Shady terraces and crystal waters
6 Guests
5 Bedrooms
4 Bathrooms
A stunning position on one of Sicily’s most spectacular stretches of coastline... With its large grounds, spectacular views, private sea access and walking distance to restaurants and shops, Funcia offers the perfect balance for many of our clients. Steps lead down to the crystal clear waters below while the coves and bays of the nearby Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve are invitingly close at hand.
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Winner of Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Best Villa Rental Company in the World
Keyholder highlights
- Garden gate sea access
- Spectacular sea and coastal views
- Easy walk to restaurants and shops
Gallery
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A view of the stunning coastline to the west.
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The sea-view living room opens out onto the the main terrace.
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The main terrace has spectacular sea views!
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The steps down to the sea.
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Funcia's delightful sea access.
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
- Cleaning two times per week (usually Tuesday and Thursday up to 3 hours/day) and a mid-week towels change service (the latter is available on request)
Excludes
- Flights
- Car hire
- Transfers
- Meals (unless otherwise specified)
- 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.
We had a very relaxing and enjoyable stay at Funcia. It's a lovely villa. The highlight was the enormous terrace giving out to the ocean views.
Elizabeth Bosco June 2025
The location, Funcia itself and the wonderful staff at The Thinking Traveller could not have been more perfect. This was our third year visiting Scopello and it was just like coming home. The views from Funcia are exceptional -- probably the most beautiful site in Sicily. The house feels so welcoming and is decorated with lovely local Sicilian art and ceramics. Would we stay again? Yes, the location, location, location. The owners are very welcoming, we love Scopello itself, and the house is lovely.
Kathleen Lundquist May 2025
Funcia was gorgeous and in a perfect location. We had the most wonderful trip in Sicily - stress-free, unique and perfect! Starting with my first conversation with The Thinking Traveller, all the stress of planning was removed. The people were. incredibly helpful, instantly understood all my family's needs, and were always responsive and pleasant. I'm already thinking of my next family trip with The Thinking Traveller!
KB June 2024
Funcia perfect escape from city life. The location is great, it has amazing views and private access to sea, and is large and spacious. The area is beautiful and peaceful. It was my first time ever renting a villa and not staying in a hotel. I didn’t regret it - it was great.
AA June 2024
You will not find a more amazing setting than Funcia. The views are breathtaking, and access to the sea is fantastic. Loved the close proximity to Scopello.
Verified guest, June 2025
Funcia felt like a real family home, not a generic airbnb. The house and grounds were wonderful, beautiful, comfortable and personal. It was very nicely decorated and very comfortable and the views were stunning. We loved the access to the sea and the excellent swimming. The staff on the ground were very responsive and brought a cake for my husband's birthday which was so nice.
Verified guest, September 2025
Excellent
4.7/5
1,174 Reviews
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The Area
Set on the edge of the Golfo di Castellammare, Funcia occupies a very private spot on one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Sicily.
The small village of Scopello just up the hill has a good selection of restaurants and bars, and can be reached on foot in about 20 minutes. There is also a mini-market (with an excellent deli, butcher's and wine selection), a good bar and an organic farm shop selling superb fruit and vegetables about 10 minutes walk away.
The old tuna fishery (tonnara) of Scopello, a few hundred metres along the coast from the villa, is a must-see if staying at Funcia. In recent years the beauty of the building itself, and its wonderful setting, has made it popular both as a visitor attraction, and as an event venue, hosting weddings and other celebrations.
As well as the tuna fishery, you can also easily visit Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, which offers a range of spectacular walks and some beautiful crystal clear bays for swimming. There is a diving centre in Scopello for scuba lovers and a pebbly beach with equipped lidos just a 5-minute drive away at Guidaloca.
The town of Castellammare del Golfo, a few kilometres east, has several seafront bars and restaurants and a daily fish market.
The spectacular Elymian/Greek site of Segesta is about 20 minutes drive away and Erice, Palermo, Trapani and Selinunte can all be reached in under an hour.
