The house of ten thousand trees
10 Guests
5 Bedrooms
6 Bathrooms
Set in an idyllic position, with superb views of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea, Don Venerando is a lovingly restored, beautifully appointed villa offering sophistication in an informal, relaxing atmosphere. The tempting cobalt waters of the sea just beyond the grounds vie for guests' attention with the irresistible heatable pool, making Don Venerando a perfect home away from home for anyone who loves to be spoilt for choice.
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
- Superb views of the sea and Etna
- 18m-long heatable pool
- Elegant, refined interiors
- Luxuriant gardens
- Preparation of breakfast and a light lunch
- Daily cleaning
Gallery
Ariel views of Don Venerando
Don Venerando's garden, its pool, the sea...
Ready for a swim?
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A view of Don Venerando from across the nursery.
Mount Etna rises behind one of Don Venerando's many palm trees.
Enjoying some cannoli with a view.
Includes
- Sole use of the villa and the grounds
- The support of our Villa Specialists to help you select your perfect villa
- The expertise of a dedicated local team to help you fine-tune the logistics of your trip and to plan a range of experiences, many of which are exclusive to The Thinking Traveller
- A Local Specialist, based near your villa, to assist you during your stay (between 9am and 7pm daily, with 24/7 emergency support)
- A comprehensive guide to your villa and its surrounding area, including our restaurant recommendations, cultural highlights and other activities
- An easy-to-use online holiday planner to keep all your booked experiences and services in one place, ensuring that nothing gets missed during your stay
- The ability to coordinate and share the details of your trip with your group via Your Account
- All sales taxes, electricity, gas, Wi-Fi, linen, bath towels, pool and/or beach towels
- Access to our in-villa wine delivery service – choose from our handpicked menu of the best regional wines and find them waiting for you at your villa
- Daily cleaning service (up to 5 hours/day, including Sundays and Bank Holidays) and a mid-week linen change
- Daily breakfast preparation
- Daily light lunch preparation
- A characteristically warm welcome at your villa upon arrival
Excludes
- Flights
- Car hire
- Transfers
- Meals (unless otherwise specified)
- Ingredients for specified meals
- The cost of heating the pool, which is €1,260 per week, if requested, payable in advance
- Tourist taxes (tassa di soggiorno) levied by many town councils in Italy. The amount varies by location and usually amounts to between €1-€3 per person
Carruba, Sicily
Don Venerando
Available exclusively through The Thinking Traveller
Dates
Guests
Bedrooms
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The Area
Don Venerando is situated just outside the village of Carruba, about half way between Catania and Taormina. This location is particularly well suited for exploring Sicily's east coast Ionian Riviera, Mount Etna and the various fascinating villages on its flanks. There are also several charming fishing villages and some nice beaches nearby. An eighteen hole golf course is about 45 minutes' drive away near Linguaglossa.
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.
We can also arrange for you to over fly Mount Etna and many other sites, or to make excursions to the Aeolian Islands, by helicopter.
The nearby beaches of Fiumefreddo and Marina di Cottone have received several consecutive "Bandiere Blu", attesting to the cleanliness of the water and their general ecological excellence.
Catania airport:
44km-27miles-50minsPalermo airport:
273km-170miles-3hr5Trapani airport:
355km-220miles-3hr50Comiso airport:
122km-76miles-1hr50Nearest shops:
5mins-10mins driveNearest restaurants:
at Donna Carmela (the owner's hotel, for which we can arrange a pick-up and drop-off), 7mins drive, or at Stazzo and Santa Tecla (two a seafront villages just to the south), 15mins driveNearest beaches:
an easy drive will get you to the beaches at Fondachello, 20mins, Marina di Cottone, 25mins, Isola Bella in Taormina, 30minsTaormina:
36km-22miles-35mins18-hole golf course near Linguaglossa:
35km-21miles-45minsCatania:
35km-21miles-45minsMount Etna:
34km-21miles-45minsSiracusa:
99km-60miles-1hr30Local 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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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 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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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.
Don Venerando, its grounds, and the service, were exceptional! I’ve never experienced anything like it. Everything exceeded our expectations, pure magic.
AW November 2024
Our stay at Don Venerando was authentic, picturesque, and welcoming. What stood out was the pool and the views, the on-site staff, the breakfast and the room cleaning, and the location.
LP October 2024
The staff at Don Venerando was incredibly helpful in arranging all aspects and ensuring a lovely stay. What stood out about the property were the beautiful grounds.
Caitlin Robin July 2024
The grounds and Don Venerando itself were just stunning. The staff were first-rate staff (from start to finish), which meant that the only thing we needed to do was relax. We will book again through The Thinking Traveller without hesitation
Anonymous June 2024
Don Venerando was situated in the stunning countryside outside Catania. It had memorial views of Mt Etna and the sea on the other side. The staff were wonderful. They cooked delicious meals and tidied up the rooms daily. The grounds keeper took care of everything else and all were A+. It was an overall excellent experience and I would return - I felt like I was home.
Anonymous June 2024
Beautiful, many spots to be out of the crowd, scenic, surrounded by nature, lovely antiques.
C.H. September 2023
