Chianti is a vast geographic area from the hilly landscape placed at the center of the Tuscan region known for its beauty and its irresistible fascination. Every bend is filled with history, anecdotes and legends.
The region lies in the perfect equilibrium between the soft forms of slopes and the thousand nuances of color and crowded woods, populated by ancient castles, secular parishes, pleasant villas and large Jarms. The high quality of Chianti wine is the result of millenary knowledge and a great tradition of wine-making.
Italian Luca Catalano, Director of Realitalia, the Lifestyle Solution Company in Italy says, “we have invested considerable resources in this area; for example our projects of Ville degli Olivi and Borgo in Chianni”. He added that two of the main reasons they chose this region for their projects are the rapid growth of the Pisa international airport and the attitude and desire by locals, that in the last three or four years - for example in Chianni has created very relevant initiatives to the local economy.
Luca continues on this growing trend in the village of Chianni: “Restaurant il Gallo was opened in 2004 and it is now one of the most sophisticated restaurants in the area; the Hotel de Charme Le Vecchie Cantine was opened in the summer of 2005 and it is now one of the good addresses in the area”. He further said that the interesting thing to note is that – being unknown to many property prices tend to be lower than in other parts of Tuscany and the beauty of the valleys of Lajatico and Chianni compare exceedingly well with the more well known parts of the region.
Luca concludes: "in the last couple of years a number of new businesses by residents have changed the village of Chianni." In my opinion, continues Luca, "this is very heartening and proves a lot about the outlook and desire by locals to improve their land in a way that is sustainable."
Apr 26, 2009
Apr 23, 2009
Turning up the heat at the Italia Wave Love Festival, Livorno
Italy Wave Love Festival, the country's biggest contemporary and multi-cultural music festival will take place in the sea town of Livorno, Tuscany's third largest city after Florence and Prato, situated on the Tuscan coast.
The Italia Wave Love Festival (formerly Arezzo Wave Love Festival) started back in 1987. Italia Wave is a week long event featuring concerts by the best established stars as well as up-and-coming artists from the international rock scene. The music festival takes place in the football stadium and Livorno beaches from 16th to 19th July 2009. The festival will host concerts like The Chemical Brothers and The Verve in their unique appearance in Italy. There will be more than 100 acts that compose the program of Italy Wave Festival 2009.
Last year nearly over 160,000 attended the festival. In recent years, the music festival grew from being a rock festival to a more cultural event, presenting new cultural sections and new stages: literature, movies, theatre, cabaret, comics, dance, contemporary art and figurative expositions.
Livorno is a lively, unpretentious city and has a lot to offer the visitors seeking a different perspective on Tuscany. With a bit of advanced planning, it can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience as it offers an experience of day-to-day life in modern Italy, but not without surprises. There are many aspects of Livorno that can still attract both fans of history and art seekers of more hedonistic pleasures. Livorno is only a 20 minute drive from Pisa airport which is connected to many local airports throughout Europe.
Agriturismo is a kind of holiday accommodation that is immensely popular in Italy nowadays. They are usually situated on a farm and it is a room or apartment in a countryside setting, offering good value for money in lovely surroundings. - The farm is more likely to be in a vineyard or an olive grove! Many are self-catering. There are several agriturismo opportunities in the Livorno area which has good rental yields all the year round as the visitor numbers are raising all the time in the Tuscany region.
The Italia Wave Love Festival (formerly Arezzo Wave Love Festival) started back in 1987. Italia Wave is a week long event featuring concerts by the best established stars as well as up-and-coming artists from the international rock scene. The music festival takes place in the football stadium and Livorno beaches from 16th to 19th July 2009. The festival will host concerts like The Chemical Brothers and The Verve in their unique appearance in Italy. There will be more than 100 acts that compose the program of Italy Wave Festival 2009.
Last year nearly over 160,000 attended the festival. In recent years, the music festival grew from being a rock festival to a more cultural event, presenting new cultural sections and new stages: literature, movies, theatre, cabaret, comics, dance, contemporary art and figurative expositions.