Getting to and around
Palermo airport:
50km-31miles-45minsTrapani Airport:
65km-40miles-1hrCatania airport:
283km-176miles-3hr20Comiso airport:
306km-190miles-4hrPebble beach at Guidaloca:
5mins driveNearest shops:
10mins walk (2mins drive) along the road approaching the villa or 5mins drive in ScopelloCastellammare del Golfo (shops and beach):
15-20mins driveZingaro Nature Reserve:
5mins driveSegesta:
30km-18miles-30minsErice:
35km-22miles-45minsSelinunte:
70km-44miles-55minsPalermo/Monreale:
75km-47miles-1hr15Local Experiences
Culinary experiences in Western Sicily
Every civilisation that dominated Sicily was inspired by the produce this fertile land offers. In western Sicily it was the Arabs, French and Spanish who shaped the roots of the local culinary tradition, that went on to develop throughout the centuries into the unique, rich and eclectic specialities we find there today.
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Private boat charters in West Sicily
Transparent waters lap dramatic, time-scarred sea stacks and weather-beaten cliffs, home to tumbling prickly pear trees and 16th and 17th-century watch towers. The old tonnara (a tuna fishing hub) is set evocatively between the cliffs, and a little time spent snorkelling here will be time well spent indeed. Then it’s off again, sweeping through the limpid waters of Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, whose towering mountains rise majestically from the sea. Idyllic pebbly coves break up the sheer rocky masses, and before you know it you’ll be rounding the headland and sailing west to Sicily’s most northwesterly town, the fishing village and seaside resort of San Vito Lo Capo, renowned for its golden sands, electric blue waters, and delicious fish couscous.
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Private guided tours in West Sicily
From first glance, it would seem that the Saracen and Norman rulers of Sicily could have had very little in common. The former had arrived from North Africa and were part of the Golden Age of Arab civilisation that had made such huge strides in the fields of mathematics, economics, agriculture, science, poetry, and architecture. The latter were an offshoot of the Vikings from the frozen north of Europe, adventurers and hardened warriors.When the Normans ousted the Saracen forces in 1090, however, there was no obliteration of all things Arabic. Indeed, the men from the north were hugely impressed by what they found, and rather than destroying Arabic culture, they embraced it. Many institutions were retained, Islam was tolerated, and Saracen landowners were allowed to keep their estates. North African habits were adopted by many Normans as they acclimatised to life in the middle of the Mediterranean. Souks prospered, cool Arabic courtyards were de rigueur, and many Normans, including some of the sovereigns themselves, lived more like Emirs than knights. Where the fusion of cultures really stood out, however, was in the architecture.
Discover
Private Guided Tours in Southwest Sicily
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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Wine tastings in Southwest Sicily
The triangle of Menfi, Marsala and Sciacca is one of the oldest outpost for wine production in Sicily thanks to the versatile and mite climate created by the sea breeze coming from the coast. Some of the most important Sicilian indigenous grapes, such as Grillo and Inzolia were born here and throughout the centuries have been wisely combined to produce among the most popular wines of the region. If you want to start exploring Sicilian wine you should probably start here, and we would be pleased to help.
Discover
Culinary experiences in West Sicily
The west of Sicily is a great destination for food lovers. Inland, the scenery is dominated by vast expanses of vineyards and olive groves, and some of Sicily's best wines – for example those of the Alcamo, Trapani, Erice and Marsala areas - and olive oils are produced in this corner of the island. Restaurant menus offer a fabulous array of fresh fish and seafood dishes. Fish cous cous is one of the signature dishes, a tradition that is celebrated every September at San Vito’s international Cous Cous Fest. Other stand-out specialities include busiate al pesto trapanese - a homemade pasta served with a pesto of tomatoes, garlic, almonds and basil - and spaghetti alla bottarga - salt-cured tuna fish roe grated on steaming pasta.
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