Sicily villas with staff and a private cook

Staying in a Sicilian house with its own staff feels less like a rental and more like being received as a guest of the family. Someone knows the best fishmonger and the right moment to serve dinner on the terrace. Sicilian cooking, with its Arab, Norman and Spanish layers, is best learned from a local cook, one course at a time.

The villas below come with a cook, a butler or staff living on site. In Taormina, the 19th century home of the artist Corrado Cagli has a heated infinity pool facing the sea and Etna. Near Ragusa, a country house built by the Schininà family stands among ancient olive trees. At Villasmundo, a historic villa has its own consecrated church, and on the island of Favignana a modern villa has a rooftop terrace over the sea.

At a glance

• 8 private villas
• From 3 to 12 bedrooms
• Up to 24 guests in one villa
• 8 with a private pool
• 3 with sea views
• 8 with a cook or staff
• Availability and price on request, reply within one working day