Tuscany, Lunigiana, Pontremoli, Italy

Set in the historical centre of the beautiful town of Pontremoli .

Entered from the cobbled lanes and up a stone staircase to an open-plan kitchen, two bedrooms and bathroom.

Complete with all mains services and central heating.

The property offers an excellent 'pied-a-terre' with the town on the doorstep.

Pontremoli was built between two rivers as an expansion of the central castle. Wherever you look, you will find elegant palazzos with internal courtyards overlooking the river, porticos and stylish piazzas. The cobbled lanes leading up to the castle are flanked with stone houses and interlinking arches. The twin arched roman bridges are the gateway on either side of the town. Pontremoli has a good selection of shops and restaurants, a theatre, hospital and the famous Castello which houses a museum. The central Piazza della Repubblica has traditional cafès where you can mingle with authors as the town hosts the most important Italian book prize. Don’t miss the imposing white marble Cathedral and colourful street market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Lunigiana is a magical part of Tuscany. The hills that encircle Lunigiana create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere whilst the blend of the mountains and sea are extremely inviting to those who enjoy the outdoors. The rolling landscape is liberally sprinkled with castles of Medici or Malaspina vintage but for lovers of the coast the sea is only half-an-hours’ drive away. Lunigiana is special and has been likened to a magical kingdom. It is not only the breath-taking scenery with its abundance of medieval castles but you simply feel a huge sense of wellbeing radiating from the sunshine, glorious countryside, delicious food and wine, kind friendly locals and most importantly, from the sense of tradition and community amongst people here that is rarely seen in modern day life.

The golden sandy beaches around Lerici and the pebble coves of the Cinque Terre are ideal for swimming and sailing in the summer while the snow clad mountains offer skiing in the local resorts during the winter months and are each a short drive away. The area is criss-crossed with marked footpaths for walks to the hills and mountains. The airports of Pisa, Parma and Genova are all within an hours’ drive.

Distances: Pontremoli on the doorstep (supermarkets, trains, autostrada), Lerici (beaches) 40 km, Cinque Terre 45 km, Parma 80 km, Lucca 95 km, Pisa (airport) 100 km.