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.
Looking to know more about Don Venerando?
Our team has visited each of our villas, so they can share the finer details and help explore flexible date options
Winner of Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Best Villa Rental Company in the World
Keyholder highlights
- Superb views of the sea and Etna
- 18m-long heatable pool
- Elegant, refined interiors
- Luxuriant gardens
- In-villa cook service for two meals a day
- Daily cleaning
Gallery
Aerial 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 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 available during your stay for 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 cook service for two meals per day: breakfast and a light lunch
- A characteristically warm welcome at your villa upon arrival
Excludes
- Flights
- Car hire
- Transfers
- The cost of ingredients for specified meals (payable locally)
- 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-€5 per person per night
From the Guest Book
Read the insightful reviews from travellers who have experienced this villa and our service firsthand.
The setting of Don Venerando was enchanting - secluded, private, and spacious. The villa staff were so accommodating. Whenever there was an issue the local specialists addressed the issues and tried to correct any problem. If there is a comment that summed it up for my family it's a comment my 6 year old grandson made:
AN December 2025
Don Venerando is a spacious and charming villa in a stunning location that affords views of the Ionian Sea and Mt. Etna. The staff is fabulous. Our group of 10 had the best week! Would we return? Yes, for all the reasons already mentioned.
ND October 2025
Don Venerando was amazing. The food, the grounds, the pool and beds were all great. Our experience could not have been any better. We have been thinking about this trip for 10 years and The Thinking Traveller helped us immensely. The staff at the villa were second to none! Our friends and family enjoyed this experience as much as we did. We will definitely recommend your company, and this villa to anyone who asks. Thank you so much for everything!
CG September 2025
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
What stood out for us about Don Venerando were the absolutely gorgeous grounds and the beautiful accommodations. The villa staff was wonderful. Eager to assist us, but also totally cool if we were just wanting to hang out. If we come back to Sicily, I would be thrilled to stay at Don Venerando again.
Verified guest, December 2024
Don Venerando is traditional and beautiful. The bedroom layout with en-suite baths was perfect for our adult children and spouses. Loved the pool, and the views of the ocean as well as Mount Etna. Staff was friendly and accommodating. We had a relaxing, fun, and memorable experience and would return.
Verified guest, June 2025
Excellent
4.7/5
1,174 Reviews
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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.
Getting to and around
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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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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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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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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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 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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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.
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