3 bedrooms house, 230 m²

Fontana Liri, Frosinone (province)

Casa Arcadia: Set in the peaceful medieval small hilltop town of Fontana Liri Superiore, with glorious views across wooded slopes, the main floor of this beautifully restored, centuries-old property has been designed by an architect as a stunning 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom 230 sq.mt. home. The very large open living area has a large fireplace for winter, a balcony looking out over a private courtyard to the mountains beyond, and a colonnaded section, now enclosed, with oversized doors and windows opening onto the main piazza. There is a second, more intimate living room/tv room/study, also with a log-burning fireplace.

Two charming guest bedrooms share a fully modern bathroom, and the very large master bedroom has its own modern ensuite. It also enjoys the same lovely views as the main living room.

Doors from the hallway and the fully-fitted kitchen open onto old stone steps leading down into a hidden courtyard, with its own spring. Several small cantina (cellar) rooms open directly off the courtyard. Other interconnected courtyards built into the historic city walls form an enchanting private BBQ, al fresco dining and relaxation outdoor area and create endless further possibilities - perhaps including the installation of a hot tub for winter or small plunge pool for summer.

On the other side of the courtyard, a few steps lead into the very extensive lower floor which also has its own street access. This lower level, presently unused except for storage, offers a great deal of potential to expand the property further, either immediately or at some future date.

Energy classification : G


FONTANA LIRI SUPERIORE AND THE CIOCIARIA

Fontana Liri is one of the 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. It was historically a spa town and has a wide range of shops, services, restaurants, cafés and bars. Fontana Liri Superiore is the original hilltop medieval settlement that today forms the historic centre of Fontana Liri.

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 Fontana 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 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 Fontana Liri Superiore, Arpino, Alatri 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.