This house stands in the hillside with views that reach as far as the sea and the island of Elba. After having bought it over ten years ago the owner had it adapted for the purpose of an all-season homestead. The task was not easy given the dimension of the house. Its relatively small volume had to be converted into livable space with a functional layout. This was achieved by not maximizing the number of rooms but opting for an open interior design. The living room with its roof-high ceiling adds a lofty appearance to the ambiance of the house. The sleeping rooms are placed along the stairs and the master bedroom with the bathroom next door over the dining area opens onto the living room. Particular attention has been paid to the windows and shutters both for durability and insulation. It has a modern kitchen with appliances of the likes. Accordingly the fireplace has been designed to provide for good heating. All of this will make you feel at home no matter what is going on outside!

The farmhouse comes with its own completely fenced land. The part sloping towards the valley is cultivated with olive and fruit trees. The house has a lawn with flower beds, rearwards the owner has planted some lines of vine, adjoining a strip of cork-oaks. You can produce your own food or enjoy nature from out of the swimming pool on hot days. And the fabulous views over the hills and plains running off into the sea. Although the property is at some distance from the village it is not isolated as there are neighbors around. The next house is some 200 metres away and can barely be seen through the vegetation along the road.

The village can be reached within 5 minutes by car. It is fit for buying daily goods and there is a even a pizzeria offering panoramic views - and some freshness in the summer for the lowlanders. For mass shopping one would go to Grosseto or Follonica which combined with a visit to one of the beautiful beaches makes for a good day trip. Or explore the paths through the woods around. Some of them go as far as Montorsaio.

HOUSE: 5 rooms, 1 bathroom with shower-stall, 1 guest-toilet, livable surface around 80 sq.m (96 sq. yards) plus further 30 sq.m (36 sq. yards) in adjoining rooms (storeroom and cellar). Modern-comfily renovated, fully equipped kitchen, wood stove and fireplace in the living. Main bedroom opens onto the living room. Veranda outside of the living room, large pergola walled up two-thirds on the rear and side. Most suitable for a (small) family given the possibility to convert some of the rooms (ref. Potentiality).

LAND: 1.7 hectares (4.2 acres) completely fenced off with 90 olive trees, 40 fruit trees, 80 cork oaks and 360 vines. Partly terraced garden surrounding the house. Fabricated swimming pool 5x10 m with views as far as the sea. Large storehouse with every possible tool for running the farm (tools and machinery sold separately).

POSITION: The property is about 2 km distant from the village. No modern-day infrastructure in sight. Level white top access road in good conditions and thus easy to drive on with a normal car. From the village to Grosseto it is around 20 km, 10 km to the Aurelia-freeway offering good connections to both Rome and Livorno/Pisa.

PRICE: (asking) 620’000 Euro.

There is a possibility to increase livable space by converting adjoining rooms, maybe by enclosing the pergola.

Back in 17th century, when keeping a house warm was not as easy as today, finding a position with good temperate climate was quite important. This house has some of the necessary elements: Standing in Monte Albano’s southwest-oriented hillside it is protected from the cold Tramontana winds during winter. Being above the Arno-valley it gets also more sunshine. And during summer there is quite often a draft of air that lessens the sensation of heat experienced in the valley below. Let alone the sensation one gets from the views reaching from the Apennine and over the valley to the hills of Siena Province.

The house underwent complete restoration before the owner moved in some twenty years ago. Insulating the roof was of great benefit as well as installing an automatic central heating system that can be set to serve the in-law apartment only. This and the parquet flooring in all upstairs sleeping rooms makes it a reasonably comfortable house to live in all year long. And so do the many windows that provide for plenty of natural light.
At the main entrance sits a nowadays unused huge fireplace, which gives an idea of how it used to be in the times of past. There the cooking for the whole lot took place. And the social part of a peasant’s life in the country. Presumably the room next to it was the living and eating area and one room with the entrance. Today it is walled off and storing the delicate garden plants during winter - a so-called “Limonaia”.

