Italy If topography dictates the panorama, geo-


logy shapes the local architecture. In rock- peppered Chianti, casolari and farmhouses are usually built in the local Albarese stone, which, explain Mr Fawcett and Mr Thomson,


` when cut, is greyish blue' . Broken up by external shutters and topped with terracotta- tiled roofs, the cool-hued stone gives houses a strong rustic flavour, which is especially popular with international buyers.


` The diversity of Tuscan landscapes allows people to find the perfect setting to suit their preferences'


Travel southwards past Siena, and the


Albarese grey gives way first to Le Crete' s warm red bricks, then to the rose and yellow stones of Val d' Orcia. Home to some of Italy' s most famous wines, including Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepul- ciano, Val d' Orcia is the archetypal Sienese landscape, where ancient casolari overlook lush farmed fields and tidy rows of vines.


` The Val D' Orcia landscape is truly amazing, with magnificent depths, because there are soft hills of different heights that make for ample views,' says Eugenio Greco of Hamp- tons Italy. Only a handful of miles separate Val d' Orcia from Chianti, and house prices are nearly on a par, but the landscape is so fundamentally different that ` people are for either one of the other,' explain Mr Fawcett and Mr Thomson. ` They will either love Val D' Orcia, or they will love Chianti.' That said, both places are highly sought


after and it is becoming difficult to find rus- tici to restore from scratch. Instead, there is a good selection of period villas and farm- houses that may at most need a touch-up. Also available are managed homes in con- verted borghi, which are increasingly popular thanks to their ease of maintenance. Further east, the municipality of Cortona


FOR SALE €2.34m


Chianti Set between Radda and Panzano, this 11th-century castle enjoys 360˚ views over the surrounding vineyards Savills (020± 7016 3740)


FOR SALE €290k


Val di Chiana This gated development, west of Cortona, is a sensitive conversion of three Tuscan farmhouses, now seven apartments. Built in brick and stone,


the units retain a traditional feel indoors, with stone fireplaces, handmade terracotta tiles and brick arches. Three of the apartments have two bedrooms, three have three bedrooms, and there is also a one-bedroom cottage Cluttons Italy (00 39 3 491 327 177)


has hills that rise high above the flat Val di Chiana, giving superb views. ` From the hills of Cortona, you can see 60 miles to Mont- pulciano, Lake Trasimeno and the country- side towards Arezzo,' says Roger Coombes of Cluttons Italy. The terrain is so steep that, in the town of Cortona itself, there is only one flat road, the Via Nazionale (also known as Ruga Piana, or ` Flat Street' ). Medieval Cortona has narrow, sloping alleys lined with exposed stone or plastered town houses. In the surrounding countryside, buildings are predominantly made of local stone, which has an attractive grey hue. A good number of these stone farmhouses


come up for sale at any given time, and you can still find the odd rustico to restore, although ` there aren' t so many left,' accord- ing to Mr Coombes. Borghi apartments and village houses can also be found, both in the Val di Chiana and, more rarely, on the hill- sides. Cortona prices depend on location and condition, but usually remain in the region


of €3,000 to €4,000 per square metre, reaching the €5,000s for the most sought- after properties. This is up to €1,000 per square metre less than the 2008 peak value.


Tuscany by sea


If Chianti and Cortona have seen a reduction in value, albeit modest, prices show little sign of dipping in Tuscany' s most fashionable seaside resorts, which are among the most expensive in Italy. The Tuscan coastline is just under 400 miles long, with 250 on the mainland and the rest on the islands of the Tuscan archipelago. Some stretches have jagged cliffs, but most of the shoreline is taken up by long expanses of golden sand. The quintessential beach resort of this kind


is Forte dei Marmi, in the Versilia district. The village became popular with Italian aristo- crats in the early 20th century, says Beatrice Sidoli of Winkworth Italy, and, later, with entrepreneurs from the north of the country. In their wake came private lidos with bars


NEED TO KNOW Why buy now


Whether you buy in the costly Lucca hill- sides or elsewhere in Tuscany, all agents agree that now is as good a time as any to make your purchase. ` Prices have come off a little and are realistic,' say Knight Frank' s Mr Thomson and Mr Fawcett. ` We can' t know what will happen to the exchange rate, but prices have softened a bit,' adds Cluttons' Mr Coombes. ` You would be buying at slightly better terms now than in 2008, and the underlying values for the region are strongÐ so buy in Tuscany.'


52 Country Life International, Spring 2011 www.countrylife.co.uk/international


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