4 bedrooms house, 250 m²

Fivizzano, Massa-Carrara (province)

Lunigiana

Converted stone farmhouse with land set in a lovely location, just 10 minutes walk from the medieval market town of Fivizzano.

The house is accessed by car to a stone flagged courtyard forming private parking. Entrance from a portico to entrance hall with arch to living room with fireplace, fully built-in kitchen/diner opening onto covered terrace. Also downstairs is a double bedroom, bathroom, study alcove and laundry room on the ground floor. Upstairs there are three good bedrooms and a further bathroom.

There is a spacious cantina room for storage on the lower ground floor. Central heating.

The house has a wealth of character with exposed beams, stone surrounds and antique terracotta floors. The land extends to 4,000 sqm (around an acre) including a meadow with lovely views. It is likely that planning permission would be granted for a swimming pool.

The property is in the heart of beautiful countryside with the larger town of Fivizzano just on the doorstep. Often referred to as the Florence of Lunigiana, this medieval walled town is both beautiful and practical with supermarkets, restaurants and coffee bars. The bustling town hosts many cultural events over the summer with concerts in the piazza and reenactments of medieval parades and with its musical heritage the town also attracts international musicians during its annual folk music festival. There is a hospital, shops and restaurants in the town.

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: Fivizzano on the doorstep, Aulla (motorway and trains) 15 km, Lerici (beaches) 30 km, Cinque Terre 40 km, Lucca 90 km, Pisa (airport) 95 km.