Artist Filippo Panseca lives and works in the studio opposite the house. This space dedicated to art, which is part of the project itself, was designed for organising events and hosting exhibitions with foreign artists from different creative movements.
In a landscape weathered by the sea winds, this hamlet appears to merge into volcanic lands that have been shaped over the centuries according to the needs of men. From a distance, only the vaulted and whitewashed roofs give the luxury holiday homes away. The refinement found both inside and out demonstrates the owners' attention to detail and exacting standards. From their material and positioning alone, the smallest of objects become works of art here. Quite unexpectedly, somewhere between the shadow and light, the hamlet transforms into a kind of oasis, full of charm and softness, which guests will never want to leave.
My husband and I met on holiday in Pantelleria eight years ago, just as my parents-in-law did fifty years before. Two years later, we decided to move to this island where we fell in love and began renovating my husband's family holiday home.
The main house of the property is a “dammuso”, a typical construction found only on the island of Pantelleria. Old rural buildings, the “dammusi” feature few windows and date back to the time of Arab rule. The word "dammuso" derives from the Arabic term "dammus", which refers to the vaults of houses. It is a traditional house with eighty-centimetre-thick walls and a dome built with lava rock found on site. The high interior ceilings protect the house from the summer heat and winter cold, and ensure a constant temperature of twenty degrees all year round. The domes channel rainwater to underground cisterns which were used to supply the family with their water needs throughout the year. The volcanic rock, known as pantellerite, makes up the bricks which are assembled dry.
My father-in-law, Filippo Panseca, is a Sicilian contemporary artist. He fell in love with the untouched beauty of the island half a century ago and decided to create his own paradise here. He acquired several hectares of land and built other dammusi around the existing building to accommodate all his family and friends and to set up his workshop.
The property is surrounded by spectacular historic and natural beauty. Set inside a 5,000 year old archaeological park, our five hectare grounds border the village of Sesioti and are home to a standing sesi (a large lava stone, domed burial structure) which our guests are welcome to visit. On the other side, just two hundred metres from our front door, is the Mediterranean Sea with its translucent deep blue waters.
Visit the Lago specchio di venere - a lake in the crater of a volcano with hot springs and curative mud. Swim in the turquoise sea at Balata dei Turchi. Enjoy a drink at Kaya Kaya, in the port of Scauri. Hike to the grotta di benikula to experience a natural sauna inside a cave. Take part in a wine tasting at Abbazia san Giorgio, a winery producing natural wines that combines organic farming approaches and biodynamic techniques. Stop at Forno Mangiaforte, a bakery serving freshly made ancient grain bread, cassatelle with cream and ricotta and ravioli stuffed with mint and ricotta, a traditional dish on the island. Enjoy a delicious meal at U’Truscio, the best restaurant on the island. It is a food truck based in Punta Spadillo where you can choose from fresh fish that will be cooked and then served at the tables placed right next to the truck.
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