Welcome Home

Named after the Sicilian word cumpà — short for compare and meaning friend, companion, someone you trust like family — Casa Cumpà will be a house to gather in — for shared meals, long conversations, and return visits. We’re starting building in early 2026, with care and a clear path to completion by the end of 2028.

Rather than rushing or overextending, we’re choosing to build it properly and fund it in a way that preserves the spirit of the place.

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A home shaped by land and time

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The House

Casa Cumpà will be a two-bedroom holiday home designed to host 4–6 guests at a time. It’s intended for families, or groups of friends who feel like family—people comfortable sharing space, meals, and time together.

The property accounts for about an acre of land within Sicily’s Madonie National Park. Its location balances privacy and access, being just 10 minutes Collesano’s downtown, 25 minutes from Cefalù’s iconic beach, and an hour drive from the capital city of Palermo.

Inside, there will be two bedrooms (one ensuite), a kitchen, living room, and dining area. Outside, plans include a pool, outdoor kitchen, rooftop terrace, and private backyard. Guests will enjoy open mountain and sea views, and total privacy from the eastern side.

The land is dotted with olive trees (enough for a small production, which we’re planning on taking advantage of!). Tucked below the terrace is a small artist studio/workshop (from the original build), offering a dedicated place for creative projects.

Casa Cumpà is being built on the site of an abandoned 1970s holiday home, which has now been fully demolished. Construction is beginning, with the goal of welcoming our first guests in 2029.

 

Founding Stays

Rather than working with outside investors or scaling the project beyond what feels right, we’re choosing to fund the build ourselves - with the help of community. Founding stays are available for those who believe in Casa Cumpà in its early stages and want to be part of bringing it into existence.

A Founding Stay secures you a future stay at Casa Cumpà once the house is complete, while your payment directly supports construction today.

Founding guests will:

  • Secure advance stay value at Casa Cumpà, applied to future stays once the house opens

  • Receive priority access to the booking calendar before public availability

  • Receive periodic updates as the project moves forward

  • Be among the first guests welcomed once the house is complete

Why we’re doing it this way

Casa Cumpà is meant to remain small, personal, and thoughtfully built. Funding the project through Founding Stays allows us to move forward without compromising the scale, pace, or spirit of the house.

It also allows those who support the project early to be meaningfully connected to its beginning.

If you’re interested in becoming a Founding Guest, you can explore available stays here. If you have questions, we’re always happy to talk.

How it began

Casa Cumpà began with a shared desire to build something lasting, rooted in nature, connection, and art.

Hi! We’re Gus and Gina. We’re American expats living in Lisbon, Portugal. When we first met, we realized we had the shared dream of a home in the countryside that we can escape to, share with friends and family, open up to other people’s friends and families, and host artist retreats & residencies. We had a pretty specific place in mind: in nature, close to the sea, private but not too private, somewhere with a sense of community. After a few months of casual browsing, we saw the listing for this project (land and pre-approved plans) and were on a flight to Sicily to see it in person the next week.

When we visited, it was a quick yes. We saw a place that celebrated nature while inspiring connectivity and creativity.

Casa Cumpà is being built alongside our own evolving life. A week after signing, we were pregnant with our first baby! This project is shaped by where we are now and where we hope to be — guided by care, intention, and the belief that the best places take time to come into being.