Tuscany, Lunigiana, Licciana Nardi, Italy

Spacious and light property (225 sqm) accessed from the 13th century 'borgo', the village pedestrian lane. Magnificent terrace off the living room and wonderful river swimming and walks just down the lane.

On the ground floor there is a large entrance hall that leads to a study, living-room opening onto the large terrace with view over the river, dining-room with fireplace and a wood-burning stove and adjacent to this is a built-in kitchen and larder room. On the same floor there is a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a further bedroom with ante-room, a large modern bathroom and a storage cupboard. The two upper floors consist of two further bedrooms, one of which is accessible via the outside staircase. So from the living room there is a staircase up to the first bedroom, then an external staircase up to the second bedroom.

The lower ground floor is connected to the ground floor with an internal staircase from the hallway and it consists of one large cantina (storeroom) with a terrace and two other cantine. From the cantina rooms, it is possible to access the outside lane that leads to the river or up to the centre of the village. There is also another small cantina with its own separate entrance.

The property has gas central heating and all services are connected. Free village parking close to the house or it is possible to also purchase a portion of land for a car port and garden area. The house is in the middle of the village so within easy walking distance there are local grocery stores, coffee bars and restaurants. There is a pretty piazza in the village, perfect for a coffee and to chat with the friendly villagers. The main town of Aulla with train station, motorway and supermarkets is 7.5 kms (8 mins).

The location has so much to offer. The village hosts a famous festa during August each year when the delicious, traditional dishes of the region are served in pretty surroundings, and further festas to celebrate speciality dishes according to the seasons - such as 'castagne', the chestnuts and 'funghi', the mushrooms. There is a great community atmosphere as everybody helps out to make each festa one to remember. With easy access from Aulla, where there is a autostrada access, the whole of Tuscany is on the doorstep. The spectacular Ligurian beaches are within 30-40 mins and Lucca, Parma and Florence all make excellent trips to explore the history and culture of this area. Locally, there is another wonderful festa each year in August in the nearby village of Filetto, with shows and dances, from all eras and excellent stalls and street food. The larger Medievalis festa takes over the town of Pontremoli each summer, with people in costumes, competitions, shows and fireworks. Bagnone town, close by, is a lovely place for a coffee on the piazza, or to explore one of the great local restaurants for lunch. The theatre is very popular and is the hub of the town, with many exhibitions and events, as well as a programme of drama productions. Bagnone is a charming medieval town dominated by a castle and a cobbled piazza is ideal for watching the local town life go by while sipping a cappuccino in one of the many cafés. A river runs through the middle of the town and cobbled lanes with interlinking archways and restaurants are hidden under the stone vaults. Shops offering local produce and the backdrop of the mountains make this a particularly pretty town in the area. Lunigiana is a magical part of Tuscany. The rolling landscape is liberally sprinkled with castles of Medici or Malaspina vintage and for lovers of the coast the sea is only a little over half-an-hour away. The golden sandy beaches around Lerici and the pebble coves of the Cinque Terre (UNESCO World Heritage site) are ideal for swimming and sailing. The airports of Pisa, Parma and Genova are each just over an hour away.

Distances: Licciana Nardi on the doorstep, Aulla (autostrada, trains, supermarkets) 8 km, Bagnone 10 km, Filetto 10 km, Lerici (beaches) 30 km, Cinque Terre 40 km, Lucca 80 km, Pisa (airport) 90 km.