Tuscany, Lunigiana, Podenzana, Italy

Beautiful, detached stone village house with 2/3 bedrooms and a lovely terrace with panoramic views, large garden, vines and olives set in a stunning location in the pretty area of Podenzana in Lunigiana, northern Tuscany.

The house is entered onto the ground floor with a living room with fireplace, kitchen/dining room which opens onto the large terrace for 'al fresco' dining, utility room and bathroom. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a bathroom. One of the bedrooms has stairs up to a loft bedroom. The house is set in land of around 4,500sqm (over an acre) which is planted as pretty garden, and has an area of vines and of olive trees. The stone terrace and lawned are provide an ideal space for barbecues and socialising. There is village parking and a 50m walk from the parking to the house. All services are connected and there is central heating and some air conditioning.

The area of Podenzana is a series of villages strung along the hills and ridges above the town of Ceparana and stretching down towards the sea. Set ont he border between Liguria and Tuscany with access tot he lovely coastline and the hills of Tuscany.
Good restaurant 2.5 km from t he property.
Podenzana is famous for the 'panigacci' and there are numerous local restaurants offering this speciality. 'Panigacci' are crisp pancakes cooked in terracotta dishes over the embers of an open fire and served in baskets with trays of cream cheese and assorted salami, Parma ham and pancetta. Sandwich them together and eat with your fingers, whilst sipping the local red wine. Simply delicious.

The Cinque Terre are five picturesque villages strung along the narrow coastline north of the Gulf of the Poets and La Spezia with pretty coves, beaches. They are accessed on foot, by boat or with the local train which shuttles between the villages. Anyone visiting the Cinque Terre should take a walk along the cliff paths which link one village to the next, stop in one of the bars or restaurants and try the anchovies marinated in olive oil and garlic, served with fresh bread and delicate white wine made from the grapes which grow in spectacular fashion, up the steep terraces above the villages. The Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Gulf of the Poets is an enclave with a group of three islands at its tip, with fishing villages with exceptional fish restaurants, as well as opportunities for sailing, canoeing, snorkelling or just relaxing on one the beaches hidden in craggy bays around Fiascherino or Tellaro. The easiest way to get around the gulf is by boat and services run from Lerici, La Spezia, Portovenere and on to The Cinque Terre. The name Gulf of the Poets is from the literary connection as some of the world's most famous poets lived here at one time, including Shelley, Byron and D H Lawrence.

Distances: Ceparana 7 km is a town with shops, restaurants and motorway. La Spezia (sailing, shopping, trains) 20km, Beaches at Lerici 20 km, Cinque Terre 35 km, Lucca 80 km, Pisa (airport) 90 km, Florence 150 km.