In the fishing village
6 Guests
3 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
The charming little fishing village of Santa Maria La Scala, with its excellent seafood restaurants and harbour provides the perfect backdrop to Casa alla Scala, a beautifully refurbished home whose splendid interiors and glorious al fresco areas make it a great destination all year round.
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
- Wonderful sea views
- Charming and stylish interiors
- Walking distance to village restaurants
Gallery
Glorious sea-views from the shaded terrace outside the dining area.
The harbour of Santa Maria La Scala with Casa alla Scala in the background.
The comfortable seating area of the main terrace.
The comfortably and stylishly furnished living room...
It has views over the harbour.
Santa Maria La Scala, Sicily
Casa alla Scala
Available exclusively through The Thinking Traveller
Dates
Guests
Bedrooms
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The Area
Santa Maria La Scala, on the sea below Acireale, is a characterful working fishing village, still relatively untouched by tourism except during August and summer weekends when it attracts locals from Catania in search of the sea. Its harbour (where you can hire a boat), sea-front fish restaurants, bar and bathing platforms are on Casa alla Scala's doorstep.
Other lovely fishing villages, such as Aci Castello and Acitrezza, dot the coastline, while nearby Acireale is great for food shopping.
Taormina is just a short drive up the coast, fascinating Mount Etna awaits exploration behind you and Catania is just a short drive down the coast. Further afield, Syracuse is about an hour's drive away, but also suitable for day trips are the UNESCO World Heritage towns of Noto, Ragusa, Modica and Scicli. There's even a golf course within striking distance if you fancy a round!
Catania airport:
35km-22miles-36minsPalermo airport:
260km-161miles-3hrTrapani airport:
339km-210miles-3hr45Taormina:
43km-26miles-40minsMount Etna cable car:
57km-35miles-1hrCatania centre:
21km-13miles-35minsSyracuse:
87km-54miles-1hr05Noto:
112km-70miles-1hr30Modica:
154km-96miles-2hr20Shops/restaurants:
just outside your doorNearest sea access:
across the rocks in front of the villa or from the bathing platforms in Santa Maria La Scala (350m)Nearest beaches:
Fondachello and Marina di Cottone (between 35 and 45 minutes drive north)Local 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.
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Private boat charters in East Sicily
The coastline between Taormina and Catania is one of the most dramatic and idyllic in Sicily, thanks to its sandy-pebbly coves, its sea stacks and its transparent waters. The best way to explore it is by boat, and we can arrange a wide variety of full-day, half-day and sunset trips. From your port of departure, you'll head to the lovely fishing villages dotting the coast, such as Aci Trezza and Aci Castello, before sailing north towards the Bay of Giardini Naxos below Capo Taormina. Once there, your skipper will drop anchor so that you can enjoy an unforgettable swim under the awesome gaze of Mount Etna. If you can tear yourselves away from this majestic setting, your trip will continue north to the gorgeous Bay of Isola Bella, one of Sicily's most evocative and picturesque sections of coastline, where lush vegetation imbues the brilliant blue water of the Grotta Azzurra with an emerald green hue.
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Culinary experiences in East Sicily
From the bounty of Mount Etna to the fish-rich sea below, the Ionian Riviera is home to a host of gastronomic delights. Our culinary experiences in the area will give you the knowledge and the skills to recreate some of eastern Sicily's best-known dishes.
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Wine tours on Mount Etna
Some of Italy’s finest wines are now being made on the flanks of Mount Etna. A new generation of Sicilian producers are realising the full potential of the mountain’s climate, its autochthonous grape varieties (NerelloMascalese - red - and Carricante - white), its ultra-fertile soil and its unique terroir. To discover just how the natural magic of the mountain combines with the perseverance and passion of man to create outstanding wines, let us arrange a chaufferued wine-tasting tour for you. A delicious lunch is included, so you’ll get a full experience of Etna’s gastronomic abundance.
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Private Guided tours in East Sicily
Sicily is, quite simply, one of the world’s most fascinating places, with a uniquely rich history, geography and cultural heritage. The Eastern side of the island has a seemingly endless variety of treasures to discover, from the architectural gems and culinary delights of the main towns, to UNESCO Heritage sites, to the geological phenomena and breath-taking landscapes of Mount Etna.Our private guides are tried and tested experts in their field, with many holding PhDs in their particular specialism. Book a tour or two with them and you'll come away with fascinating insights into your destination's towns, archaeological sites, food, wine, landscapes and geology.
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Private 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.
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Beach clubs and relaxing activities
The Ionian Riviera has a great selection of beaches and rocky lava stone coves starting just north of Catania which continue all the way up and past Taormina. A day spent at the beach is a brilliant way to relax and enjoy this stretch of fantastic coastline as a family. If you're looking comfort and full facilities, we highly recommend heading to one of the coast’s many beach clubs (also known as Stabilimenti Balneari) which are private areas of beach with different kinds of facilities such as loungers and umbrellas, cafés/bars and restaurants, kayaks, windsurfing, changing rooms etc., particularly useful for children and to get away from the crowds. But this area of Sicily isn’t all about the sea, so if the beach isn’t for you, a great alternative is spending a day at one of Etna’s renowned wineries.Take some time to tour the winery, sample the delicious wines produced there, and take advantage of the other facilities available for an enriching and relaxing day out.
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In villa experiences
We are here to assist you in creating unforgettable memories during your stay at the villa. Allow us to pamper you and make the most of your time there.
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Private 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.
DiscoverFrom the Guest Book
Read the thoughtful reviews that travellers have left after their time with us.
The view from Casa alla Scala was amazing! We felt lucky to wake up to that view every day! And the housekeeper was ever so efficient. I miss the morning granita van! One thing really struck me - Casa alla Scala looked exactly (if not better) than the pictures! In all of my travelling this is such a rarity - and this is what will make me book again with you - I know I'll have peace of mind there won't be any nasty surprises!
KC July 2024
A wonderful villa in an enchanting place.
Anonymous September 2023
Casa alla Scala was delightful with amazing views, spacious, clean and well proportioned.
Ms Tanya Howroyd, Malta January 2023
We loved our stay at Casa alla Scala. It was our first stay with The Thinking Traveller and now it will be hard to travel with anything else! The service was amazing!
MN, Italy August 2021
Casa alla Scala was a dream, we loved it completely. It's the second time we have used you and would do so again absolutely.
GH, United Kingdom September 2020
Casa alla Scala was beyond exceptional, real, authentic. The cleanliness surpassed anywhere I have ever stayed. Comfort in every way. Breathtaking site. Everything functioned properly and more than could be expected in the way of furnishings, including the kitchen.
JH, United States of America April 2018
