Villa

Restored farmhouse with detached stone barn, land and swimming pool

The villa is accessed to a bright large hallway, there are 3 bedrooms and large bathroom with central bath, views and fireplace on this level. The cantinas downstairs have been tastefully restored maintaining the exposed stone walls and are used as a living room and kitchen opening onto the pool area and shaded courtyard. On the upper level, which can be accessed both with an internal or independent external staircase, there is a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and bathroom. Upstairs there is a further attic room.

The land extends to 13,500 square meters with meadows and woods.

The stone barn is on two levels and offers potential for restoration.

The villa is connected to main services and offers comfortable living with lovely country views.

A footpath leads to a lovely river below with waterfalls and natural rock pools for swimming.

Licciana Nardi (3 km) is a town in the Taverone valley with 13th century pedestrian street flanked with local shops. Central in the town is the Piazza del Municipio which hosts the 16th century Malaspina castle and many festivals such as the Chestnut Festival in the autumn. The castle is linked to the baroque church by a covered bridge so that the nobles had direct access to prayer and dealings with the local priest. There are also a bank, schools, restaurants and medical facilities. The nearby village of Monti has a castle on the hill above and offers a good selection of amenities.

Aulla is one the largest towns in Lunigiana; it has a good selection of shops, supermarkets, medical centre, public transport and links to the motorway. The historic town centre is the site of a marble fountain built in the year of Italian unity and the 16th century fortress called La Brunella is perched on a hill overlooking the town. The fortress now houses the Museum of Natural History of Lunigiana. Enjoy the colourful market hosted in the town centre every Saturday morning.

The villa is set in the countryside in the Lunigiana hills, only 10 kms from Aulla where there is a train station, supermarkets and shops and a similar distance from the ancient town of Pontremoli. Each year Pontremoli hosts a large festival, 'Medievalis' when the town is transformed into Medieval times with medieval camps, horse joisting, flag throwing competitions, live music, markets and street food. It also hosts the prestigious Premio Letterario Bancarella, the Italian literary prize voted for by booksellers originating from 1953 when first won by Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”. It is a lovely town to wander through, and the cathedral is definitely worth a visit. The nearby village of Filleto also undertakes a total transformation in August to host four days of medieval market stalls, traditional food, artisans and displays around the Italian summer holiday of Ferragosto. There are numerous country farm restaurants (agriturismi) to discover nearby serving local specialties and excellent walking trails abound. The small town of Villafranca is close by, set on the banks of the river Magra, and offers a selection of shops and restaurants, schools, chemist and one of the best cheese shops in the area.

There are many great day trips to explore. Lucca is a beautiful Tuscan town protected by massively thick 16th-century walls, featuring some of Italy's finest medieval and Renaissance architecture, superb dining, antique markets, classical and rock music at the Lucca Summer Festival and with easy access to stunning nearby villas in the surrounding hills. The central Piazza dell'Anfiteatro in the centre is stunning. Pietrasanta is a historic medieval and artistic town in northern Tuscany sometimes called the City of the Artists or Small Athens for its marble studios and monuments. It is an important centre for working marble and was used as a marble source by Michelangelo. And, of course, the art and architectural treasures of Flo.