6 bedrooms villa, 369 m²

Ribera, Agrigento (province)

A country villa with two independent apartments, Villa Florinda stands among its own olive trees outside Ribera on Sicily's south coast. The fenced grounds hold around eighty productive olives, plus fruit trees and mature planting, with the sea in view five kilometres away.

Two Homes under One Roof
The ground floor home opens from a central passageway into an elegant sitting room and a study that works as a fourth bedroom. A dining room follows, served by a traditional masonry kitchen and a laundry. Three bedrooms lie beyond, the main one with a private bathroom, and marble floors run through all the daytime rooms.

Upstairs, the second apartment is reached by an external staircase. A bright open-plan living space rises to a high pitched ceiling, with panoramic terraces at both ends. Two further bedrooms, a bathroom and some eye-catching floors in a distinct hexagonal tile complete this stylish, sunny and fully independent second unit.

The only work that needs to be done is a very localised ground consolidation. The vendors have already commissioned a survey and received quotes for the project, so you'll have all the information before you commit. The property could be lived in straight away.

Olive Grove, Flagstone Terrace and Room for a Pool
As beautiful as the interiors are, the estate outside might be even more impressive. An inviting driveway curves through the shade of fruit, palm and pine trees to the flagstone-paved terrace at the front of the villa. There is parking below the house for four or five cars, plus a carport and a large garage.

At the rear of the villa, a separate terrace provides another attractive outdoor living area, with a fixed canopy sheltering an outdoor kitchen and an outside shower. This is also where we see the greatest potential for adding a swimming pool, subject of course to the necessary planning permission. Alternatively, the pool could be tucked among the olive trees for an even more secluded setting.

Beaches in Fifteen Minutes, Ancient History in an Hour
Ribera and its year-round services are a short drive uphill. The sandy, south-facing beaches at Seccagrande and Borgo Bonsignore are about fifteen minutes away and stay quiet even in high season. Sciacca is twenty-five minutes and the Valley of the Temples about an hour. The airports at Palermo and Trapani are both within two hours.

The size and layout of Villa Florinda make it ideal for a very large family, two households buying together or an owner wanting a holiday-let apartment attached to their home. Ribera is small enough to offer Italy's lowest tax rates for new overseas residents, and if you're an empty-next couple who want to relocate to the sun with room to host the grandkids, we think this is an absolute dream come true.