Villa Astra: Self catering apartment in Praiano, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Sleeps 8: 2 double bedrooms, 4 sleeping places in divan bed

2 bathrooms

Accommodation type: Independent house with multiple units

Distance from the town/village center: 30 m, about 32 yd

Distance from the sea: 800 m, about 874 yd

Distance from the beach: 1.5 km, about 0.9 miles

Public transportation available

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: 269 km / 167 mi

Rome Airport, Fiumicino: 294 km / 183 mi

Naples Airport: 65 km / 40 mi

Bari Airport: 263 km / 163 mi

Train Station (Piano di Sorrento): 19 km / 12 mi

Rome: 280 km / 174 mi

The Excavations of Pompeii: 39 km / 24 mi

Naples: 62 km / 39 mi

The Greek Temples of Paestum: 76 km / 47 mi

The Royal Palace of Caserta: 103 km / 64 mi

The Excavations of Herculaneum : 55 km / 34 mi

The Charterhouse of Padula: 135 km / 84 mi

The Excavations of Stabiae: 35 km / 22 mi

The Excavations of Oplontis: 42 km / 26 mi

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

Holiday Home Description

Villa Astra is a splendid 150 square-meter (about 1,615 square feet) villa featuring wide terraces with an outstanding view of the sea. There is also a shared swimming-pool, a shared garden and a private garden. The villa sleeps eight people.

The villa is located in Praiano, which is half way between Amalfi and Positano, about 7 km (about 4.3 miles) away from both towns.

There is a double bedroom, another bedroom with a double bed and two single beds, a double divan bed, two bathrooms, and a kitchen.

Villa Astra is part of the historical center of Praiano, which consists of a cluster of white houses on the highest area of a steep slope of a hill overlooking the sea. The houses are nestled around the beautiful bell-tower and the eighteenth-century church of San Luca.

In this area of Praiano, almost all the houses date back to the eighteenth century. They feature white façades often decorated with stuccoes, patios below masonry arches sustaining terraces facing the sea, and sloping gardens filled with flowers and citrus trees around. To walk through such extraordinary village, declared World Heritage site by UNESCO, means climbing narrow stairways and pedestrian streets. The whole area is made for pedestrians, except for the only access street to the main square. Here you will not find streets packed with tourists; all you will see are the kind inhabitants of the place. And you will be able to experience the fascination and authentic beauty of the Amalfi Coast: one not changed by the actions of tourism!

Villa Astra is a few steps away from the main square, and it also features a private garage at the end of the pedestrian area. In order to arrive at the villa from the garage area, all you have to do is walk 30 meters (about 98 feet) along a footpath with no steps to climb.

The main square is a large terrace overlooking the coastal scenery. Next to the square you will find some shops.

Villa Astra is on the top floor of an age-old eighteenth-century building which comprises several floors built according to the sloping rocky terrain of the place. The house is two-storey high. From the road, once through a small gate, you will enter a little white courtyard embellished by ogres and red Bougainvillea facing the entrance of the house. Next to the courtyard you will find a private garden. It is airy, fresh, and shaded by the presence of tall trees. It is rich in flowers, and it overlooks the sea. In the garden you will find a table, chairs, and a place to have barbecues.

From the entrance courtyard, an indoor staircase of about 10 steps will enable you to reach the living-room of the house. You will find a couch and armchairs placed in front of two high arched glass doors: through the glass doors you will see the sky and the sea. The patio doors lead to a large terrace where you will be able to enjoy an extraordinary view of the sea and the coast. The terrace is furnished with a table, chairs, and umbrellas.

The kitchen is separated from the living-room by a large masonry arch. It is spacious and covered in the characteristic local terracotta tiles produced according to age-old techniques. You will find a five-burner stove, a fridge with freezer, a dishwasher, a microwave oven, and a dining area with a table and chairs.

On the floor of the living-room you will also find a spacious double bedroom with a bathroom with shower inside. The bedroom features a window through which you will have a nice view of the garden.

An indoor staircase will lead you to the upper floor, where you will find a sleeping area consisting of two communicating bedrooms. In the first one, you will find a double bed, a divan bed, and a large bathroom with bathtub and shower taps inside. In the second bedroom, there are two single beds. Both bedrooms have a patio door overlooking a gracious small terrace. Note that in order to enter the bedroom with two single beds you have to go through the double bedroom.

Villa Astra features very high vaulted ceilings, characteristic of buildings dating back to the eighteenth century in the Amalfi Coast. Such way of building houses, along with thick walls in stone, keeps the indoors naturally cool and fresh even when it is hot outside. The villa features complete and cozy furnishings.

