Isola del Liri, Frosinone, Lazio, Italy

Casa Cascata is a penthouse apartment with a unique location: the historic town of Isola del Liri is built on an island formed by the convergence of two rivers that also creates a spectacular waterfall in the centre of the town. Between Isola del Liri and the mainland is a second small island in the river, connected to the main island by a bridge. On this second island there is one grand mansion, now divided into a few prestigious apartments facing the waterfall.

Only the owners of the apartments have the right to pass over the gated bridge on to the smaller island, thus enjoying an exclusive and prestigious location, while being only a minute's stroll to the restaurants, cafés, shops and services to be found in the historic centre of Isola del Liri.

Casa Cascata, on the upper floor of this grand mansion, is exquisitely decorated throughout in 'stile liberty', reflecting the days when the mansion was the seat of wealthy paper mill owners. Its many Juliet balconies and windows have beautiful views of the waterfall cascading 27 metres down a rock face into the deep pool at the base of the falls. Every feature of this magnificently restored home is quite perfect and of the highest quality.

This 307 sq.mt. 3 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment occupies half of the top floor of the building, and has spectacular views of the waterfall, the ducal castle at the head of the falls dating from the 12th century and the charming, bustling little town of Isola del Liri. All this from the privacy and seclusion of an exclusive small island.

Passing over the private bridge on to the small Island and ascending to the upper floor of the mansion, an entrance hall, with a painted vaulted ceiling leads into the formal salon, a spacious room of great style and elegance with a decorated ceiling and large windows looking directly at the cascade

From the formal salon, panelled wood doors lead into the equally elegant dining room (painted throughout, walls, doors and ceiling alike, with riverside scenes) and into the second, informal sitting room, with its marble fireplace.

A study, beautifully furnished in dark wood, opens from the sitting room as also does the glassed-in rear terrace, which, like the dining room, is painted throughout to create the illusion and ambiance of sitting under an arbour on the banks of the Liri.

At the far end of the glassed-in terrace, there is a door into the large fully-fitted kitchen with its solid wood cabinetry, checkerboard marble floor and decorated ceiling.

The 'night zone' has three comfortable and attractive bedrooms, two with views of the waterfall, and two, sophistically elegant and immaculately tiled, modern bathrooms.

There is also a laundry room and an ironing room with store cupboards.

On the ground level of the mansion, immediately after passing over the private bridge, Casa Cascata has a number of large storerooms and cantinas, and most importantly, covered secure parking for at least two cars.

Isola del Liri, known above all for the beauty of its waterfall (unique in Europe because it is located in the historic centre of a town), is also a focal point for both local residents and visitors who enjoy the ambiance and atmosphere of the many typical little local restaurants and cafés opening out onto the medieval streets around the waterfall.

Isola del Liri has excellent road access to the superstrada and hence to the Rome/Naples autostrada; the centre of Rome and also Rome's international airports are less than a 90 minute drive. There is good public transport by train and coach, including a luxury air-conditioned coach service into the centre of Rome.

This enchanting blend of a grand mansion on a small island moated by the river with a spectacular view of the Cascata Grande, the romantic historic town with its the narrow medieval alleys and the stunning beauty of Casa Cascata itself with its 'stile liberty' decoration, makes this property unique on the Italian real estate market.

Energy classification: G


ISOLA DEL LIRI AND THE CIOCIARIA

Isola del Liri is one of the major medieval 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 historic centre of Isola del Liri is actually on an island formed by the convergence of two rivers with a spectacular waterfall forming the focal point of the old town.

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 Isola del Liri 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 publicized 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 in the rolling countryside including Isola del Liri 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 the CINELLI IMMOBILIARE 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 the Cinelli Immobiliare Agency. The Cinelli Immobiliare Agency aims at identifying unique buildings with outstanding locations in the beautiful Ciociaria region, including apartments, historic houses, villas, palazzos and farmhouses. Some of these properties are already renovated while others are to be restored. The Cinelli Immobiliare Agency also provides reliable and full service renovations focussed on the appropriate use of original materials, such as stone, wood and wrought iron, drawing on over 40 years' experience in the restoration sector of their partner company Cinelli Claudio Restorations and their technical office, headed by Ing. Valentina Cinelli.