Sora, Frosinone, Lazio, Italy

A spectacular modern home with sweeping views, large terraces and a private garden, Villa Ara Vecchia is named for 'aia' ('ara' in the local dialect): an old threshing circle which has been lovingly restored and incorporated as one of the entertaining terraces.

Gates open onto the sweeping drive of Ara Vecchia, past the fenced private garden (with ample flat space for a swimming pool), and the stone storeroom. The aia creates a large upper terrace, with sweeping views across the Valle di Comino, Valle Roveto and Valle dei Monti Lepini. Its curved shape is picked up and echoed in the design of the house, which shares one wall with the adjacent villa which is of a similar cutting-edge design.

Stairs lead down to the second large terrace, which opens off the dining and sitting areas.

From the front door, you are greeted by a vision of curving walls and circular ceilings. The main living area is open plan, with a log fireplace and french doors onto the lower terrace. The well-fitted elegant kitchen is also on this level, as is a bathroom.

Spiral stairs lead down to another entertaining level: a cosy room with a large log fireplace, a cellar carved into the solid rock and a small extra kitchen. This area also has its own direct street access.

From the main living area, stairs curve up, past the study/library (with another fireplace), to the bedrooms, which, like the study, are parquet floor throughout. Two of the three bedrooms open onto another balcony. There is a further bathroom on this level.

There is also a very large garage, with two roller shutter entrances. The property enjoys excellent road access.

Energy classification: G


THE CIOCIARIA REGION

The Ciociaria region is within easy reach of both Rome and Naples and their respective airports. A day's shopping in Rome is a common pastime, while an even shorter drive brings you to the charming beaches south of Rome. Alternatively, drive east, and the mountains of the Abruzzo National Park await with horse trekking in the magnificent beech forests, and sparkling mountain lakes and rivers where you can swim in the heat of the summer. And at the other extreme of temperature, although Sora itself is temperate, less than an hour's drive brings you to the winter ski slopes.

Often overlooked, both by tourists and by those foreigners in search of an Italian home, in favour of the more publicized regions of Tuscany and Umbria, the Ciociaria remains largely an unspoilt gem with beautiful scenery and medieval hilltop towns. A home or second home in the Ciociaria, in the hilltop towns of Arpino, Veroli, Alatri or in the rolling countryside that surrounds them, will afford you a setting where over two thousand years of history combine with an idyllic rural Italian lifestyle, where you can still discover the 'real' Italy and take time out from the busy crowds of the larger tourist cities, while being less than ninety minutes journey from central Rome or either of Rome's two airports.

VIA ROMANA Srls and CASE & CASALI REAL ESTATE AGENCY

Via Romana Srls is an Italian-incorporated company owned by a British/Australian Chartered Accountant and her photographer daughter, and offers a package of services to facilitate all aspects of the purchase and restoration of Italian property by overseas clients. The Via Romana team works in collaboration with various fully-licensed Italian real estate agencies including Case & Casali Real Estate Agency represented by Sig. Ciro Tomei. Sig. Tomei has been enrolled in the register of real estate agents at the Chamber of Commerce in Frosinone, Lazio since 2007 and has much experience in the international marketing of Italian real estate.