The most spacious and panoramic terrace of the villa is situated on the top floor, above the bedrooms. You can reach it by climbing a small outdoor staircase. The terrace is very spacious and sun-drenched from sunrise to sunset.

You will feast your eyes on a 360º panorama consisting of a vast sea skyline, the picturesque outline of the coast, and the top of the Lattari Mountains framing the landscape in the background of the little town of Praiano. You will find this terrace perfect for sunbaths and sunset watching. It is furnished with tables, chairs, and deck chairs.

As guests of Villa Astra you will have access to a swimming-pool located in a garden consisting of terraces facing the sea and beautiful scenery. To reach the swimming-pool, you have to climb down 39 steps. Once through a small wrought-iron gate, you will enter a large garden with a breathtaking view of the sea and the coast. Here the green of the lemons and the red of the Bougainvillea frame the blue of the sea. Large ogres filled with flowers and tables and chairs in white wrought-iron render the place joyful, elegant, and cozy. It is the Mediterranean garden you have seen in your dreams, and where you will feel joy for spending pleasant hours of your vacation!

The swimming-pool is situated in a delightful angle of the garden overlooking the sea. You will find sun loungers, umbrellas, deck chairs, and other little tables and chairs around. The swimming-pool is 6 x 4 meters (about 20 x 13 feet) large, and it is available from half April to half October.

The swimming-pool and the surrounding garden are shared with the proprietor, who has reserved part of the villa for his family to spend their vacation.

At Villa Astra you will have cleaning services and twice-a-week change of linen as part of the weekly rate paid. Extra cleaning and chef are available upon request.

During your stay at Villa Astra, you will be close to one of the most typical beaches of the Amalfi Coast, the beach of Praia. The beach spreads from the base of a narrow gorge enclosed by high rocky walls deeply incised by erosion.

To reach the beach you can take the local bus which stops about 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) away from the villa.

However, don’t miss the chance of going to beach on foot at least once if you are in good shape: you can descend from the villa until the State Road through shortcuts consisting of stairways. Once you have crossed the State Road, you will have to go along a picturesque pedestrian foot path goes past the medieval Tower and descends towards the sea through a trail dug along the rocks. The breathtaking scenery will compensate the workout to go along the way. Rendering the walk even more pleasant, once you have arrived at the beach, are the small bars and restaurants which feature tables on rocks caressed by the waters of the sea…

Moreover, as guests of Villa Astra, you can enjoy discounts at a 4-star hotel for two of their services: access to the beach and the restaurant.

Other larger nearby beaches are those in Amalfi and the one in Positano, about 7 km (approximately 4.3 miles) away.

Staying at Villa Astra will offer you a place which is not tourist-crowded and the chance of having all the vacation-life activities that the Amalfi Coast has to offer just on hand.

Praiano is located halfway between Positano and Amalfi, about 7 km (approximately 4.3 miles) away from both towns.

You can conveniently use both the service of the local minibus which goes from Praiano to Positano and the service of the SITA bus, which connects Praiano with Amalfi and Sorrento. Both services are comfortable and economical.

From Sorrento you can take local trains to comfortably and directly reach Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Vesuvius, and Naples in less than one hour. Even Paestum and the coast of the Parco Nazionale del Cilento (Cilento National Park) are easily reached either by bus or train.

In Amalfi and Positano you will be able to take ferries or hydrofoils to visit through sea the Coasts of Amalfi and Sorrento, the coast of the Cilento National Park, and also the islands of Capri and Ischia.

Staying at Villa Astra will enable you to visit the famous beaches of the Amalfi Coast, go shopping for fashion and the best handcrafted articles, and experience the numerous top-quality folklore, artistic, musical, and cultural events which take place throughout the year.

Not to be missed by classical music enthusiasts are the famous concerts held during the Festival of Ravello, and for those who are fond of trekking, there are trails which unravel through the mountains of the coast, among which the most famous one is the “Sentiero degli Dei” (Path of the Gods), known for the beauty of places unveiled during the walk.

Moreover, on the Amalfi Coast, one can also practice water sports, go scuba-diving, rent bicycles and motorbikes.

For those willing to experience the intense night life of the Amalfi Coast, there is a range of choices: from piano-bars to the most exclusive nightclubs.

The nearest airport is in Naples, 60 km (about 37 miles) away. The other closest airport is the one in Rome, 260 km (about 162 miles) away.

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 Astra the property manager will ask you to pay a security deposit of EUR 500, payable in cash. The security deposit will be returned to you prior to your departure less any charges for accidental damages to the property.


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