Villa Ananda

Slow living in the Sicilian countryside

Set in the hills of south eastern Sicily, just outside the UNESCO listed village of Palazzolo Acreide, Villa Ananda is a small family run stay overlooking the Iblei valley.

Surrounded by two hectares of land, the house sits within what feels like a private park, with centuries old olive trees, carob trees, fruit trees and wild Mediterranean plants shaping the landscape.

Days here are meant to be slow and spent outdoors, with long lunches, open views across the valley and the smell of produce growing nearby.

History, travel and design

Built on the foundations of an 1856 residence once used by monks of the Diocese of Noto, the house still carries traces of its past, from an old water cistern to a well hidden along a rocky path at the bottom of the valley.

The space is further refined by one of the owners, an architect, with each detail shaped by how they themselves like to be welcomed when travelling.

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Local food, shared tables

Meals are prepared using local ingredients and, where possible, produce from the land itself.

Breakfasts and lunches are simple and seasonal, shaped by what is available rather than a fixed menu, often shared in a relaxed, communal setting with other guests.

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A landscape worth slowing down for

From the house, the land opens out into the valley, with space to walk, explore and move through the surrounding nature.

A secondary path leads down through the rocks to an old well, while the wider region offers a mix of natural and cultural sites without the crowds.

The setup makes it easy to stay longer, with quiet spaces to work, reliable wifi connection and enough distance from the village to focus without feeling isolated.

Story behind Villa Ananda

After years of living abroad in Cambodia, Valentina, an Italian architect, met Steve, a musician and decided to make Sicily their home, building a new life around the place they had fallen in love with.

Today, they live their Sicilian dream here, opening their home to travellers from around the world to share the beauty of the place and offer the kind of stay they themselves look for when they travel.

The name “Ananda”, meaning deep happiness and gratitude, reflects the feeling they hope guests leave with.