Historic Italian Lair For Sale in Cinematic Coastal Setting

Available through Engel Volkers.  Price on Application.  

La Falconera – A Sicilian Lair Overlooking the Sea

Perched high on a steep hillside above the glittering Ionian Sea, La Falconera is a villa of faded grandeur and cinematic potential. With its sweeping columned terrace, vast estate, and views that stretch from the Bay of Giardini Naxos to the smoking cone of Mount Etna, this historic residence could serve as the setting for any number of films — Bond, Mission Impossible, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Godfather. The drama is already written into its stone, waiting for a new owner to restore its glory.

A Stage Set for Legends

Step onto the villa’s broad covered terrace and the stage is set. Here, one can almost see a villain contemplating world domination, chess pieces arranged beside a glass of Sicilian wine. Or imagine Bond himself, leaning against a Tuscan stone column, trading sharp dialogue with a femme fatale as the Mediterranean rolls far below.

La Falconera is not just a villa; it is a ready-made lair, a backdrop rich with atmosphere and gravitas.

A History Carved in Stone

Dating back centuries, the villa carries the weight of noble heritage. Once belonging to the family of Admiral Nelson, it has welcomed royals such as King George V and Queen Mary, who visited with their children in 1925. Its grounds harbor relics of far older times, including a Roman tomb from the 2nd century AD, a temple dedicated to Pan, and the dramatic Cave of the Falcons, from which the villa draws its evocative name.

These elements, combined with statues, mullioned windows, and amphitheater-style terraced gardens, lend the property an aura that is equal parts aristocratic estate and mythic stronghold.

Grandeur Awaiting Renewal

Comprising 14 rooms and 7 bathrooms across three levels, with a separate three-story guesthouse, the villa offers nearly 1,000 square meters of living space and more than 52,000 square meters of land. While its bones remain solid and its details exquisite — from Melilli stone columns to bronze statuary — the property yearns for restoration.

In its current state, La Falconera is a masterpiece in waiting: a lair of faded glory, ready for a discerning buyer to breathe life back into its walls.

The Power of Position

La Falconera’s strategic location heightens its allure. From its terraces, one looks not only to the sea but directly across to Taormina’s famed Greek Theatre, with which it shares a line of sight. Isola Bella is just minutes away, and yet the villa itself feels utterly removed, standing in commanding isolation above the coast.

It is this blend of accessibility and seclusion, civilization and wilderness, that makes the property so lair-worthy. One can descend into the bustle of Taormina within minutes, or retreat to the solitude of a hillside stronghold above the sea.

The Lair Factor

What makes La Falconera extraordinary is not just its size, heritage, or views. It is its inherent theatricality. With its sweeping terraces, dramatic gardens, and cinematic sightlines, the villa already looks like a set designed for intrigue, romance, or betrayal.

For the right buyer, it is more than a prestigious Sicilian estate. It is an iconic lair location, a place where history, myth, and cinema intersect — and where the next chapter is waiting to be written.

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