Livorno is a lively, unpretentious city and has a lot to offer the visitors seeking a different perspective on Tuscany. With a bit of advanced planning, it can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience as it offers an experience of day-to-day life in modern Italy, but not without surprises. There are many aspects of Livorno that can still attract both fans of history and art seekers of more hedonistic pleasures. Livorno is only a 20 minute drive from Pisa airport which is connected to many local airports throughout Europe.
Agriturismo is a kind of holiday accommodation that is immensely popular in Italy nowadays. They are usually situated on a farm and it is a room or apartment in a countryside setting, offering good value for money in lovely surroundings. - The farm is more likely to be in a vineyard or an olive grove! Many are self-catering. There are several agriturismo opportunities in the Livorno area which has good rental yields all the year round as the visitor numbers are raising all the time in the Tuscany region.
Apr 15, 2009
Ruined churches turned to vacation homes in Italy
Idiosyncratic ruins of churchs are renovated into a highly personalized, luxurious vacation homes - remarkably without a hitch, no aesthetic compromises and at modest expense in Italy, according to a media outlet.
According to Italian property portal Immobiliare.it, property buyers can find dozens of unused churches for sale across the Italian peninsula. The website found that many privately owned churches, which are no longer in use, are making their way onto the property market. Carlo Giordano of Immobiliare.it has stated that the change allows these buildings, which are certainly unusual, to survive the ravages of time, and continue to play an important role in present days.
Salvatore and Rosemary Mulia run a financial services company in Westport. They bought the former church in Umbria, began renovation in November 1999 and completed within a year. The building was originally about the size of a two-car garage. After renovations that increased the floor space by about a third, it now totals 200 square meters, or 2,153 square feet. The visual impact of its interior is like an old provincial opera house. Luigi Marinangeli, who owns a real estate agency in nearby Spoleto said that its market value would have been about 110,000 euros or $100,000 in the year 2000, and the Mulias had spent $100,000 on renovations.
The house is on the market for 595,000 euros, or $773,500, and is listed with Casaitalia International, a luxury real estate agency in Spoleto. Mr. Marinangeli, says the list price sounds reasonable because property prices in the area have risen by 80 percent since 2000. Currently, he said, "top properties in Trevi fetch 3,000 euros per square meter."
Many of these unused churches are architectural jewels. For example, in Asti, Piedmont, there is an 18th Century church built in theatrical Baroque style right in the historic town centre. It spans a massive 500 square meters and Decorated with stuccoes in soft tones, and the agents believe it would lend itself to a culture or entertainment centre, more than a home. The asking price is rigorously on application (Medici Immobiliare, +39 0141 595 236).
In Careggi area of Florence, a 170 square meter church is on the market for £710,000. The building has recently been converted and comes with bathroom and open plan kitchen. It is presently used as a showroom, but it could be turned into a home, subject to planning consent (Studio Su Misura, 055 264 7126). A former church in Olevano sul Tusciano, near Salerno, dates back to the Middle Ages-and is priced at a very reasonable £82,000 (Abito Immobiliare, 0828 305 792).
According to Italian property portal Immobiliare.it, property buyers can find dozens of unused churches for sale across the Italian peninsula. The website found that many privately owned churches, which are no longer in use, are making their way onto the property market. Carlo Giordano of Immobiliare.it has stated that the change allows these buildings, which are certainly unusual, to survive the ravages of time, and continue to play an important role in present days.
Salvatore and Rosemary Mulia run a financial services company in Westport. They bought the former church in Umbria, began renovation in November 1999 and completed within a year. The building was originally about the size of a two-car garage. After renovations that increased the floor space by about a third, it now totals 200 square meters, or 2,153 square feet. The visual impact of its interior is like an old provincial opera house. Luigi Marinangeli, who owns a real estate agency in nearby Spoleto said that its market value would have been about 110,000 euros or $100,000 in the year 2000, and the Mulias had spent $100,000 on renovations.
The house is on the market for 595,000 euros, or $773,500, and is listed with Casaitalia International, a luxury real estate agency in Spoleto. Mr. Marinangeli, says the list price sounds reasonable because property prices in the area have risen by 80 percent since 2000. Currently, he said, "top properties in Trevi fetch 3,000 euros per square meter."
