Tuscany, Lunigiana, Aulla, Italy

Detached villa with lovely views and land. Lovingly restored by the current owners with many original features.

The property is conveniently located within walking distance of station, shops, restaurants, etc.

Entered through a gated drive. A lovely portico with views runs the length of the house.

The living room with beamed ceiling and fireplace opens out to the fitted kitchen, there is also a bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor,

Upstairs is a further bedroom with ensuite bathroom and another large room with views.

The garden is planted with fruit trees.

A detached cantina offers ample room for storage.

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. Licciana Nardi 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.

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 'passeggiata al mare' and sipping an aperitivo. 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: Aulla (shops, autostrada, trains) 1 km, Fivizzano 10 km, Lerici (beaches) 25 km, Cinque Terre 30 km, Lucca 90 km, Pisa (airport) 90 km, Portofino 100 km, Florence 150 km.