A contemporary ode to coastal living
6 Guests
3 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
Designed by the owners to blend simplicity, elegance, minimalist modernity and timeless charm, BellaDonna is a luxuriously appointed retreat that celebrates the magical landscape from which it rises. Perfect for anyone seeking tranquillity, refined Mediterranean living, luminosity, and an immersion in nature, it encapsulates the very essence of Sicily's charm-filled southeastern corner.
Speak to our experts
For expert advice on this villa, things to do in the area, or to discuss how we can make your stay truly bespoke, call our Villa Specialists today. We are open every day of the week, weekends included.
Keyholder highlights
- 20m-long infinity pool
- Heated mini pool with hydromassage
- Harmonious contemporary architecture
- Open, airy interiors
- Views of the sea and Vendicari Nature Reserve
- Custom-made and design furnishings
Gallery
Ariel views of BellaDonna
Noto, Sicily
BellaDonna
Available exclusively through The Thinking Traveller
Dates
Guests
Bedrooms
The Area
BellaDonna offers fabulous views of and easy access to Vendicari Nature Reserve, with its array of beaches, and its unspoilt coastal habitat. The closest entrance to the reserve is about 4km away (please remember that there are no lidos or bars on the beaches of the reserve so you should take your own supplies/facilities with you). Other gorgeous sandy beaches nearby include those of San Lorenzo and Marzamemi, which are 10 and 15 minutes' drive away respectively. Both have facilities.
The nearest major town, fascinating, gorgeous Noto (15mins drive), is the most easterly of a chain of baroque towns (protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), that includes Modica, Ragusa and Scicli. All were rebuilt in flamboyant style following a major earthquake in 1693 and are certainly worth a visit. Just south of Vendicari is the pretty little fishing village of Marzamemi, which is a great spot for an evening stroll and a seafront dinner. Quiet and unassuming for most of the year, it comes to life in the summer months with bars and restaurants spilling out onto the lovely square and narrow streets. A little beyond this is Portopalo di Capo Passero, Sicily's southeasternmost point.
A stay in this part of Sicily, however, wouldn't be complete without a visit to Syracuse, once the mightiest city in Magna Graecia, and one of Italy's most lovely historic centres.
If hiking or horse riding in the hills is your thing, then there is some spectacular scenery in the rushing streams, waterfalls and gorges of Cassibile and Pantalica, a Paleolithic burial site near Syracuse.
Catania airport:
93km-58miles-1hrComiso airport:
77km-48miles-1hr20Palermo airport:
320km-200miles-3hr30Trapani airport:
400km-248miles-5hrsNearest beaches:
at Vendicari Nature Reserve - 4km-2.5miles-7mins; San Lorenzo - 6km-3.7miles-10minsNoto (nearest shops, restaurants and amenities.):
13km-8miles-20minsMarzamemi:
11km-7.5miles-13minsSyracuse:
45km-27miles-35minsModica:
36km-22miles-45minsScicli:
45km-30miles-1hrRagusa:
53km-33miles-1hr15Local Experiences
Helicopter tours in East Sicily
A helicopter trip in Sicily over Etna and to the Aeolian Islands is a highly moving experience, enough to reduce grown men and women to tears! Book with us for a truly unforgettable addition to your Sicilian holiday.
DiscoverWine tastings in Southeast Sicily
Nero D’Avola, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Frappato, Syrah and Moscato Bianco are just a few of the grape varieties cultivated in the Noto area, and we heartily recommend a vineyard visit during your stay. We know the right people and the most prestigious wineries in the area, and we’d be delighted to arrange a chauffeured wine tasting tour with lunch for you.
DiscoverPrivate guided tours in Southeast Sicily
The southeastern tip of Sicily is home to mile after mile of largely unspoilt sandybeaches and an impressive list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica, the towns ofthe Val di Noto, and Villa Romana del Casale.
DiscoverPrivate boat charters in Southeast Sicily
From here until the southeasternmost tip of Sicily, the coastline is an uninterrupted stretch of sandy beach, dotted with picturesque little resort towns, including Punta Secca (Inspector Montalbano's home), Marina di Ragusa, Donnalucata, Cava d'Aliga, Sampieri and Marina di Modica. The last strip, made up of several miles of dunes, is where the Allied forces landed in the 2nd World War. At the southernmost tip of Sicily is Isola Delle Correnti, offering an almost African scenario. Indeed, here we are considerably further south than Tunis.Just around the southeastern tip and heading north up the east coast, are the beaches of Marzamemi, San Lorenzo and Vendicari Nature Reserve. The reserve's salt water lagoons and varieties of flora offer the ideal habitat for a wide range of fauna, including nesting turtles and migrating flamingos.Continuing up the east coast, between Vendicari and the historic Greek town of Syracuse, are the popular sandy beaches of Marina di Noto, Calabernado, Marina di Avola, Gelsomineto, Fontane Bianche and Arenella.
DiscoverCulinary experiences in Southeast Sicily
The southeast of Sicily is famed for its superb tomatoes, cheeses, meat, olive oil, vegetables and seafood. Our culinary experiences in the area will enable you to transform these exquisite ingredients into some of southeast Sicily's most celebrated dishes.
Discover