FOR SALE €4.95m
Val d' Orcia Giardinello means little gar- den in Italian, but this care-
fully restored property near Montalcino has about five acres of formal, rose-strewn gardens, and verdant grounds shaded by oak, cypress and olive trees. The main residence is a five-bedroom stone house with vaulted ceilings, large fireplaces, and panoramic views across the surrounding countryside. A cottage is included in the sale Knight Frank (020± 7629 8171)
and restaurants, luxury shops that give London' s Knightsbridge a run for its money, and a lively club scene. ` For the Italians, Forte dei Marmi has been a destination of choice for decades,' says Miss Sidoli. ` There are families that have known one another for generations and meet every summer at the beach clubs.' The resort' s relatively recent history means
that houses mostly date from the 1960s to the 1980s, and may sometimes need renova- tion. Yet Forte' s housing prices are solidly in the region of €20,000 per square metre.
The art cities
Only properties in Tuscany' s art cities can command similar values to those of Forte, and particularly so Florence, which attracts both local and international demand. Historically the capital of Tuscany, Florence has the grandest feel (and the grandest prices). ` As well as monuments such as the Duomo
or the Battistero, it has plenty of aristocratic palazzi,' says Mr Greco. ` They have an opu- lence rarely seen elsewhere in Tuscany.' The most lavish properties are set on the north- ern Lungarni, the roads that flank the River
www.countrylife.co.uk/international
FOR SALE €640k
Cortona Set in Cortona' s historic centre, this town house has views to Lake Trasi- meno. Laid across two levels, it has three bedrooms, and can be finished to the owner' s taste Cluttons Italy (00 39 3 491 327 177)
Arno. ` Here, you can find apartments in palazzi that have 16ft± 23ft-high coffered ceilings and huge windows with views over the Arno or the Fiesole hill,' says Mr Greco. Alas, prices match this magnificence, reach- ing up to €14,500 per square metre. Although it was nearly as powerful and rich as Florence, Siena has a more sober look.
` It is a typical medieval city, perched up on a hill dominating a valley,' says Mr Greco.
` The streets are smaller and narrower than in Florence, and, although the types of prop- erties available are similarÐ usually, apart- ments in converted palazziÐ their archi- tectural style, Gothic, is far more austere.' Values are, however, far from austere, rang- ing from about €4,000 to about €9,000 per square metre for city-centre properties. Lucca is positively cheap by comparison,
with city-centre apartments fetching in the region of €3,600 to €4,400 per square metre. Once Italy' s second largest city-state, and one of the richest, Lucca has an individual
character that reflects its long history. The city centre is a rare blend of medieval, Renais- sance, Baroque and neo-Classical architec- ture, and this varied heritage appeals to sophisticated buyers looking for art, culture, food and wine slightly off the beaten track. Most of the properties for sale in the walled
city are in period buildings dating at the latest from the early 20th century. ` Some are very prestigious and expensive, others are more affordable and romantic,' says Miss Sidoli. What makes Lucca unique, however, are the Baroque villas in the hills around the city. Most of these houses were built by prominent families in the 17th and 18th cen- turies and are in ornate Baroque styleÐ an unusual sight in Tuscany, where the clean shapes of medieval architecture and the Clas-si- cal forms of the Renaissance predominate. The rarity, historic importance and grandeur of these villas makes them the objects of a highly confidential market with dizzying- prices, often €10 million± €20 million.
Country Life International, Spring 2011 53
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 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88