Liguria, La Spezia, Sarzana, Italy

Large, detached villa (275 sqm) set in the hills above Sarzana with distant sea views in grounds extending to one hectare (around two and a half acres). The house is approached from Sarzana, climbing up into the hills amongst the olive groves and with views to the sea. There is a gated drive and ample private parking at the villa.

Entered to the large living room with doors leading out to the covered terrace, on the ground floor is also a modern, country-style kitchen with fireplace, study room, bathroom; and upstairs is the master bedroom which opens onto a terrace and has an en suite bathroom, second similar double bedroom with terrace access and en suite, plus two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. The villa is well-appointed and is connected to main services with central heating.

The mature garden is well-planted with olive trees, fruit trees and a large lawn to the front of the house. Excellent opportunity for a swimming pool. Small outbuilding. The location and views are outstanding.

Just 5 km is away is Sarzana, a vibrant medieval market town with large elegant central piazza and cobbled lanes meandering through the town flanked with coffee shops and antique stores. During the summer months Sarzana often hosts festivals from dining in the piazza to concerts to open air events stages along the lanes. Sarzana also has a station with direct trains to Pisa, Florence, the Cinque Terre and Genova.

The Gulf of Poets is an enclave with a group of three islands at its tip, fishing villages with exceptional fish restaurants, as well as opportunities for sailing, canoeing, snorkeling or just relaxing on one of the beaches hidden in craggy bays around Fiascherino or Tellaro. The easiest way to get around the gulf is by boat which runs between Lerici, La Spezia and Portovenere or 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 including Shelley, Byron and D H Lawrence lived here at some time.

The Ligurian coastline is within easy reach. The Cinque Terre (UNESCO World Heritage site) is made up of the five fishing villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore and the 18km of coastal walks along the old mule-tracks between them, the most famous of which is the Via dell’Amore. Just south of the Cinque Terre is Portovenere where you can catch a ferry to the Cinque Terre or to Lerici, swim at Byron’s Bay or visit one of the islands Palmaria, Tino or Tinetto. The villages of Lerici and San Terenzo, each with impressive castles, face each other across the Gulf of the Poets and Tellaro has been named as one of the top 100 most beautiful hamlets in Italy. Neighbouring Fiascherino is just as beautiful. In addition to being known as a seaside tourist town, Viareggio is famous for its Carnival in February and the Puccini Festival during July and August. So the Ligurian coastline offers endless possibilities for days swimming or sailing, or for catching a boat trip or for simply taking a 'passeggiata al mare' and sipping an aperitivo.

There are many great day trips to explore. Lucca is a beautiful Tuscan town protected by massively thick 16th-century walls, featuring some of Italy's finest medieval and Renaissance architecture, superb dining, antique markets, classical and rock music at the Lucca Summer Festival and with easy access to stunning nearby villas in the surrounding hills. The central Piazza dell'Anfiteatro in the centre is stunning. Pietrasanta is a historic medieval and artistic town in northern Tuscany sometimes called the City of the Artists or Small Athens for its marble studios and monuments. It is an important centre for working marble and was used as a marble source by Michelangelo. And, of course, the art and architectural treasures of Florence are a must.

Distances: Sarzana 5 km, Lerici (beaches) 10 km, Forte dei Marmi 30 km, Pietrasanta 30 km, Cinque Terre 40 km, Portovenere 40 km, Viareggio 40 km, Lucca 60 km, Pisa (airport) 70 km.