Daily Weird News Report
Shalise Barnes expected to renovate and resell a cave in Sicily. Instead, the 30-year-old interior designer made it her permanent home after a break-up, saying the property gave her “a lot of peace and stability” during a difficult period.
Barnes bought the 85-square-metre property sight unseen in June 2026 for £47,255, or 55,000 euros. At the time, she intended to “flip it” and rent it out. But when she visited the cave several weeks later, she said she immediately fell in love with its size, high ceilings and unusual layout.
The property had already been converted into a residence by its previous owner in 2006. It has electricity, running water, a kitchen, bathroom, water heater and an upstairs bedroom. From the outside, its facade resembles a conventional house, while the entrance opens into the cave interior.
Barnes, who was living in Amsterdam, decided to stay in Sicily following her separation. She furnished the previously sparse home with bookshelves, soft lighting and large furniture, and said she spent her first months reading in a hammock. She lives there with her dog and three cats.
According to Barnes, the cave costs about £129, or 150 euros, a month to run. She also says its underground setting helps regulate the temperature, keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The home has a pellet stove and air-conditioning, although she expects to use them infrequently.
Cave living has brought practical complications. Barnes has to open the doors and windows to reduce humidity, while the soft limestone creates dust that requires frequent cleaning. Insects are another constant presence: she has found three scorpions, regularly sees large spiders and finds crickets in her home. She said she now treats them as “housemates” and even leaves some cobwebs in place.
Barnes believes the cave may once have housed farm animals before becoming a bakery in the 1900s, based on information from the former owner and her own research. Old keys and a painting of a patron saint were also found at the property; Barnes believes they could be hundreds of years old and keeps them on display.
She has documented the home online, where a TikTok video has received more than 2.9 million views. Alongside admiration, she has faced comments warning about mould, flooding, lung cancer and even demons. Barnes said she tries to laugh at the misconceptions while continuing to adapt the cave to her life.
