Villa Saracena: Self catering villa in Maiori, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Sleeps 12: 6 double bedrooms

6 bathrooms

Accommodation type: Villa

Distance from the town/village center: 4 km, about 2.5 miles

Distance from the sea: 200 m, about 218 yd

Distance from the beach: 3 km, about 1.9 miles

Car recommended

Accessible for people with disabilities

Pets allowed

View on the sea

View on the valley

Charming surroundings

Garden

Swimming pool

Sun deck

Terrace/balcony

Television

Dishwasher

Washing machine

Air conditioning

Winter heating

Parking

Luxury property

Broadband Internet/Wi-Fi

Approximate distances

Rome Airport, Ciampino: 265 km / 165 mi

Rome Airport, Fiumicino: 289 km / 180 mi

Naples Airport: 64 km / 40 mi

Bari Airport: 243 km / 151 mi

Rome: 276 km / 172 mi

The Excavations of Pompeii: 38 km / 24 mi

The Greek Temples of Paestum: 56 km / 35 mi

Naples: 61 km / 38 mi

The Royal Palace of Caserta: 83 km / 52 mi

The Excavations of Herculaneum : 53 km / 33 mi

The Charterhouse of Padula: 116 km / 72 mi

The Excavations of Stabiae: 37 km / 23 mi

The Excavations of Oplontis: 42 km / 26 mi

Amalfi: 9.3 km / 5.8 mi

More tourist attractions and points of interest for Villa Saracena...

Holiday Home Description

Villa Saracena is a large dwelling of 400 square meters (4300 square feet) suitable for twelve people. There is a swimming pool and a heated open-air Jacuzzi. It has a wonderful view of the sea and of the Amalfi Coast. The villa is situated on a rocky outcropping near a summit that overlooks the sea, and is surrounded by 30,000 square meters (325,000 square feet) of rocky land scattered with pine trees. Part of this land has been divided into different sized terraces. From each of the terraces you will enjoy a wonderful sea view and enchanting glimpses of the coast.

The swimming pool is 3 x 11 meters (10 x 36 feet) and has changing rooms, a shower, a toilet and sun lounges. The heated Jacuzzi is 2 x 2 meters (6.5 x 6.5 feet) and is to be found on a large terrace.

The villa has six bedrooms, two of which are master suites, each one covering a floor of the villa of its own, four bathrooms, two toilets with wash basins and toilet bowl, a dining room and a sitting room. It is tastefully decorated and comfortable, filled with locally made craft items.

The main feature of the villa is an authentic circular tower built more than a thousand years ago, which was used to warn the local people when pirate ships were approaching. The tower was renovated at the beginning of the 1900s to create the villa, and other rooms were added later.

Now, there is a magnificent terrace at the top of the tower, linked to a smaller rounded terrace on top of a rocky ledge that juts out towards the sea. From up there you can see, in the distance, a stretch of the coast up to Amalfi and even as far as Capo di Conca dei Marini, which has a similar antique lookout tower. At closer range, you can see a promontory of white limestone covered in thick Mediterranean vegetation, with its steep cliffs overlooking the deep sea. Directly below you lies a little bay, where the shadows cast by the rocky sea bed cause the sea to change colour from deep blue to emerald green, and becoming white and transparent beside the shingled shore.

Behind the tower there is a green (though dry) mountainside covered with a very hardy type of pine tree that somehow manages to thrive with its roots well anchored into the cracks between the rocks. The only building visible is an ancient abbey dating back to the 14th century, which has a unique Moorish-Mediterranean style and is sheltered by a rocky outcropping. Even though the villa is near the road and not far from busy tourist centres, the only thing you can see is green vegetation, sky and sea—you are well concealed, with ample privacy. Whoever passes by will see only the main access to the house, which is a large gate with a long driveway ornamented with pots of flowers—who could imagine that up above there is a little paradise of a villa?

The land around the tower and the other buildings has been reshaped into large terraces located at different levels and linked to each other by stairs and paths. From all of these terraces you will be able to glimpse different parts of the local scenery which includes brightly-coloured flowers, palms, pergolas covered with bougainvillea, and lemon groves that also fill the air with their perfume.

The swimming pool is situated on a terrace, which dominates the others and seems almost to be suspended between the sea and the sky. Beside the pool there are white sun lounges and a pergola for shade, which is near the changing room, toilet and shower.

