Eye to eye with Etna
14 Guests
7 Bedrooms
6 Bathrooms
A cliff-top villa with stunning views, a beach within walking distance and much more besides...With views stretching across the Bay of Catania to Mount Etna and the Calabrian coast beyond, Villa Saracena occupies an enviable position. The sauna, Jacuzzi and pool make it a perfect destination for a relaxing break away from the stresses of daily life while the daily service mean you will rarely have to lift a finger! If you can tear yourself up from your sunlounger, Syracuse is just down the road…
Looking to know more about Villa Saracena?
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
- Uninterrupted views of the sea and Mount Etna
- Pool, Jacuzzi and sauna
- Walking distance to the sea
Gallery
Aerial views of Villa Saracena.
The incredible view from the first floor terrace.
The villa and its lovely gardens looking out to sea and magnificent Mount Etna.
The pool and the villa.
The Jacuzzi has views of the garden and the sea.
The sea-view living area.
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
- A daily cleaning service (3 hours/day) and a mid-week linen change
- A complimentary Welcome dinner is included (subject to availability) for guests staying at Villa Saracena in May, June, July and September
Excludes
- Flights
- Car hire
- Transfers
- Meals (unless otherwise specified)
From the Guest Book
Read the insightful reviews from travellers who have experienced this villa and our service firsthand.
Villa Saracena has one of the most beautiful views we have ever experienced. With Mount Etna and the entire Bay of Catania before us, and the house right on the seafront, it was truly fabulous. The property itself has an undeniable charm, you can truly feel its soul. It also carries a warm family spirit that delighted us all. The view from the balconies is idyllic, and the vast pool perfectly completes this wonderful experience. We spent a wonderful week in Sicily with our family. We truly appreciated the staff, who did an excellent job throughout the week, especially during breakfasts and dinners, where we enjoyed some delightful discoveries. We also loved the team who were there to accompany us as Sicily specialists, helping us discover beautiful places and assisting us with certain restaurant reservations. We felt very well looked after.
MP August 2025
When we arrived at Villa Saracena, we were immediately struck by the breathtaking views. While we enjoyed all of our excursions, we all agreed that we could never tire of relaxing by the pool, taking in Mount Etna in the distance, and watching the sun set each evening. One of the highlights of the trip was walking to the cliffs and swimming in the sea. Villa Saracena is a stunning property, and we fell in love with it instantly. Our experience was a seamless, stress-free, once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Jordan Matz July 2025
This vacation was like no other we have had. It was full of relaxation and adventure. Villa Saracena was excellent and beautiful. The view of Mount Etna was stunning and the grounds were relaxing. The housekeeper took care of our every need and she cooked our dinner each night.
Jeanine Baird June 2025
To sum up our stay at Villa Saracena: sweeping view of Etna, nice house with good facilities and outdoor areas, very professional staff.
Verified guest, October 2024
Villa Saracena is a nice house with sweeping views of Etna, and good facilities and outdoor areas.
Verified guest, October 2024
Our stay at Villa Saracena was probably the best vacation I have ever had. There were so many things to be happy about at Villa Saracena! The grounds are so lush and beautifully maintained with lots of flowering plants, including my favorite oleander! The villa itself is impeccable. It looked as if it was freshly painted and immaculate. The accommodations were perfect. The bedrooms were separated, so you could retreat to your room and regroup in a cool quiet bedroom. The shared living space was abundant and the huge working kitchen was fully appointed. Last but not least. was the large clean pool, and a beautiful outdoor living spaces. The downstairs area included Jacuzzi, sauna and hot tub along with a full bathroom. I loved swimming in the sea and jumping off the rocks. Did I mention the spectacular view of Mount Etna. Can’t wait to return!
Verified guest, June 2025
Excellent
4.7/5
1,174 Reviews
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The Area
Villa Saracena is situated in a complex of holiday residences on a stretch of coast near the seafront town of Brucoli, virtually equidistant from Catania to the north and Syracuse to the south. In summer the holiday complex gets more lively and offers facilities such as a tennis club and a grocery shop, while outside the peak months, it has a more tranquil feel. Heading south past Siracusa is Noto, many sandy beaches, including those in Vendicari Nature Reserve and the other UNESCO World Heritage towns of and Ragusa, Modica and Scicli. An easy drive to the north will take you past Catania to Taormina and Mount Etna.
Getting to and around
Catania airport:
30km-19miles-25minsComiso airport:
75km-47miles-1hrPalermo airport:
256km-159miles-2hr50Trapani airport:
336km-209miles-3hr40Nearest shops and restaurants at Brucoli:
13km-8miles-18minsSyracuse:
37km-23miles-35minsNoto:
63km-39miles-55minsNearest sea access:
a 5-minute walk awaySandy beaches at Fontane Bianche:
50km-31miles-40minsVendicari Nature Reserve and beaches:
72km-45miles-55minsModica:
100km-62miles-1hr20Ragusa:
90km-56miles-1hr25Mount Etna (Etna Sud cableway):
68km-420miles-1hr20Taormina:
88km-55miles-1hr10Local 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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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 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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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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Wine 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.
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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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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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