The house holds other fireplaces, a big one is lodged in the main living room upstairs. Another one in the living room of the in-law apartment which occupies one third of the ground floor (of which one third is made up of store rooms). Every kitchen - two of them on the upper floor - has a small fireplace for cooking. Two kitchens, two bathrooms: the upper floor could be easily split into two units, each with two sleeping rooms and separate front doors. A large terrace accessed from the main living room enables unparalleled al-fresco dinners for almost as many guests as you can imagine. The sunset over the valley below and the starlit sky above make a perfect backdrop.

One side of the property runs along the road serving the neighborhood. It is also the highest part of the land which then becomes more and more sloping towards the valley. The house itself is close to the road for good access and best views. Although this brings some difficulties in maintaining the land it translates into both spectacular and unobstructable views over the valley. Most of the land is stood with old olive trees. There is a deep well, too, used for irrigation and the pool.
Within minutes Lamporecchio is reached for daily shopping and more. From the town good roads and motorways connect to Versilia's shores and cities of art. The centers of Florence and Pisa are reached in one hour and even Bologna is at day-trip distance.

HOUSE: 13 rooms of which 3 sleeping rooms upstairs and 2 in the in-law apartment, 3 kitchens, several fireplaces, 3 bathrooms and 1 guest-toilet for a total of around 350 sq.meters (420 sq.yards), including the 80 sq.m (96 sq.yards)-apartment on ground floor with own access and fully equipped kitchen. Central heating can be set for heating the apartment only. Parquet in the sleeping rooms upstairs. Terrace outside the main living room holding store rooms underneath. Opposite the house a small outbuilding of 35 sq.m (42 sq.yards) used as an atelier and made of stone. Very much suited as main residence of a (large) family with ample room for guests.

LAND: 4.5 hectares (11.2 acres) completely fenced with 750 old olive trees yielding some 800 liter (212 gal) of prime extra vergine oil. Garden around the house, front yard partly covered with cotto tiles. Storehouse for garden tools (can be bought apart). Fabricated 10x4 m (32x13 ft) pool and well.

POSITION: The property lies in the hillside of Monte Albano 10 min away from the town, on the border of a hamlet with great views. Easily accessed by a blacktop road linking the hamlet to town centre. Set right in the middle of the lower Valdarno-valley with a functioning road system - highways can be reached in less than half an hour. Florence and Pisa are about 45 min away.

PRICE: 1’000’000 Euro.

The house can be easily divided into ground floor and upper floor for 2 to 3 families. On the back there is space for a second Car-Park, a gate is already built in the fence. One of the under-terrace store rooms could be restored for living purposes.

The Etruscans, very able in terms of choosing locations, already sensed the special aura of Lazio’s Maremma. They founded “Turchuna” in the most southern point of their reign close to the sea where the climate is mild all year long. What makes it also relatively dry is the gently climbing hinterland towards Tuscania protected by the hill-range of the “Monti della Tolfa” to the south. Fog is unreal to this place. The property is real, though, and in a fairy-like position, too.

The history of this house dates back to the 15th century - the foundations have been laid on remnants of Etruscan origin, guarantee of a fabulous position. No obstacles, hills or towns, hamper the sight of the sea and the promontory of Monte Argentario. Best enjoyed from the “Colombaia” and its two terraces on each side atop upper floor. The dovecote, symbol of the farmhouses of the Leopoldinian period, has been added to the two-story farmhouse later on. This one is for man’s use only and accordingly holds full-scale rooms with high ceilings, but a quite narrow staircase.

The upper floor and the Colombaia have been uninhabited for a longer period. Nevertheless the house’s inside is in quite good a shape and gets also used now and then by the owner. The structure is in good conditions and boasts two fireplaces and vaulted ceilings on ground floor. Which has to be redone as is common practice with all ground floors of old buildings. Add to this a complete renovation including improving the kitchen and sanitary fittings and things look very nice!

