Tuscany, Lunigiana, Fivizzano, Italy

Set in a walled, hillside village, is this two bed village house with garden which has lovely views and with a small vineyard a few steps away.

The accommodation comprises a hallway, kitchen with fireplace, a study and a bathroom and upstairs are two good double bedrooms, each with views. The garden is pretty with excellent views and there is a 'lean-to' shed for tools and a small outbuilding, which was the old chestnut drying house, the 'essiccatoio'. Just a few steps away there is a vineyard of 2,000 sq (around half an acre). Parking at the property.

Equidistant, and just 15 mins drive away, are the medieval market towns of Fivizzano and bustling Aulla with supermarkets, shops, motorway and train station. Fivizzano, a medieval walled town with a central cobbled piazza, is often referred to as the Florence of Lunigiana. The bustling town hosts many cultural events over the summer with concerts in the piazza and reenactments of medieval parades. With its musical heritage the town also attracts international musicians during its annual folk music festival. There is a hospital, shops and restaurants in the town. Aulla is the main point of access to the area, with autostrada exit and trains, from where it is easy to reach the Ligurian coastline and all the sights of Tuscany. It is an easy run to Pisa airport, straight down the autostrada.

Lunigiana is a magical part of Tuscany with breath-taking scenery and an abundance of medieval castles. The sunshine, glorious countryside, delicious food and wine, kind and friendly people offer a perfect mix for a summer retreat or for year-round living.The golden sandy beaches around Lerici and the pebble coves of the Cinque Terre are ideal for swimming and sailing. The area is criss-crossed with marked footpaths for walks to the hills and mountains. The airports of Pisa, Parma and Genova are all just over an hour away.

Distances: Aulla (shops, autostrada, trains) 12 km, Fivizzano 12 km, Lerici (beaches) 25 km, Lucca 90 km, Pisa (airport) 90 km, Portofino 100 km, Florence 150 km.