Many of these unused churches are architectural jewels. For example, in Asti, Piedmont, there is an 18th Century church built in theatrical Baroque style right in the historic town centre. It spans a massive 500 square meters and Decorated with stuccoes in soft tones, and the agents believe it would lend itself to a culture or entertainment centre, more than a home. The asking price is rigorously on application (Medici Immobiliare, +39 0141 595 236).
In Careggi area of Florence, a 170 square meter church is on the market for £710,000. The building has recently been converted and comes with bathroom and open plan kitchen. It is presently used as a showroom, but it could be turned into a home, subject to planning consent (Studio Su Misura, 055 264 7126). A former church in Olevano sul Tusciano, near Salerno, dates back to the Middle Ages-and is priced at a very reasonable £82,000 (Abito Immobiliare, 0828 305 792).
Apr 11, 2009
Festivals boost Property in the town of Gubbio
Those looking for good Italian property investments can find some of the best value in the town of Gubbio, it has been stated.
Gubbio is a fresh-looking medieval hill town in the Umbria region of central Italy. Gubbio's is full of medieval, Gothic, and Renaissance monuments and has great views over the beautiful countryside. A Roman amphitheater is just outside the town. Gubbio is twenty-five miles northeast of Perugia and the town is beautifully set on the lower slopes of Mt. Ingino. Umbria has an airport at Perugia with flights from all over Europe.
While there are many festivals and events in this historic town, during Christmas the wooded side of Mount Ingino is decorated with lights in the shape of a Christmas tree, earning the formation the title of the largest Christmas tree in the world. The feast of candles, Corsa dei Ceri, is celebrated in May 15. The fiesta starts with a procession through the streets up the hill to the Abbey of Sant' Ubaldo, just outside town. The crossbow palio, Palio della Balestra, held in the last Sunday in May. This traditional crossbow contest between the archers of Gubbio and nearby Sansepolcro has been going on since at least the 15th century.
According to Umbria tourism, other features of the town that may be of interest include the town of Assisi with its famous basilica, Trasimene Lake, which is the fourth largest in Italy, Ranghiasci-Brancaleoni Park, Palazzo Ducale, built for the Duke of Urbino in 1476, is across from the Duomo , Palazzo dei Consoli is a huge 14th century Gothic building made of limestone, plus the historic Roman town of Trevi .
These fantastic festivals is another reason for those considering buying an Umbria property to invest in the region as it adds style and color to all seasons and it helps increase the number of tourists coming to the town, which may help boost property sector.
Gubbio is a fresh-looking medieval hill town in the Umbria region of central Italy. Gubbio's is full of medieval, Gothic, and Renaissance monuments and has great views over the beautiful countryside. A Roman amphitheater is just outside the town. Gubbio is twenty-five miles northeast of Perugia and the town is beautifully set on the lower slopes of Mt. Ingino. Umbria has an airport at Perugia with flights from all over Europe.
While there are many festivals and events in this historic town, during Christmas the wooded side of Mount Ingino is decorated with lights in the shape of a Christmas tree, earning the formation the title of the largest Christmas tree in the world. The feast of candles, Corsa dei Ceri, is celebrated in May 15. The fiesta starts with a procession through the streets up the hill to the Abbey of Sant' Ubaldo, just outside town. The crossbow palio, Palio della Balestra, held in the last Sunday in May. This traditional crossbow contest between the archers of Gubbio and nearby Sansepolcro has been going on since at least the 15th century.
According to Umbria tourism, other features of the town that may be of interest include the town of Assisi with its famous basilica, Trasimene Lake, which is the fourth largest in Italy, Ranghiasci-Brancaleoni Park, Palazzo Ducale, built for the Duke of Urbino in 1476, is across from the Duomo , Palazzo dei Consoli is a huge 14th century Gothic building made of limestone, plus the historic Roman town of Trevi .
