Dimora Cottanera – a hidden gem at the foot of Mount Etna

INSIGHT It stands for insight – for the conscious understanding of what lies behind things. That is precisely why it is directed INSIGHT LUXURY The focus is not only on the superficial aspects of luxury, but also on the deeper background: on time, experience, meaning, and what truly makes a special experience.

We have already dedicated ourselves to champagne, which can accompany special moments, and today we are visiting a place for just such moments:

Dimora Cottanera

Nestled between a volcano, a vineyard, and a well-filled glass of wine, you'll find exactly what luxury should be today: depth, tranquility, and quiet wonder.

For wine lovers, design aesthetes, and couples with a sense of quiet romance.

Marcel Proust would have instantly understood this place and its magic. Dimora Cottanera, a former country estate on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, is not a hotel in the conventional sense. It is a place built on memories—specifically, those of the Cambria family, whose childhood unfolded here amidst vineyards, olive groves, and warm bread. Like Proust's famous madeleine, whose single bite could evoke an entire childhood for the writer, here a scent, a play of light, or a fleeting moment is enough—and suddenly you are immersed in a feeling you cannot name, yet deeply understand. And I'm not speaking secondhand; I was there myself.

How the noise of the world slowly fades away

Even the arrival is a little magical. From Catania airport, the road winds for almost an hour and a half through gently rolling hills that stretch like green waves over endless vineyards and shimmering silver olive groves. With every kilometer, Mount Etna draws closer, majestic, serene, and perhaps a little grumpy, having had to remain still for so long. And as the car meanders through the landscape, you can feel the noise of the world gradually fading away.

Finally, you reach the Dimora Cottanera – which translates to "Cottanera Residence." Through the large gate, you enter a fragrant garden. The air is filled with jasmine and lavender, warmly mingled with the earthy scent of the soil nourished by Mount Etna, and somewhere in the background, the fresh, herbaceous fragrance of rosemary lingers. With the first deep breath, the cortisol seems to flee – and the serotonin is already waiting, sunglasses on.

A garden that sets the pace

Through the garden, you reach a spacious courtyard where you receive a warm welcome. This courtyard, I was told, was once the beating heart of the farm. In autumn, hazelnuts were gathered and stored here, and in Giovannina's wood-fired oven, bread would rise for hours on end, steaming and fragrant, before being served with the house's golden olive oil – a simple meal you'll never forget.

Where guests sleep today, sheep and goats once sought shelter. It's easy to imagine that it was more lively, harsher, and colder back then.

Architecture with restraint and history

The Dimora was restored with great restraint. Plenty of lava and natural stone, exposed wooden beams, clean lines – everything appears natural, nothing is decoratively assertive. Time was allowed to stand on its own; it wasn't painted over. And that's precisely what makes it so appealing.

Retreats – between lava, light and wine

The twelve rooms and suites are like cocoons, each with its own Character. Some invite quiet meditation, framed by dark lava stone walls, where the stone itself becomes part of the scenery in the bathroom and bedroom, lending the view an almost museum-like depth. Others are spacious and flooded with light, with windows that capture the garden or vineyards like living paintings. Still others even open directly onto the vineyard, as if wanting to bring in the scent of grapes with the first greeting of morning. Finally, three suites have outdoor bathtubs, ideal for enjoying a glass of Contrada Calderara Etna. Bianco DOC, vintage 2021, the prospect of „meditating“ and reflecting One could ask whether Mount Etna prefers a cloudy or starry sky. But presumably, it doesn't matter to him.

^{The rooms of the Dimora Cottanera (Images: Alfio Garozzo)}

Gardens that invite you to linger

The rooms are reached through the gardens, which appear almost casually composed and are all the more beautiful for it. Lavender leans heavily towards the sun, lemon trees glow in the warm gold of the afternoon, olive trees stand still, carrying their centuries-old memory with a tranquility that one immediately believes. One stops, without planning it.

And then there's this infinity pool, which relentlessly draws you into its water. Its edge disappears over the olive groves on the horizon. Water, hills, and sky merge into a single image, and you're not so much swimming in a pool as in a feeling. You let yourself drift, becoming light, almost transparent – as if you were merging with this landscape for a moment. Gravity gives way, and so does time.

Enjoyment without staging

Relaxation without a program

If the body agrees after lunch, the path leads on to the spa area. Two massage rooms, a sauna, an outdoor whirlpool – that's all it takes to remind us that relaxation isn't an event, but a state of being. Even our thoughts eventually become polite and withdraw.

Just a few steps away lies the gym, cleverly integrated into the historic Palmento. The Palmento was originally the place where the grapes were collected and processed after the harvest – a functional heart of wine production. Today, treadmills and weights stand between the ancient walls, while the massive lava stone basins and old chestnut barrels bear witness to its long tradition.

Wine as the identity of the house

As the day draws to a close, the atmosphere transforms. The Winter Garden Restaurant opens up, the light softens, and Mount Etna looms dark against the sky. Dinner is a culinary love letter to Sicily: handmade pasta with hints of truffles, lamb with wild herbs, and desserts that combine citrus freshness and joie de vivre. Each course is complemented by the restaurant's wines, which reveal more with each passing hour. It becomes clear that wine here is not merely an accompaniment, but an integral part of the restaurant's identity.

Dimora Cottanera is not a place for haste, nor is it a hotel for those seeking to count luxuries. It is a retreat for those who wish to experience them. Everything here is authentic, nothing ostentatious. Winemaking and hospitality belong together naturally – like memories and the present.

I recommend this place because it creates something rare:

It offers security, peace, and a quiet, deeply lasting form of happiness. And you leave with the feeling that you're taking something with you that doesn't fit in your luggage.

Insider tip:

Reserve suite number 6 – the corner room with an outdoor bathtub and a view of the vineyards.