Hus 10 sovrum, 474 m²

Mulazzo, Massa-Carrara (provins)

Lunigiana

Set in green countryside of the Lunigiana hills this property sits along the ancient Francigena pilgrimage route which takes travellers through some of the most beautiful parts of Italy. The farmhouse was totally restored in 2006 with great care to the materials used; all reclaimed and original with natural colours and retaining the true Tuscan character with terracotta floors, brick and stone arches and wooden beamed ceilings. The accommodation is both comfortable and atmospheric and as a result, the owners currently run a very successful guesthouse business.

The main house is on two floors with an entrance on the lower level into the kitchen/ dining room with large cooker and fireplace and with mezzanine gallery. Living room, master double bedroom with ensuite shower room, further double bedroom and another double bedroom with mezzanine and with bathroom and shower and with stairs up to the main bedroom level.

On the ground floor, up the stairs from the main living space, are five double bedrooms, each with ensuite and a private sitting area, each of which can be accessed independently from outside. Also on the ground floor is a guest unit with independent entrance comprising a living room with kitchenette, a double bedroom and bathroom. In all, there are ten double bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Additionally there is a good office area, wine-cellar with temperature regulator and a sauna. A particularly striking feature of the property is a very large living room/ dining room and with kitchen, with extensive views over the beautiful gardens and doors which open onto the terrace.

The swimming pool is 13m x 6m with a spacious area around for sunbathing. The grounds are well-landscaped , there is a pretty pond and a number of terraces offering sun and shady areas. The land is 9,400 sqm of which 6,700 sqm is garden and 2,700 sqm is woodland. There are three wooden sheds of good size in the grounds.

Services include mains water and electricity, central heating, solar panels and good wifi. High quality fittings, including windows, doors and lights. With private, gated driveway and easy parking the villa is approached from the main town of Aulla (with autostrada exit) or from Pontremoli (also with autostrada exit) which are roughly equidistant.

The villa is on the edge of a small village 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 Florence are a must.

The Ligurian coastline is within easy reach. The Cinque Terre (UNESCO World Heritage site) is made up of the five fishing villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore and the 18km of coastal walks along the old mule-tracks between them, the most famous of which is the Via dell’Amore. Just south of the Cinque Terre is Portovenere where you can catch a ferry to the Cinque Terre or to Lerici, swim at Byron’s Bay or visit one of the islands Palmaria, Tino or Tinetto. The villages of Lerici and San Terenzo, each with impressive castles, face each other across the Gulf of the Poets and Tellaro has been named as one of the top 100 most beautiful hamlets in Italy. Neighbouring Fiascherino is just as beautiful. In addition to being known as a seaside tourist town, Viareggio is famous for its Carnival in February and the Puccini Festival during July and August. So the Ligurian coastline offers endless possibilities for days swimming or sailing, or for catching a boat trip or for simply taking a 'passegqiata al mare' and sipping an apertivo.

The Ligurian coastline is special and Lunigiana, the northernmost part of Tuscany, is magical. The rolling landscape is liberally sprinkled with castles of Medici or Malaspina vintage and the year round calendar of festivals offer wonderful local specialities to try in each of the ancient towns and villages. The airports of Pisa, Parma and Genova are all just over an hour away.

Distances: Villafranca 3 km, Fillatiera 8 km, Pontremoli 10 km, Aulla 10 km, Lerici (beaches) 30 km, Cinque Terre 40 km, Pietrasanta 60 km,Viareggio 80 km, Lucca 90 km, Parma (airport) 85km, Pisa (airport) 100 km.