About Marcello & Caroline

While Santa Maria has been in Marcello’s family for over a century, it was at first the base of the family wine business. Then it became his parents’ and brother’s home, which Marcello, Caroline and their two daughters would visit every year while they were based abroad.

Twenty years ago, Caroline and Marcello and decided to convert the ground floor as their own holiday home. Respecting the villa’s three hundred years of history, they carried out a complete restoration, even discovering a  seventeenth century archway in the process.

Caroline’s interest in decorating is reflected in the attention to colour evident throughout.  It is now furnished with items inherited from the family and gathered from their travels around the world.

Having completed the interior, they turned their attention to the grounds. They revived the walled orange garden, restored the old tennis court, planted an olive grove and added a beautiful swimming pool set within a Mediterranean garden. Meanwhile Caroline was writing her book about the villa, Casa Nostra, A Home in Sicily, which was published in 2007.

Santa Maria is so beautiful and so special to this couple that they come here several times a year, sometimes with their children and grandchildren, but also for the olive harvest.  Both daughters chose to celebrate their weddings here.

Since Caroline and Marcello now spend much of their time in London, they are happy to share their holiday home with other guests.