Picturesque Island Near Sicily Could Be Yours for as Little as $1.1 Million

Want to get away from the world without becoming a complete hermit? A private island less than 1000 feet off the coast of Sicily is currently up for sale, according to Travel + Leisure.

The island is called Isola delle Femmine, which means “Island of Women.” However, considering that there are no people to speak of on the island, you’ll enjoy complete privacy and unobstructed views of the Mediterranean. The island also affords pleasant temperatures year-round, excellent scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities, and close access to the city of Palermo—so long as you have a boat.

Sure, there are no houses or infrastructure, and it will set you back at least $1.1 million, but that’s fairly cheap for an island in southern Italy. According to CNN Travel, the asking price was originally $3.9 million, but there weren’t any takers. The aristocratic family that owns the island is now willing to consider offers between $1.1 and $3.3 million.

The only structure on the “baby isle,” as it’s known locally, is a crumbling stone tower from the 17th century. According to one legend, the island was named after 13 Turkish women who sought refuge on the spot after being cast out from their families. The actual explanation is a little less exciting. “The name stems from Latin and simply means 'island of frontier,' a safe haven of protection from the open sea,” Paola Pilo Bacci, whose family owns the island, tells CNN.

Italy’s housing market has fallen on troubled times, and Pilo Bacci’s family has been struggling to manage their other properties. Earlier this year, homes in the Italian town of Sambuca were selling for as little as $1 (as long as the new owners promised to invest $17,000 in home repairs). Not long after, the village of Locana made an even more irresistible offer, promising to pay families $10,300 to move there. The latter offer was part of an effort to repopulate the town, and prospective owners had to have at least one child.