These fantastic festivals is another reason for those considering buying an Umbria property to invest in the region as it adds style and color to all seasons and it helps increase the number of tourists coming to the town, which may help boost property sector.
Apr 7, 2009
Tuscany property buyers have a crafty time
Tourists will be drawn to Florence, Italy this spring as a major art and crafts event Mostra Mercato Internazionale dell Artigianato or International Arts and Crafts exhibition, Fortezza da Basso is going to take place in the city.
After the enormous success of previous years, the 73rd edition of International Arts and Crafts exhibition will happen at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from April 25 to May 3, 2009. Locals and others can enjoy the 2009 ART festival, which has over 800 exhibitors and it is the most important review of art and craft products in Italy. The fair will be exemplified by specific flavor: blast from the past, future styles, new materials, new colors, the traditional refinement and taste that are peculiar to products which are never archaic.
ART 2009 is not only a trade show; it is a historic, artistic and cultural event as well, which crosses Florence’s and Tuscany’s history. Visitors can also savor the tastes and traditions of the Tuscan countryside in the ART 2009 where you can select the most delicious original specialties.
Every year there are an estimated 10 million visitors to the Tuscany region. The official figures show that they are still increasing - in 2008, visitor numbers rose by 7.6%.
Looking into these statistics further, Italy has a strong internal tourist market -84.5% of Italians holidayed within Italy itself, with Tuscany being the second most popular destination amongst Italians. So the demand for high quality rental properties with excellent amenities is strong throughout the long high season. The additional benefit is apart from the good rental yields, buyers have the opportunity to use the apartment to treat them to a relaxing Tuscan holiday. It's a perfect lifestyle investment.
After the enormous success of previous years, the 73rd edition of International Arts and Crafts exhibition will happen at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from April 25 to May 3, 2009. Locals and others can enjoy the 2009 ART festival, which has over 800 exhibitors and it is the most important review of art and craft products in Italy. The fair will be exemplified by specific flavor: blast from the past, future styles, new materials, new colors, the traditional refinement and taste that are peculiar to products which are never archaic.
ART 2009 is not only a trade show; it is a historic, artistic and cultural event as well, which crosses Florence’s and Tuscany’s history. Visitors can also savor the tastes and traditions of the Tuscan countryside in the ART 2009 where you can select the most delicious original specialties.
Every year there are an estimated 10 million visitors to the Tuscany region. The official figures show that they are still increasing - in 2008, visitor numbers rose by 7.6%.
Looking into these statistics further, Italy has a strong internal tourist market -84.5% of Italians holidayed within Italy itself, with Tuscany being the second most popular destination amongst Italians. So the demand for high quality rental properties with excellent amenities is strong throughout the long high season. The additional benefit is apart from the good rental yields, buyers have the opportunity to use the apartment to treat them to a relaxing Tuscan holiday. It's a perfect lifestyle investment.
Apr 4, 2009
Italy is the hottest international destination for Americans
American holidaymakers continue to favor Italy as their top holiday spot according to the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) latest survey.
The USTOA annual informal polling revealed that 50 percent of respondents to its survey named Italy as their favorite destination for the sixth consecutive year and 30 per cent chose Rome as their top city. Italy bagged top spot for the international country of 2008, Egypt ranked a distant second to Italy and also it was ranked top destination overall for packaged travel.
Tourism officials in Italy have said they are proud that the country is popular with American consumers. The all-year-round appeal of Italy's historical and cultural sites makes the country a viable holiday location. The appeal of Italy for 12 months of the year could also benefit rental investors, as continuous influx of tourists result in higher occupancy rates. This means that the owners will be collecting a greater amount in rental yields, while the demand could push up the value of their house.
In related news, Italy has been named the best European destination in the Daily Telegraph's annual travel awards and the country was ranked in the top spot for the second year running.
The USTOA annual informal polling revealed that 50 percent of respondents to its survey named Italy as their favorite destination for the sixth consecutive year and 30 per cent chose Rome as their top city. Italy bagged top spot for the international country of 2008, Egypt ranked a distant second to Italy and also it was ranked top destination overall for packaged travel.
