A castle for the price of a car: how a girl cheated life, having bought a medieval palace

A 28-year-old woman gave up renting in a big city and bought a 17-room medieval mansion in Sicily for a price significantly lower than a modern car. She began a large-scale renovation of the historic house and plans to set up a library.

The historic building, dating back about 600 years, requires significant investment and changes to make it habitable. According to the owner of the building, Kiki Lee, she had to remodel several rooms into a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and even a library, which she plans to create in memory of the previous owner, a Sicilian scientist.

"17 rooms. 27 thousand euros. 4 months of work. Still far from finished, but the dream is gradually becoming a reality," she said about the renovation process. She also noted that the price was the first reason for interest, but over time she received much more - new friends, healthy food, a calm lifestyle and beautiful weather.

Kiki Lee from Canada, who used to live in Los Angeles, admitted that for a long time she could not afford housing in big cities because of the crazy rent prices, which sometimes reached almost 2 thousand pounds a month for a one-bedroom apartment. Moving to Sicily changed her life, and the costs of maintaining a house and living there are much lower.

According to rough estimates, the total investment in the restoration of the medieval mansion will be from 101 to 118 thousand pounds sterling (120-140 thousand euros). She wants to create a space where she can gather family and friends, as well as organize a spa with a jacuzzi and sauna.

While the renovation is underway, the owner divides her time between Sicily, Canada and Los Angeles. She is sure that investing in a house is not only acquiring real estate, but also an opportunity to live differently, with greater pleasure and freedom.