Arpino, Frosinone, Lazio, Italy

Casa "Porta Napoli": Nestled within the heart of Arpino's historic center, on Via Saturno, we find this residence of notable historical significance. A charming home situated in one of the most picturesque quarters, near the Church of St. Andrew the Apostle, where a scenic route leads to the Saturno Gate or Naples Gate, an ancient entryway to the historic centre of Arpino.

The Porta Napoli: the Naples Gate: A Gothic portico, followed by an antechamber, forms a complex of two consecutive openings, flanked and surmounted by buildings including the esteemed Cremona Palace on the right. Passing through this portal, one encounters the doorway of an ancient medieval workshop, remarkably untouched by time. These venerable and time worn walls, these stones of great antiquity: these are a passageway in time, a delightful journey through and into the past. In medieval times, when travellers journeyed from Arpino to Naples, they left Arpino through this gate - hence its name the Naples Gate. (A minute or two's walk out of town, you reach the Chiesa di San Giuseppe, where travellers gave a last prayer for a safe journey, or thanks for their safe return.)

Here, in one of the most historic parts of this storied town, we find Casa "Porta Napoli" -a residential unit spanning a total of 120 square meters, comprising a ground floor with cellar and garage, and a first floor for habitation. Its historical charm is evident immediately, from the exterior stone façade to the multi-level layout, so characteristic of traditional historical homes. The double leaf wooden entrance door, adjacent to the historic gate, leads into a 3 square meter vestibule crowned by a vaulted ceiling - a motif perhaps of elegance, history, and the timeless charm we find within.

A splendid internal staircase crafted from stone, enclosed by walls with barrel-vaulted ceilings, leads to the main door of the apartment. A corridor runs along the back of the apartment, overlooking the old town, while the rooms face out over uninterrupted views of the valley. At one end there is a large 35 square metre panoramic salon. There are also three bedrooms, one particularly large (20 square metres). The main apartment is completed by the spacious 11 square meter kitchen and a 9 square meter bathroom with a bathtub (also with stunning views!)

A few steps further, crafted from natural stone and separate from the main apartment, is to be found a 12 square meter room forming part of the centuries old stone entrance to the town. A truly outstanding feature of this room is the arrow slit carved through the metre-thick stone wall, Here. to defend the gates, in olden days an archer would have ben postioned to fire arrows through the slit at any invading army.

This is a little room where creativity might flourish-ideal for small gatherings, hobbies, or quiet contemplation. The ambiance is completed by a splendid Liberty-style balcony, nestled upon the arch of the Naples Gate-a testament to harmony and wrought iron craftsmanship and truly unique.

Below and to one side of the property there is an internal courtyard. Here, the 35 square meter cellar, with its charming exterior stone arch, invites dreams of creating a captivating environment-a warm and welcoming tavern, a special enclave within the home. Additionally, a covered parking space of 15 square meters is accessible through an entrance with automated shutter and external access.

Separate from the building, just outside the town walls, there is also some land belonging to the property, which could be turned into a pleasant garden.

The apartment features autonomous gas heating, a water pressure system, wooden interior fixtures, and aluminum/wooden exterior fixtures, along with a cellar, covered parking space, and shared internal courtyard. This property promises an encounter with historic beauty, an investment in a place which is unique and exceptional, a place of great antiquity and immense charm.

ARPINO AND THE CIOCIARIA
Arpino is one of the major medieval hilltop towns in the area of Italy called the Ciociaria, the name given to the fertile land that lies south of Rome but north of Naples, situated inland in the hills in the heart of Italy. The Ciociaria region is within easy reach of both Rome and Naples and their respective airports. A day's shopping in Rome is a common pastime, while an even shorter drive brings you to the charming beaches south of Rome. Alternatively, drive east, and the mountains of the Abruzzo National Park await with horse trekking in the magnificent beech forests, and sparkling mountain lakes and rivers where you can swim in the heat of the summer. And at the other extreme of temperature, although Arpino itself is temperate, less than an hour's drive brings you to the winter ski slopes.
Often overlooked, both by tourists and by those foreigners in search of an Italian home, in favour of the more publicised regions of Tuscany and Umbria, the Ciociaria remains largely an unspoilt gem with beautiful scenery and medieval hilltop towns. A home or second home in the Ciociaria, in the hilltop towns of Arpino, Veroli, Alatri or Alvito or in the rolling countryside that surrounds them, will afford you a setting where over two thousand years of history combine with an idyllic rural Italian lifestyle, where you can still discover the 'real' Italy and take time out from the busy crowds of the larger tourist cities, while being less than ninety minutes journey from central Rome or either of Rome's two airports.

VIA ROMANA Srls and CASE & CASALI REAL ESTATE AGENCY
Via Romana Srls is an Italian-incorporated company owned by a British/Australian Chartered Accountant and her photographer daughter, and offers a package of services to facilitate all aspects of the purchase and restoration of Italian property by overseas clients. The Via Romana team works in collaboration with various fully-licensed Italian real estate agencies including Case & Casali Real Estate Agency represented by Sig. Ciro Tomei. Sig. Tomei has been enrolled in the register of real estate agents at the Chamber of Commerce in Frosinone, Lazio since 2007, his agency is one of the largest and most highly-regarded real estate agents in the area and he has much experience in the international marketing of Italian real estate.