Tourism officials in Italy have said they are proud that the country is popular with American consumers. The all-year-round appeal of Italy's historical and cultural sites makes the country a viable holiday location. The appeal of Italy for 12 months of the year could also benefit rental investors, as continuous influx of tourists result in higher occupancy rates. This means that the owners will be collecting a greater amount in rental yields, while the demand could push up the value of their house.
In related news, Italy has been named the best European destination in the Daily Telegraph's annual travel awards and the country was ranked in the top spot for the second year running.
Apr 2, 2009
The Seven Wonders of the World in Calabria
Europe's fastest growing property developer has announced plans for a new development that oozes Italian style and Calabrese character located in Soverato, Calabria.
Soverato is situated in the Calabrian province of Catanzaro in Southern and it is 15 minutes away from the town of Catanzaro, and just 40 minutes drive from Lamezia airport which offers direct flights to London. The region offers year round mild and pleasant weather and it is one of the most known and beautiful tourist resorts on the Ionian coast, and popularly known as ‘The Gem of Ionian Sea’. Summer in the town attracts domestic and international tourists. Nightlife in Soverato is fantastic as the young and the old alike to party till the early hours of the morning, with beachside bars, restaurants, the picturesque narrow streets and quaint restaurants glitter the town.
VFI Overseas Property has announced the details of the project to be built in Soverato, which is currently experiencing a surge in holiday home construction. The development which has been dubbed as The Seven Wonders of the World - will feature homes with four bedrooms and three bathrooms overlooking a scenic beach. The developer says the company made the community in honor of the Seven Wonders of the World from antiquity.
The villas are situated 5 minutes away from the sandy beaches; adjacent to this beach you have some fantastic local amenities including a selection of local restaurants, bars, shops and much more. The resort consists of 4 bedroom and 3 bathroom villas, stylishly and sympathetically designed to reflect the local architecture, offering matchless sea views that stretch past the long golden beaches. Each one is elegantly designed to make sure that the spectacular views or privacy is not compromised by the surrounding properties. Each apartment will have its own individual entrance, with top class appliances and American style kitchen as well as dining area complemented by the large windows leading to an ample terrace.
VFI Overseas Property Director Antonio Velardo commented: "This project will initiate a standard at the top end of the luxury homes market to the southern Italian Riviera. We are delighted to be at the forefront of this revolution in quality development and we intend to introduce more such exclusive communities in the future."
Soverato is situated in the Calabrian province of Catanzaro in Southern and it is 15 minutes away from the town of Catanzaro, and just 40 minutes drive from Lamezia airport which offers direct flights to London. The region offers year round mild and pleasant weather and it is one of the most known and beautiful tourist resorts on the Ionian coast, and popularly known as ‘The Gem of Ionian Sea’. Summer in the town attracts domestic and international tourists. Nightlife in Soverato is fantastic as the young and the old alike to party till the early hours of the morning, with beachside bars, restaurants, the picturesque narrow streets and quaint restaurants glitter the town.
VFI Overseas Property has announced the details of the project to be built in Soverato, which is currently experiencing a surge in holiday home construction. The development which has been dubbed as The Seven Wonders of the World - will feature homes with four bedrooms and three bathrooms overlooking a scenic beach. The developer says the company made the community in honor of the Seven Wonders of the World from antiquity.
The villas are situated 5 minutes away from the sandy beaches; adjacent to this beach you have some fantastic local amenities including a selection of local restaurants, bars, shops and much more. The resort consists of 4 bedroom and 3 bathroom villas, stylishly and sympathetically designed to reflect the local architecture, offering matchless sea views that stretch past the long golden beaches. Each one is elegantly designed to make sure that the spectacular views or privacy is not compromised by the surrounding properties. Each apartment will have its own individual entrance, with top class appliances and American style kitchen as well as dining area complemented by the large windows leading to an ample terrace.
VFI Overseas Property Director Antonio Velardo commented: "This project will initiate a standard at the top end of the luxury homes market to the southern Italian Riviera. We are delighted to be at the forefront of this revolution in quality development and we intend to introduce more such exclusive communities in the future."
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