There are further buildings on the estate that can be made livable. Enabling thus an array of solutions in spite of the fact that the property is located in a protected area which forbids new buildings. The land is sloping except the area around the house and needs some landscaping to make it a real nice place.

Tarquinia’s old city centre, stood with medieval towers as seen in Tuscan towns, is 10 minutes off by car. There are other places of interest around, too. The “Palazzi” built during 14th to 16th centuries, for instance. One of them, Palazzo Vitelleschi, hosts the National Museum of Etruscan Culture with a permanent display of interesting archeological artifacts. Civitavecchia is the next big city to go to. From its harbor leave the ferries to the islands and other destinations of the Mediterranean.

HOUSE: 8 rooms, 2 fireplaces, 2 bathrooms, surface approx. 340 sq. metres (406 sq. yards) including the “dovecote” of around 40 sqm (48 sq. yards) on top floor, divided into 3 rooms (height 2.75 meter/9 feet) and with 2 terraces. Ceramic and Cotta flooring. Once restored it will be perfect for permanent residence of a (large) family with plenty of room for guests.

LAND: 7.4 hectares (18.3 acres), level area around the house, sloping elsewhere. Several outbuildings with some further 130 sq. metres (155 sq. yards) of space. The property lies in a protected area.

POSITION: The property is located in about 5 minutes distance from Tarquinia direction Rome. The main house sits on top of the land with all-around views. Property-owned access way from the public road leading to the motorway Livorno-Grosseto-Rome (entrance within 2 minute’s drive). Rome’s international airport is an hour off, Civitavecchia and harbor 20 min. The beaches a mere 8 km. The area is of great cultural and historic value.

PRICE: 1’000’000 Euro.

The house can be easily divided into ground floor and upper floors for 2 families. A separate access with interior staircase already exists. Being in an archeological area should not prevent from reopening the walled-up windows in the northeast facade. Adjusting the access road is mandatory but can be done together with general landscaping.

On the main road leading from the valley to the once bristling monastery lies this property for sale. Behind the house nature extends over a creek beneath to a wooded hillside. It is a quiet dwelling far from hectic (and touristic) places like Sienna and surroundings. Though not far away from it – in less than a quarter of an hour one can be strolling in the pedestrian zone of the famous city. The valley itself is predominantly agricultural with the Siena-Grosseto road running at the far side of it.

The property is set on two stories. Above the road there are the living quarters divided into a living room with kitchenette and fireplace and – staggered – the bedroom and a bathroom with showers. Access via a staircase that is used in common with another apartment. The roomheight varies between three and four meters.

The level below the road contains a separate room accessible via the staircase. It is partly dug into the bedrock but due to scarce lighting from one window it is not particularly suitable for living purposes. All rooms come with with tile flooring, genuine wooden beam-ceilings and central heating.
Restoration work resulted in quite a high building quality even to present-day standard. At the same time the stonework has been secured, too.

The village of Rosia is a five minutes drive away offering convenience stores and other facility. Cities like Florence and Grosseto, both with (international) connections, and the motorway to Rome are easily reached via main roads.

HOUSE: Apartment in terraced house in the outer row looking south. “Ground”-floor: living room with fireplace and kitchenette. Sleeping room and bathroom in the mezzanine part. Livable surface about 44 sq.m (53 sq.yards) plus 24 sq.m (29 sq.yards) of the basement room. Access via internal staircase also used by neighboring flat. Cotto flooring, wooden beam-ceilings and radiators in all rooms (central gas heating). Single-glazed wood windows with internal shutters.

LAND: none.

POSITION: Public parking (toll-free) in square at the end of the road a mere 100 metres away. Road is one-way and for residents only. 5 min drive to Rosia for daily needs as well as to the main road Florence-Sienna-Grosseto. Florence and Grosseto in less than 1 hr., to the motorway to Rome as well as to the pedestrian zone of the famous provincial capital within 45 min.

PRICE: 200’000 Euro