Paradiso sul Mare was designed by modernist architect Michele Busiri-Vici and is considered one of his masterpieces. Its organic curves of Mediterranean-soaked light show many influences, from North Africa to Gaudi to Italy’s arts-and-crafts tradition - every room is like a handmade, spacious seashell.
Paradiso sul Mare, with its stunning views and private tranquility, looks out from a protected mountainside within a national park. Caves of ancient man are minutes' walk away. The small, nearby resort town of San Felice Circeo is named for the goddess Circe from Homer's Odyssey; local wisdom relates that the mountain was her island.
The villa has the contemplative serenity of two generations of writers, with a magnificent garden of agave, cactus, cypress, palm, aloe, lemon, apricot, myrtle, and a forest of olive trees.
The views are stunning across an immense sea to the Pontine Islands, and back to the sweep of mountains and coast. The villa is wrapped in fluid terraces, with plenty of lounge chairs and in the distance are Naples, Mt. Vesuvius, and Ischia.
The property is enclosed by bougainvillaea and jasmine and has an outdoor shower and a secure double parking area.
Upper Deck
The best floor of the villa as it takes advantage of some of the finest views you could possibly wish for in a private rental.
Lower Floor
Independent apartment with spacious double-bedroom with large desk & walk-in closet
Additional Information
WHAT TO DO This is a destination for vacationers who (awakened by bird calls) want to relax, read, paint, and explore the wonders of nature. Most people cannot imagine what it means to live in a national park: a diverse eco-system of dunes, beaches, forests, and mountain trails.
You can hike, swim, cycle, walk, tan, play tennis, sail, bird-watch, ride horses, windsurf, snorkel, water-ski, fish, canoe. A rich array of archaeology and prehistory is a mere stroll away.
There’s also a cooking school one evening a week, in English, and tours of olive oil, wine, and mozzarella artisans. For gardening enthusiasts, the region boasts at least four of Italy’s great gardens.
Within a two-hour range are Ninfa and Landriana on Ischia are La Mortella and the Giardino Ravino. The gardener at Paradiso sul Mare has a lifetime’s experience and is happy (if you speak even rudimentary Italian) to share his vast knowledge. Terracina (older than Rome), Sperlonga (a medina-like, cliffside town) and Sabaudia (a Fascist “model” resort) are an easy drive. The islands of Ponza, Palmarola, and Zannone (a nature preserve) are accessible by daily ferry from Circeo’s harbor.
From two nearby stations frequent trains run to Rome (1+ hour), Naples and Pompeii (1½), Ischia/Capri (1½ + ferry). The Amalfi Coast is 2½ hours’ drive away. The historic WWII battlefields at Anzio are thirty miles away. A gardener comes every day.
A housekeeper comes for four hours six days a week, maintains the villa, and does laundry. She is a superb cook, if you want to make independent arrangements with her.
Air conditioning (no extra charge) Separate laundry room for the use of the guests.
***No children between the ages of 2 and 10 allowed***
Check in: 4:00pm
Check out: 10:00am
In Summary
Accommodation
Living Room:
sofa, desk, sideboard, chaise, armchairs, CD player/radio.
Terrace:
outdoor dining table, seats 6.
Master Bedroom:
walk-in closet
Bathroom:
hip-bath / shower
Dining Room:
Seats 10
Modern "professional" kitchen:
Single Bedroom:
Second Bathroom:
hip-bath / shower
Upper Deck
Bedroom:
with double-bed with en-suite bathroom with hipbath/shower and walk-in closet.
Large Terrace off bedroom:
with dining table, seats 4, overlooking mountains, sea, south coast.
Den / Library:
TV, DVD, CD
Small Balcony:
overlooking garden
Large Study:
CD player & Internet Access
Front Terrace:
looking southwest to the sea, large side-terrace overlooking sea and garden/mountain.
Lower Floor
Living Room:
with sofa, armchair and dining table
Kitchen:
Bathroom:
Hip-bath / shower
Garden:
Facilities
Heating
Shower
Bath
Phone
Dishwasher
DVD
CD Radio Cassette
BBQ
Air Conditioning
TV
Washing Machine
Internet Access
Availability and Price
Fill out how many days you wish to stay, as well as the number of people travelling.
We may be able to accommodate shorter breaks please call or email for details.
Location
Sabaudia 11.0 km
San Felice Circeo 5.0 km
120.0 km from Rome Fiumicino Airport
The town’s Centro Storico boasts a medieval piazza, intimate restaurants and cafés, and stylish shops. Since the 1950s San Felice Circeo has been known to Italians but kept secret from most foreigners. In summer, well-to-do Romans rent villas and frequent the diverse beaches.
A km from Paradiso sul Mare is one of Italy’s luxury hotels, the Punta Rossa, with a fine restaurant, chic bar, cove beach, seaside pool, and health spa (all open to non-guests). Beside the swimming options in Circeo itself, just around the headland stretch the 20-km sands at Sabaudia, one of the finest beaches in Europe. Among its dunes, in the 1960s and 1970s, novelist Alberto Moravia, director Pier Paolo Pasolini, and actress Anita Ekberg were neighbors; Signora Fendi is still tweaking her villa.
(Anna Magnani kept a villa and is buried in Circeo.).
There is so much to recommend Lazio - the unprecedented quality of its art and history, the unspoilt hilly landscapes, and clear freshwater lakes. Not to mention the food, drink and shopping! Northern Lazio is home to the fascinating Monumento Naturals della Caldara - a bubbling hot water pool, complete with sulphurous egg smell (guaranteed to amuse the children!). You can swim in the clear waters of the lake at Bracciano, followed by a tasty lakeside meal of freshly caught fish. Meanwhile, at Cerveteri and Tarquinia you will find the marvelously preserved tombs and wall-paintings of the mysterious Etruscans. In Southern Lazio you can sight see at Tivoli, with its imperial Roman Villa Adriana, or at the romantic Renaissance Villa d’Este. If country walks are more tempting, try the unbelievably picturesque tree-bordered crater lake at Nemi, dedicated to the goddess Diana and forming part of the ring of volcanoes because Nemi is one of the Alban Hills. Further south still, you can catch a le ferry from Anzio to the Pontine Islands, with their beautiful pastel-painted houses. Back on the mainland, continue on to the amazing Emperor Tiberius’s Grotto, via the ancient acropolis of Anxur, perched above the coastal town of Terracina.
All roads lead to Rome...
And its indisputable wealth of culture, history and beauty. In the aptly named Eternal City, modern living - with its stylish clothes, scooters and sunglasses - sits comfortably with the renowned architecture and art that surrounds it. Turn any corner, and you will find yourself in a hidden piazza or a narrow cobbled street, gazing at marble fountains, flower-decked balconies and secret courtyards. And amongst the incredible landmarks, such as the Roman Forum, the Vatican Museum and the Colosseum (to name just a few!). you can enjoy living la dolce vita. Watch the morning sun lighting up the fountains in the Piazza del Popolo, or savour the moonlit atmosphere of an alfresco dinner at a trattoria in Trastevere. With a huge variety of cafes and restaurants in every area, you can sip your cappuccino and watch the world go by at any time of the day or night. The classic happy-go-lucky Roman attitude to life is strong and infectious, and the romantic atmosphere of the city cannot fail to influence all who fall under its spell.
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