Travel

Hot Property

Casa Lawa

Sicily, Italy

Via Paterno Castello, 22, 95010 Sant'Alfio CT, Italy

Bathing in the mystical views of Mount Etna on the rocky hillside of the Eastern Sicilian countryside is a small haven that is Casa Lawa.

“The Lava House”, the passion project of creative director Lukas Lewandowski, stands as a beacon of creativity, connection, and vibrant energy. This boutique guesthouse is a sanctuary where guests can rejuvenate, explore their creativity, and form lasting bonds with people from diverse back-grounds. Lukas fell in love with Sicily during a trip in2016 and later established Casa Lawa to offer guests a unique experience combining Sicilian traditions with a contemporary twist.

The volcanic soil around Etna is exceptionally fertile, supporting a rich agricultural tradition, while the eruptions have repeatedly transformed the landscape and forced the sector to rebuild, contributing to its resilience and unique character. The constant presence of Mount Etna has made this a region that reflects both the beauty and the destructive power of nature. Colour and design are the first things you will notice upon arrival at the small lava stone house. Striped deck chairs overlook the lava swimming pool, primary-coloured sheets on the Coco-Mat beds, and a mish-mash of thrifted and vintage crockery and cutlery spread over the game-themed, tapestry-covered outdoor dining tables.

Venture further inside and the attention to design detail is abundant, gallery walls with eclectic paintings, an attentive mixture of old and new objects, antique paintings in modern frames, the theme of anachronistic beauty runs through each room. A specific adoration for colour is clear, reds and yellows, blues and greens, even the dull kitchen appliances have had colourful makeovers, a purple KitchenAid, an orange coffee machine! It’s a real technicolour dream house.

A flexi-boutique hotel/guest-house would be the way to describe Casa Lawa, nothing is predictable and nor would we want it to be. The programs for the guests are merely guidelines, suggestions on how best to enjoy everything that Sicily has to offer, but the promise of sunshine, design, good food, and fantastic company is enough to lure anyone in. If we could move in tomorrow, we would.

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