Below there is a large terrace where you will find the Jacuzzi, situated among palms and flowers. In front there is a large shaded terrace with small tables. Below this terrace there is an annex with a large room furnished with lots of settees, satellite TV and a stereo with CD player. Its doors and windows overlook the garden. There are also two bedrooms; one is a double bedroom with en suite bathroom, and the other is a twin bedroom. There is a bathroom with shower.

A corridor that links the annex to the tower has open white arches through which you can enjoy nice views of the sky, the sea, pines and cliffs.

On the tower’s top floor there is a large dining room with a sizeable adjoining kitchen, equipped with large cooking rings, a fridge/ freezer, a washing machine and a dishwasher. There is also an antique coal-burning cooker covered in white tiles, which can still be used.

From both these rooms you can exit onto a terrace, which is paved with blue, hand-painted majolica (made in Vietri sul Mare), and enclosed by a small white wall. Here, you will find two areas furnished with wicker armchairs and a country-style pergola made of chestnut-wood poles, under which there is a table and chairs made of wrought iron. From the terrace you can see, quite near at hand, a group of white small houses built into a cave and also a large part of the Amalfi Coast. How wonderful to imagine yourself here, having your coffee and breakfast in the morning, or enjoying your evening meal in the reflection of the lights that shimmer off the sea.

An inside stair takes you to the lower floor. Here, in the circular part of the tower, there is a large bedroom with a shiny plum-coloured majolica floor. There is a four-poster bed in the centre, and the furniture is made of locally-crafted wrought iron. Two large arched doors hidden by curtains lead you to a vestibule from where you enter into a large bathroom. There is a large arched window, which overlooks the greenery.

There are also another two double bedrooms, one of which has a toilet with shower. There is a connecting door between the two rooms which can be left open or closed depending on whether you want to use the rooms separately or as a suite. On the floor below there is another large, circular bedroom with a four-poster bed. This room’s bathroom is decorated with marble mosaics and the shower is literally dug out of a rocky wall. The vestibule, with large arched windows, has been made into a little sitting room. From this floor, which is the ground floor of the tower, you pass through an arched French Window to a large terrace covered with pergolas made of lemon trees; from here there is a secondary access to the road.

Using the villa as a starting point, it is possible to go trekking and hill climbing, discovering antique hamlets and convents. The villa is in an isolated position, ideal for those who want to enjoy a quiet and peaceful holiday, but at the same time be near the tourist areas, for example Amalfi, Positano, Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii, Paestum, the Palace of Caserta and others. The bus stop is at 50 meters (50 yards). Capodorso, where there are restaurants, is only 1 km away, Maiori is 4 (2.5 miles) km, and Amalfi 6 km (3.7 miles).

Unit Description

Villa Saracena is a villa for twelve people with an open-air swimming pool and Jacuzzi. It has a spectacular view of the sea and of the Amalfi coast.

It is situated on a rocky ledge near a summit overlooking the sea and is surrounded by 30,000 square meters (325,000 square feet) of rocky land with scattered pine trees.

The land is divided into large terraces around the villa; all the terraces offer a sea view and glimpses of the rocky coast.

The villa has six bedrooms, two of which are master suites, each one covering a floor of the villa of its own, five bathrooms, one toilet with hand-basin, a dining room and living room.

The kitchen is equipped with large cooking rings, fridge/ freezer, washing machine and dishwasher.

The swimming pool is 3 x 11 meters (10 x 36 feet) and has a toilet, shower and sun lounges. The Jacuzzi is 2 x 2 meters (6.5 x 6.5 feet) and is located on a large terrace.

All the terraces are adorned with flowering plants and pots and equipped with garden furniture. The weekly charge includes a maid and a gardener from 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. every day except Sundays.

The villa is in an isolated position, one km (half a mile) from Capodorso where there are restaurants, 4 km (2.5 miles) from Maiori, and 6 km (3.7 miles) from Amalfi. The bus stop is 50 meters (50 yards) from the gate of the villa.

The rental price includes: electricity up to 400 kW per week; maid service from Monday to Saturday 6 hours each day; towels; linens.

Available upon request:
baby bed.

A 25% deposit is paid at the time of booking. The balance is due 60 days prior to arrival at the property.

Upon arrival at Villa Saracena the property manager will ask you to pay a security deposit of EUR 1000, payable in cash. The security deposit will be returned to you prior to your departure less any charges for accidental damages to the property.

To be paid at the property:
electricity over 400 kW per week according to consumption EUR 0.25/kW.

Available upon request, if desired:
heating (when needed).


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