News
Spa with a view
A
LONG the length of the Apennine peninsular rises a series of thermal springs where, for hun- dreds of years, people have come to experience their healing powers. To many, the concept of
salus per aquam, or spa, now means a place of massage, candles and meditative music. But, to the Italians, a spa remains about the treatment of ailments through thermal waters. Until only 20 years ago, if a patient had a prescrip- tion, the state would fund sojourns for up to 15 days to treat problems from bronchitis to arthritis. Today, ` patients' come on their own account, and one of the country' s finest termi rises high in the hills of southern Tuscany at San Casciano dei Bagni. ` The practice of taking the waters is gaining favour once more,' says Mauro Bonacini, manager of the Fonteverde Natural Spa Resort. The hotel is about to launch Fonteverde Living, a collection of two-bedroom and studio apartments a few hundred yards from the spa' s outdoor thermal water pools with spectacular views (above), just beneath the medieval village of San Casciano. ` Many of us dream of owning a house in the Tuscan hills, but the reality is complicated. Here, people can own an apart- ment and have use of the spa pools on their doorstep, but leave the management to our staff.' Owners can rent the apartments back to the hotel when they' re not in use, keeping 60% of the income. ` It' s a year-round destination,' says Lucy Russell of Quintessentially Estates. ` Even during the winter, you can relax outside in the hot springsÐ it really is something quite special.' Large, one-bedroom
studios start at €420,000, two-bedroom apartments from €950,000, plus annual management fees with Quintessenti- ally Estates (0845 224 3658;
www.quintessentially.com).
44 Country Life International, Summer 2010
Take three: apartments in Tuscany and Umbria
Chianni, Tuscany, €250,000
A collection of one-, two- and three- bedroom homes in Borgo, Chianni, 30 minutes from Pisa and less than an hour from Florence (0870 890 9936;
www.realitalia.co.uk). Upside A very reasonable price for Tuscany Downside The pool is communal
San Vittorino, Umbria, £355,000
Eight period farm buildings restored to create one- and three-bedroom homes 30 minutes from Perugia, with 120 acres of private country- side, a pool and a tennis court (020± 3178 4975;
www.ultissimo.com). Upside Properties can be let Downside No daily UK flights
Palazzo Tornabuoni, Florence, €1.6m
The only privately owned Medici palace in Italy, now converted into stylish apartments (0870 609 8555;
www.palazzotornabuoni.com) Upside Club membership includes a concierge service to arrange tours of vineyards and art collections Downside The crowds outside
www.countrylife.co.uk/international
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84