IL CASTELLETTO

An elegant and luxurious private villa for 12 people, with pool and jacuzzi and near to the fashionable Italian beach resorts of Forte dei Marmi, Versilia and the Cinque Terre.

6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms.

Il Castelletto is set on a hill at the foot of the Apuane Alps amongst olive groves, chestnut and oak forest. Everywhere you look you will be captivated by the splendid views that take in the entire valley below, leading to the shores of the near by Mediterranian sea and continuing to the Gulf of Portovenere.

Originally Il Castelletto was defensive stone tower built around 1400 to defend the nearby medieval Malaspina castle. Today it has been transformed into a beautiful and elegant holiday villa, restructured by the owner with great care and maximum attention to detail.

A harmony of colours pervade the interiors with walls plastered in traditional Tuscan pinks and yellows and the brilliant green and white of the local Carrara marble.

Many walls have been left bare to expose the ancient rough hewn stone work which combine with traditional terracotta floors, chestnut beam ceilings and a considered selection of old prints and antiques to create a warm and luxurious atmosphere.

ACCOMMODATION

Il Castelletto is on four floors:

Each floor is reachable either by internal stair case or by an internal panoramic lift. The villa is entered from a large external patio which is furnished with out door dining facilities and perfect for taking in the stunning panoramas.

On the ground floor entering from this patio you will find a new and functional brilliantly equipped kitchen adjacent to the dining room. Fine Persian carpets and gold leaf mirrors characterize this room which is a cosy place on winter days with the fire alight.

There is also beautiful wine cellar in stone and a powder room on this floor. On the same level but accessed from the exterior are two beautiful bedrooms which face out onto the big terrace. These bedrooms have en suite bathrooms with showers. Also on this level is a splendid sauna room and the Jacuzzi with hot water.

The main entrance on the first floor leads to an elegant living room with a fireplace in white Carrara marble. The comfortable sofas and armchairs are in complete harmony with the coloured walls which are a soft green.In the living room you can also find Satellite television and large windows that take in the magnificent and extensive views.

On the same floor there is a charming double bedroom with an en suite bathroom with a shower. A wooden staircase or the lift leads to the second floor where there are two romantic double bedrooms. Both of them have en suite bathrooms with showers. Going up to the fourth floor you reach the attic where there is a double bedroom with twin beds that can be joined on request and an en suite bathroom with shower. At your disposal is internet access with ADSL , satellite television, ceiling fans in every room, stereo with CD player and a selection of English books. There is also a dishwasher, washing machine and (not commonly found in Tuscany) a dryer.

On your arrival you will find a warm and welcoming greeting, the owner speaks perfect English and whilst being more than respectful f your privacy can organize breakfast and dinners on request, pleasant picnics and barbecues, guided excursions as well as walks on foot or by bike in the hills around the area.

THE GROUNDS

Outside the patio extends to a shaded open living area.Here the sofas and armchairs in rattan and a large dining table offer wonderful relaxation, liesurly breakfasts and the perdfect setting for romantic evening dinners over looking the panoramic swimming pool and out to the valley and sea beyone. The Castle Malaspina makes a charming accent.

The swimming pool area surrounded by olive trees and near to a patio that has a Jacuzzi. Il Castelletto is surrrounded by a large park (4000 meters or yards square) and its private car park is situated on the lawn right next to the villa.

The owner has arranged private consessions for his guests with : beach with cabin and umbrella, tennis, golf and squash.

For those who love silence and nature, for families and groups of friends, Il Castelletto is the ideal place for meeting to discover unusual intinerary and the antique flavours, the local food is excellent, not forgetting that at 10 minutes by car there is the sea, the elegant beaches of Versilia and the wilder ones in the Cinque Terre.

Moreover thanks to the villa's strategic location you can easily reach interesting tourist and cultural sights both in Tuscany and in Liguria: Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio famous for its boutiques and night life, ( 15 minutes ) Pietrasanta, the historical and artistic capital of Versilia with the most famous statuary shops (5 minutes ) by car, Lucca (25minutes), Pisa (20 minutes), Florence (1 hour ), Carrara's marble quarries, the marvellous Cinque Terre (Five Lands), Golfo dei Poeti (Poets'Gulf), Portovenere, Portofino, Genova.

Handy ferries to Cinque Terre depart daily from the harbour of Marina di Massa (5 km ).