A vacation reverie with expansive terraces, arches and cloisters, cool rooms and quiet corners. Timeless views, a beautiful private pool and direct, private access to the Mediterranean complete the fantasy of a vacation villa in the Amalfi area.

Low Season can be rented as two villas: one with 4 bedrooms and one with 2 bedrooms

Adjoining Villa Mare Sleeps 6 and Apartment Stella Sleeps 2 + 1; with advance planning this complex can host up to 21 people

South of Naples, the Massa Lubrense promontory forms the southern arm of the beautiful bay of Naples. Across the bay from Naples is the town of Sorrento. Between the two, along the bay, are the towns under the volcano Vesuvius that the ancient Romans chose for their vacation homes: Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae. Since the 1800s, Sorrento has been a vacation choice for the rich and famous, a stop on the Grand Tour. It sits on a cliff so there are few sandy beaches. Villa Sole is on the Massa Lubrense promontory. Breathtaking Mediterranean views encompass a prized perspective on the fabled Isle of Capri.

To arrive at Villa Sole, you drive from the North/South highway, past Naples and along the first part of the winding, cliff-edge Amalfi Coast Drive through and 2.5 miles (4k) past Sorrento. It is 13 miles to Positano and 37 miles to Naples.

A curving road leads down from the Amalfi Coast road past a number of villas. Villa Sole is at the end of the road, as close to the sea as one can get here.

It is 80 steps down to the water where there is a sun bathing platform, toilet, shower and a ladder down into the clear, blue-green water.

Grounds man puts out lounge chairs and umbrella.

There are some sea walls (see photos) to calm the waters close to shore and a jetty where you can bring in a boat. You may hire a boat to take you out on the water and to the islands of Capri and Ischia and it can pick you up here.

The villa is built within a lemon grove, a principal local crop, preserving a number of the trees.

Maintenance is meticulous and each weekday a housekeeper tends to the grounds, sets out lounge chairs at the beach and provides an hour an a half of housekeeping.

Villa Sole is two floors above the street level where you may park up to four cars.

The villa has two parts, a three bedroom main villa and a two bedroom apartment that is totally separate in terms of entrances. In low season, they can be rented separately, but in the mid and high season they come together.

Below Villa Sole is Villa Mare, a three bedroom villa. And, halfway down to the water, is a one bedroom apartment that backs into the cliff, called Stella. Altogether, with use of sofa beds and a rollaway, the complex could sleep 21.

There are two large terraces around the main villa. The main terrace wraps around the living room, dining area, and pool and has a long railing overlooking the sea. The garden intertwines with the terrace and quiet nooks abound. Directly below you see the reed mats that cover the back half of the Villa Mare terrace and that effectively block your view of activity in the villa below. Beyond you see the edge of the parking below and just beyond is the sea. Toward the left the Isle of Capri fill the horizon and you can watch boats and the ferries that connect all the seaside towns. The second terrace flows around the bedrooms in the upper level, the tower. With its own furniture, even a full villa affords quiet spots for vacationers.

On the main level terrace is a pool of 15 x 32 feet, 4.5 x 10m.

The three bedroom main villa is large, 2700 square feet. The living room is spacious, seats up to about ten people if you bring in the straight back chairs in the entry. On the same level is a large kitchen, a dining room, and behind the kitchen, an outdoor, covered dining area within a colonnaded cloister.

The furniture is upholstered in clouds of white and together with the thick white walls and abundant windows it is visually cool while breezes waft through. You can close up and turn on air conditioning in the living room. Highlights of local antiques, artisan work and a sea shell collection.

On the ground floor is a bedroom with convertible twin beds that can be made up separately or together. The room is in the turret, so has a large sitting area with a wicker sofa and chair. There is a bathroom with tub across the hall from the bedroom. The bedroom has air conditioning.

There are two, air conditioned bedrooms on the second floor. The master bedroom has a long modular sofa that fits into the curve of the turret. A rollaway bed can be placed in this room. The master bedroom has a door onto the terrace. The pretty, pink ensuite bath has a tub with handheld shower head that can mount on the wall. The second bedroom has a single bed and a bath with a shower.

Adjoining the main part of the Villa is the "dependence," an apartment that is completely standalone but dependent on the main villa for a pool and must be rented together with the main villa during mid and high seasons.

The smaller apartment of 750 square feet has a large living and dining room with a hearth. The living room in white with a buttery ochre tiled floor has a sofa bed for two. There is a small, complete kitchen. All on the same level, the bedrooms have air conditioning. One has separable twin beds, and a bathroom with tub. The second bedroom has a queen sized bed and a bathroom with shower.

Location	Massa Lubrense

Sleeps	9+3

Bedrooms	5: Main villa, 1 queen, 1 convertible twins, 1 single, 1 rollaway; Adjoining apartment: 1 queen, 1 convertible twin, queen sofa bed.

Bathrooms	5

Floor	2nd, 3rd American

Elevator	Yes

Accessible & Ample	About 35 steps from street level to the apartment and 80 steps to the water's edge. No wheelchair access.

Size	2700 + 750 = 3450 sq ft, 320 m2

Balconies, Terraces, Views	Mediterranean sea, cliffs, Capri

Hair Dryer	Yes

Dining	Both indoor and outdoor dining areas

Kitchen Equipment	Four burner stove top, Oven, Microwave, Refrigerator with freezer, Drip coffee maker, Pots and pans, Dishes and Utensils

Laundry	Washing Machine, No Dryer

Air Conditioning	Living room in main villa and bedrooms throughout, paid according to use

Heat	Yes, E50/day

Utilities	Included, except for air conditioning and heat

Transportation	A car is required

Crib	Yes, no charge

Neighborhood	Villas

Entertainment	Satellite Television, VCR, stereo with CD player

Telephone	Landline telephone

Internet	Internet access via dialup

Linens	Included

Pets	No

Smoking	No

Family Suitability	Wonderful, bring everyone

Cleaning	1.5 hours/day, 6 days week except holidays

Price in Euros for 12 guests	High Jun 27 - Aug 29	Mid Apr 11 - Jun 27 Aug 29 - Sep 26 Dec 19 - Jan 2	Low Jan 3 - Apr 11 Sep 26 - Dec 19
Weekly Rent	€8600	€6890	€4460
Rents by the week, starting on Saturday except in low season. Price includes utilities except for heat and air conditioning, linens, final and midweek cleaning, credit card fees, wire fees, greeting and keyholder fee

Low Season can be rented as two villas: one with 4 bedrooms and one with 2 bedrooms

Adjoining Villa Mare Sleeps 6 and Apartment Stella Sleeps 2 + 1; with advance planning this complex can host up to 21 people