Beschreibung

Three-bedroom Penthouse Apartment with Sea-view Terrace You’ll Adore, only Twenty Minutes from Palermo on Sicily’s North Coast

Appartamento Peter is a seventh floor penthouse in the coastal town of Casteldaccia, twenty minutes outside Palermo on Sicily’s north coast. Offering about 100m2 of living space, it’s found on the top floor of a 1970s apartment block and served by a lift.

In its current configuration it consists of seven rooms plus a storeroom, including two bathrooms. central heating, currently seven rooms plus storage room, including two bathrooms. Its windows and balcony face south, while the real star attraction is a north-facing terrace with a fabulous sea view.

This terrace measures 20 m², and thanks to the height of the building in an area where tall construction is uncommon, gives you a 180 degree panorama. You can take in every inch of the Gulf of Termini Imerese, from the nearby peninsula of Capo Zafferano and Monte Catalfano to the Madonie mountains over Cefalù and even, on a clear day, the Aeolian Islands on the horizon. The sunny spot also catches a wonderful sea breeze that makes it perfectly comfortable even in the height of summer.

Casteldaccia is a very authentic, traditional Sicilian town, and you will have some lovely beaches right around the corner, and great transport links by road and rail. Even though the motorway runs relatively close to the property, you won’t hear it when the windows are closed. The price point means that you may be able to buy this apartment as a vacation property, but it also has everything you need for year-round living and the location would work beautifully as a primary residence.

The Property

The block in which Appartamento Peter stands is of its time, but well maintained on the outside. Entrance is through a wide lobby and then up a few steps or a ramp to the lift and staircase.

The flat itself is very bright, with plenty of to the north and south. On the latter side the large balcony houses, among other things, the gas boiler and the natural gas connection.

The terrace to the north, however, is the real pull here. It’s large and partly covered, as in addition to the open front there is a deep area to the side that measures about 12 m² where there are the beams in place for a canopy or awning. In fact, it was fully enclosed at one point, but the present owners removed this structure as it hadn’t been legally built. It is, however, a perfect spot for barbecuing and an fresco dining as it’s sheltered from the wind but still has a sea view. We can’t oversell that view, either – it’s simply spectacular. All of the railings and tiles are in good condition too.

The flat itself is split in two halves by a central corridor, off which you will find the three bedrooms, living room, kitchen-diner, utility room and two bathrooms. One of these has a shower, the other a tub. The kitchen has been built-in and tiled, one of the most characteristic elements of traditional Sicilian interior design.

By contrast, central heating is a bit of a rarity down here, but in this case all of the rooms have radiators and the building is connected to the natural gas network. This makes it extremely comfortable all year round.

Surroundings

The apartment with sea-view terrace is found on a cul-de-sac with little traffic and some pleasant greenery. The feel is mostly quiet and residential. On-street parking is no issue; on our visit we found parking for three cars with no problems at all. Being right next to the local tennis club is a lovely fringe benefit, and the terrace gives you a good view of this as well as the sea.

As the crow flies, it is about 400 metres from Appartamento Peter to the sea, and the route on foot or by car is barely over a kilometre. Once there you’ll find beaches that are fantastic for swimming. Warm, calm water is guaranteed thanks to sea defences which keep the depth shallow and the waves away. If you ever get bored of this spot you can pick your favourite cove or bay from the spectacular headland of Capo Zafferano – Mongerbino or head east to magical Cefalù.

At the seafront, as well as some popular beach clubs, you’ll find the Duca di Salaparuta winery, a landmark of Sicilian oenology that dates back 180 years. You and your visitors will be happy to know that you can tour the winery and get back home on foot in about fifteen minutes – allowing you to taste as much of their offering as you like!

There are a few local shops in Casteldaccia, but all the bigger ones can be found in Bagheria,  5 km away. DIY stores can be found in Bagheria, about 5 km away to the north-west.

The train station is only five or six minutes walk away, and this will bring you right into the heart of Sicily’s bustling capital city, Palermo in 20 minutes.

Potential

The flat needs to be redecorated, as can be seen from the photos and video. However, our survey found no cracks nor damp patches on the premises and the floors are in good condition throughout. The electrical and plumbing systems comply with the standards in force when they were installed. The big advantage of there not being a recent paint job in a property of this age is that you know nothing is being hidden!

At the level of the roof terrace, you can see cracks and some flaking on the concrete pillar, which is actually the responsibility of the residents‘ association. The iron in the reinforced concrete has rusted. However, this looks worse than it is; a specialist we asked told us that it could be repaired for a few hundred Euro while you’re smartening up the terrace.

The flat needs to be repainted, of course, and a few blinds need to be repaired. The boiler which powers the central heating system is a little old and should really be replaced – one like this costs around €1,000 if you go for a top brand. Then really, to protect your investment, adding double glazing would keep the heat in much better.

If you’re feeling ambitious and want to make this beautiful apartment with sea-view terrace feel brighter and more spacious, it’s helpful to know that very few of the internal walls are load-bearing. This means that you could create larger, more fluid rooms and give the place a more modern layout. If you’d like advice on or support with this work, ask us about our project management services.

The street is wired for fibre-optic internet, meaning that you can rely on consistent super-high speeds if you plan to work from home in Appartamento Peter. Otherwise you could take advantage of the strong 5G connection (our test showed download speeds of over 100MB/s) and get online with a regular SIM card and a router.