See inside Amanda Holden and Alan Carr’s second €1 house renovation
Season two of the hit TV series Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job returned to our screens this January. And, just as we saw in series one, Amanda Holden and Alan Carr ventured back to Italy, to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into a renovation project in the Tuscan countryside.
Series one took Alan and Amanda to Italy’s largest island, Sicily, where they combined two €1 houses to create a showstopping 2-bedroom apartment. The pair headed onto the mainland for series two, to the village of Fornovolasco. The village, which has a population of fewer than 100 people, overlooks the stunning scenery of the Turrite di Petrosciana river, and the surrounding mountains.
And it seems that Alan and Amanda aren’t the only ones captivated by the region. Searches for homes in Tuscany on Rightmove have increased by 40% since the show aired in January this year, while searches for the nearby city of Lucca have soared by 60% compared to the same period last year.
Our property expert, Tim Bannister, said: “Rightmove is the place millions of people turn to first to see all types of properties for sale, from all around the globe. We often see what’s happening in the world reflected in search behaviour on site, and it’s fascinating to see spikes in searches for Tuscany and the town of Lucca as the second series of Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job aired, with people imagining what it would be like to live there, or possibly what it would be like to take on their own renovation project in the area.”
Take a closer look at Alan and Amanda’s renovated home – now for sale
Alan and Amanda’s beautiful riverside home in Tuscany is now listed for sale with Dimore Toscane. And as with their previous project, the proceeds from the sale of the home will be divided between UK charities.
Casa Alamanda II’s new owners will discover a brand-new kitchen complete with marble island, which leads out onto a herb garden, and a seating area perfect for enjoying balmy Italian evenings. The bedrooms and bathrooms feature stunning Renaissance-style murals, while original features include wood floors, beams, and period tiles.
Roy Santi, Director & Estate Agent at Dimore Toscane said: “The property is a little jewel with truly dramatic vistas of the river and mountains. The renovation respects the traditional materials and detailing present in this type of rural Tuscan home.”
Take a closer look:
Dimore Toscane SRL, Lucca
Italy’s €1 House Scheme
Under Italy’s €1 House Scheme, Alan and Amanda purchased a 3-storey Tuscan townhouse for around the price of an espresso. Italy’s €1 House Scheme sees dilapidated buildings sold to people who can make a commitment to renovating them. Anyone who buys a property under the scheme will need to submit their renovation plans within a year, and the local municipality will then set a timeline for the work to be completed.
The buildings sold under the scheme are mostly in need of extensive works, including structural work. But, undeterred by their first foray into renovating documented in series one, the pair returned to Italy to breathe life into another home.
All episodes of the BBC TV show are available to stream on BBC iPlayer, so be sure to tune in for the grand unveiling of the second ‘Casa Alamanda’.
Take a look at homes for sale in Tuscany or view all homes for sale overseas.
