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| the beach below | crystal clear water |
Capo Vaticano is a ancient granite outcrop on the tip of Italy’s boot, on the Thyrrenean coast, about seventy miles north of the Messina strait, which separates the peninsula from Sicily. As the name implies, the cape was known since antiquity as the residence of a “vate ”or fortune-teller, but, except for a lighthouse, it was not inhabited in modern times until the Fifties. At that time there were no roads to the Cape, no buildings around it, just the rugged rocky Mediterranean landscape, and the sea, two-hundred and fifty feet below.
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| main house terrace |
While during the Sixties and Seventies Calabria, like most of Italy, experienced a construction boom, the 20- acre enclave of the Cape was miraculously preserved as a private paradise, with nature at its most spectacular, and, in the air, the flavor of the ancient civilizations that flourished on the Mediterranean. |
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| front view of main house | outdoor kitchen and BBQ |
| The property, enjoys a private access to the small beach in the cove below, with a path of about four hundred steps hewn into the granite. The house, at the end of the access road, has complete visual privacy and a large terrace directly over the cliff. Cypresses, pines, olive trees and palms have grown to form nooks of dense shadow in the gardens, and afford a variety of vistas and walks. Strolling around the orchard, smelling the hedges of rosemary, or sitting under the pergolas covered with vines, bougainvillea, and jasmine, it is easy to forget the rest of the world |
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| main house kitchen | main house living room |
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| swimming pool dimensions: 9'-10" x 50'-10" (3m x 15.5m) | view of pool |
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| view of Stromboli from main house terrace | pool side |
Outside the grounds, there are grocery stores within walking distance, as well as simple pizzerias and places to have ice cream and a drink. About 6 miles away, Tropea is a Baroque town with lovely squares, cafés, and stores with local craft wares. |
The enchantment of this house will touch most deeply people who enjoy time away from society and civilization. Families with children would also love this place, for the immersion in nature is complete, and the sea so beautiful, you can follow your shadow on the sand as you swim.
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| main house terrace | view of the house from the water |
EXCURSIONS
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| - From the nearby harbor of Tropea (10km away), a beautiful town to visit in its own right, there are ferries to the major Aeolian islands. | |
| - A local guide is available, with a van, to visit the national park in the Sila mountain range, and whatever other sites one may be interested in. Fare to be discussed locally. | |
HOW TO GET THERE:
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| By car: Capo Vaticano is off the main Highway (exit: S. Onofrio, Vibo Valentia) connecting Rome to Reggio Calabria. It takes about 6 hours from Rome, of which only the last 45 min. are on local roads. | |
| By train: there are many trains one can take to get there from Rome, but we recommend the overnight train (wagon-lit) which has comfortable sleeping cars and arrives in the morning. Ricadi station is two miles from the house. | |
| By air: The nearest airport is in Lamezia Terme, where one can rent a car, and drive south for 45 min- 1 hour to reach Capo Vaticano. Lamezia Terme, is a 1hr. flight from Rome. | |
| In any event, we recommend renting a car to be able to get around the area, and visit the many beautiful beaches, as well as the mountain ranges behind the coastline. | |
ACCOMMODATION:
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| MAIN HOUSE: | |
| - Kitchen : fully equipped, with dishwasher, oven, gas range. | |
| - Living / dining room: large flowing space directly connected to the kitchen. Fireplace, library with volumes in various languages, tables that sit sixteen, direct connection to terrace and pergola outside, facing the sunset. | |
| - Master bedroom, closets, full bath with tub. | |
| - Second bedroom with one queen size bed, closet, full bath with shower. | |
| - Extra full bathroom, enclosed, but with no roof (yes, open to the sky), generally used as powder room, and perfect for showering in the summer. | |
| - Laundry room with washing machine and ironing board, . | |
| - Outdoor “kitchen”: a long work surface with stone sink, and a gas-fired large camp burner, for big pots or deep-frying. Barbecue set in the rock right next to it. | |
| - Terraces around the house, overlooking the sea, equipped with sofas, chairs, tables for dining, chaise-longues for sun bathing, swing, and benches. | |
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| First guest house “La Quercia” | Second guest house “La Cisterna” |
| -“La Quercia”: One large bedroom with two twin beds (separate or together), closet, and one stone-tiled bathroom with sink, toilet and shower. |
-“La Cisterna”: One large bedroom with two twin beds (separate or together), walk-in closet with fridge, and full bath with shower. |
GENERAL INFORMATION
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| -Maximum number of guests: 8 |
| -Guest houses are included, and cannot be rented separately. Both guest houses are situated in the garden and are within a 30m radius of the main house. |
| -Housekeeping service mandatory: 12 hours/wk included in your rate. The housekeeper will do basic cleaning, and can also be asked to cook some basic dishes. |
| -Linens and towels provided: however, no beach towels. |
| -Grocery stores at 10 min, walking distance The village of San Nicolo’ is 5 min. by car and offers a wider selection of stores. |
| -One portable stereo with CD player. Satellite TV with CNN, BBC, and other international channels. |
| -Telephone service for incoming and local calls only. |
| -Electricity included |
| -The groundskeeper lives nearby, and will be reachable by phone for any emergency. |
| -Private parking for 3 cars |
PRESS
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| This article, about the new book, "The 100 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World", mentions that three of those beaches are in Italy and that one of those is Capo Vaticano. view link |
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| An article on the London Times about the twenty most beautiful beaches in the world view link |
LINKS
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| Tropea Online |
RATES
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| JULY – AUGUST €3,500 per week |
| SEPT – OCT– MAY– JUNE €3,000 per week |
| NOV – DIC – JAN - FEB – MARCH €2,500 per week |
CONTACT
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| Alessandra: alessandra@havenlink.com |
For further information, guest reviews, and booking calendar, please visit this link on HomeAway: Cliff House |
