Fregene, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Villa Rapallo is a stunning villa with lush garden, large pool, entertaining areas and a guest cottage, set in a quiet, exclusive beachside town. Only 300 metres from the beach, and few minutes stroll from cafes, restaurants and shops.

The main house is elegantly designed for indoor/outdoor living, with its huge open plan ground floor entertaining and sitting area opening onto a garden terrace, a large hidden patio with bar and pizza oven, and a further large conservatory area. Huge windows look out over the garden, although there is also a striking stone fireplace to make the villa cosy retreat in winter.

There is one bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor, as well prettily tiled kitchen.

The sweeping staircase leads up to the first floor, where on one side there is the master bedroom suite, a charming white and blue suite of rooms, with a bedroom, dressing room, bathroom and large private terrace. On the other side, there are a further three bedrooms (one with a mezzanine area) and another two bathrooms, one with a bath and one with a shower.

The staircase continues to the top floor, where there is a further room used by the villa's current live-in custodian.

The elegant guest cottage has its own entrance hall, opening on one side to a large living room with a carved stone fireplace and a small kitchen, and on the other to a large bedroom with ensuite bathroom.

The large swimming pool curves between the lawn and the tropical style garden, with another entertaining area at the far end, with loungers, change room, bathroom, bar and outdoor kitchen with grill and pizza oven.

A second outdoor entertaining area is in the 'hidden' courtyard between the house and the guest cottage: here there is a further dining area and sofas built into the stone walls, as well as a further outdoor kitchen area with a larger pizza oven.

The pedestrian gate opens onto a terracotta paved courtyard, with a path across the lawn to the guest cottage and the main house. From the driveway gate, you can walk down a wide trellissed walkway to a further covered seating area nestled against the walls of the house, and the main front door, or drive round the side of the house to the parking area, where there are also outdoor showers for those returning from the beach.

The beach itself is only a couple of minutes walk, and alternates areas of open white sand with lidos offering comfortable seating and fine beachside meals. In the other direction, you reach a shady park, and also an area with charming cafes, bars, restaurants and shops (including useful services such as a bank and a pharmacy), all within a few minutes walk of the villa. Rome itself is only half an hour's drive away, and the airport only 20 minutes.