2 bedrooms semi-detached house, 142 m²

Carro, La Spezia (province)

Tastefully restored character property in the heart of a medieval village set in the Ligurian hills close to the Cinque Terre.

Private entrance from the pedestrian street. Two bedrooms, bathroom with washing machine and a larger bathroom with shower and bathtub.

On the top floor is a large living/dining room with fireplace and doors leading onto a terrace with beautifull views. Nicely fitted kitchen.

The village is set in the hills above the sea and the view is wonderful. The village has easy access to the villages and beaches of the Cinque Terre and also to the walking trails of the mountains. There are numerous country farm restaurants nearby, serving local specialties. The large town of La Spezia with pedestrian shopping, street cafes and train station is close by. La Spezia also has a couple of good marinas for either keeping a boat or chartering a day trip around the Gulf of the Poets.

Sarzana also nearby is a vibrant medieval market town with large elegant central piazzas and cobbled lanes meandering through the town flanked with coffee shops and antique stores. During the summer months Sarzana often hosts festivals from dining in the piazza to concerts to open air events along the lanes. There is a wonderful atmosphere on summer evenings when there are many street antique markets throughout the town, often with musicians playing and the castle is open. Sarzana also has a station with direct trains to Pisa, Florence, the Cinque Terre and Genova (Genoa) and a general market takes over the town each Thursday.

Both the coastal area of the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of the Poets are easily accessible. The golden sandy beaches have views to the islands, Portovenere and the castles of San Terenzo and Lerici. The Gulf of The Poets, a pearl of the Mediterranean, with character villages, craggy coves and sandy beaches, is enchanting. It has been home to many poets and writers over the years including Shelley, Byron and DH Lawrence. There is great sailing around this coastline, with the Cinque Terre, Elba and the Tuscan islands all within easy reach. Both Lerici and San Terenzo are dominated by the castle with the old villages of pastel coloured buildings huddled on the steep hills dropping down to the sea and the marina. There are many colourful shops and restaurants and it is an ideal place to relax and explore. The easiest way to get around the gulf is by boat which run between Lerici, La Spezia, Portovenere and on to The Cinque Terre. These five villages are strung along the terraced cliffs and form a UNESCO World Heritage site which, until recently, could only be reached by boat or by train. Anyone visiting the Cinque Terre should take a walk along the cliff paths which link one village to the next, stop in one of the bars or restaurants and try the anchovies marinated in olive oil and garlic, served with bread and delicate white wine made from the grapes which grow up the steep terraces above the villages.

The airports of Pisa, Parma and Genova are each an hour away.

Distances: Genova 90 km Levanto 23 km, Cinque Terre 30km La Spezia 37 km, Sarzana 40 km, Forte dei Marmi 70 km, Lucca 98km, Pisa (airport) 100km.