beaches of Vendicari and Capo Passero to the south and Messina to the north are all comfortably reachable for day trips.

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.