500-Year-Old Rustic Farmhouse with Stunning Views
Peaceful Location in the Heart of the Appenini Mountains
Sleeps 8 (4 bedrooms) + 2 cots
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Welcome to rustic Italy at its most spectacular. Castagnola is a truly Italian hamlet containing 10 houses, all owned by Italians. Some families live here permanently and have done for generations; for some it is a weekend getaway. The hamlet enjoys wonderful mountain views and is situated on a no-through road so is extremely peaceful and very safe for children. It is just 2km from Quara, a pretty village with a good selection of shops and a bar for your morning coffee. Our charming stone house, which is approx 500 years old, can sleep up to 8, is well equipped and furnished in a simple style. It retains many original features, including terracotta, brick and flagstone floors, an open fire and a working outdoor pizza oven. From early June to early September there is a wonderful open-air swimming pool in the nearby town of Toano (8km), and the house is extremely well placed for skiing, being just 25 minutes' drive from the ski resort of Febbio.
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 17 September 2011 - 17 December 2011 | €550 | 4 | ||
| 17 December 2011 - 3 January 2012 | €675 | 7 | ||
| 3 January 2012 - 31 March 2012 | €550 | 4 | ||
| 31 March 2012 - 30 June 2012 | €600 | 4 | ||
| 30 June 2012 - 15 September 2012 | €700 | 7 | ||
| 15 September 2012 - 22 December 2012 | €550 | 4 | ||
| 22 December 2012 - 5 January 2013 | €700 | 7 |
Changeover day
Usually Saturday or Sunday depending on where you are flying to; however, we can be flexible if other bookings allow.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Bedroom 1 (ground floor): king-size bed, lovely views. Bedroom 2: king-size bed, lovely views. Bedroom 3: king-size bed, lovely views. Bedroom 4: 2 single beds, garden views. |
| Bathrooms: | 1 family bathroom on the ground floor with loo, bidet, shower, child's bath tub and washing machine. There is a heat-on-demand water system. |
| Kitchen: | Hob with 4 gas rings and 2 electric rings; electric oven; fridge/freezer; microwave; and butcher's block. It is very well equipped for up to 8 people. The tap water is fresh and filtered spring water direct from the Appenini mountains! |
| Living Rooms: | Dining room with working open fireplace, lovely farmhouse table seating up to 8, piano, stereo and games/book cupboard. Living room with centuries-old flagstone floor and comfortable sofas. 'Snug' with TV and DVD player. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
Towels and bed linen are included, as is a 'welcome basket' containing all the essentials to keep you going for the first night. The property will be cleaned and prepared before your stay and, for an additional cost, an extra weekly clean can be arranged. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge/freezer microwave washing machine iron/ironing board internet access central heating cot high chair barbecue |
| Location Type: |
Notes on accommodation
The central heating system comprises the latest hi-tech pellet-burning stoves. The larger unit in the sitting room warms part of the ground floor and all of the first floor. The second, smaller unit is in the kitchen. Both units burn wood pellets and, depending on usage, only need re-filling once every 1 or 2 days. They can be remotely controlled and can be programmed to maintain a certain temperature and to come on and off automatically over a 7-day period. The house has 4 bedrooms; however, there is one bedroom on the ground floor so it is also perfect for couples as they can use the ground floor only. This set-up attracts a 20% discount off the standard price. We have a broadband internet connection with wifi.
Accessibility
The house is situated in a hilly area and is set above the road with a steep entrance from the road to the front door. The front garden is on a slope. There is a bedroom on the ground floor. There is one step up into the ground-floor bathroom.
Outside
The property is set in a lovely sloping garden of approx. 3000 sq m that surrounds the house. Guests have use of the large outdoor table with chairs, sun loungers, barbecue, paddling pool and, if you like a challenge, why not try out the authentic outdoor pizza oven? There are also several outbuildings including two attractive barns, currently used for storage.
There is a forest at the back of the house (the walk up to Quara takes around 30 minutes and there's a 10-minute walk up through the forest that takes you to a lovely meadow with truly spectacular views) and a wealth of wildlife to enjoy. If you're lucky, you might see a deer in the garden, a woodpecker in the forest or a bird of prey circling over the mountains.
Coast/Beach
La Spezia is just under two hours away by car (just over 100km).
The extremely popular tourist destination of Cinque Terre ('Five Lands') on the Italian Riviera is around 120km away; the winding moutainous roads make it a slow but spectacular drive that's well worth the effort. On arrival, take the train that links the five beautiful clifftop villages (or the walking trail if you're feeling more energetic).
Golf
There are several good golf courses within an hour's drive of the house, including the 18-hole San Valentino Golf Club in Castellarano, which is surrounded by over 130 hectares of woodland and green pastures and boasts 4 lakes; and the Matilde di Canossa golf club near the town of Reggio Emilia.
Skiing
In the province of Reggio Emilia there are 6 well-equipped ski resorts, all inside the splendid Gigante Park. The local ski resort, Febbio, is a 25-minute drive from the house. It boasts the highest slopes in the Apennines (up to 2063m), with 20 km of downhill skiing and fabulous views from the summit of Monte Cusna. There are also natural ramps and slopes for snowboarders and 5km of cross-country ski trails. It is a very family-friendly resort, with a ski, snowboard and cross-country ski school, and several restaurants. You can buy a daily ski pass or a morning or afternoon-only pass, so you can ski as much or as little as you wish!
Special interest holidays
We can organise cooking courses at a friendly family-run restaurant 15 mins' drive from the house. The courses can be tailored to your requirements but a typical itinerary would involve making two types of fresh pasta, two different sauces and a dessert or two; you can then enjoy eating what you have made (and more) in the restaurant. It's a fantastic experience that comes highly recommended by our guests, who have told us it was one of the highlights of their holiday. In good weather, there's a lovely terrace on which to enjoy your meal, along with a nice little playground, French boules pitch and football pitch for the kids!
Travel
The nearest airports are Bologna airport (Ryanair from Stansted, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin; BA from Gatwick) and Parma airport (Ryanair from Stansted). Both are a 90-minute drive. The use of a car is essential.
Distances
The house is extremely well placed for a day trip to any of the four main cities in Emilia Romagna:
The ancient town of Reggio Emilia is 50km away. Modena is 60km away. Parma, one of the most affluent towns in Italy, is 70km away. Bologna, the region's capital city, is about 100km away.
Other places of interest include Castelnovo ne' Monti, best known for the Pietra di Bismantova (see below), and Carpineti, with its impressive hilltop castle, both of which are about 30 min away.
Further details
The area is popular with walkers, cyclists and bikers due to the spectacular mountainous scenery. There are many marked walking routes in the area, one of which starts in Castagnola. The Parco del Gigante is one of the largest parks in Emilia and is ideal for walking and horse-riding. About 30 minutes from Castagnola is the Pietra di Bismantova, a magnificent sandstone plateau over 1000m high that is a symbol of the region and is even mentioned in Dante’s Inferno. It can be reached along two paths; one running beside a Benedictine hermitage, the other from the hamlet of Pavoni di Castelnovo ne’ Monti. The rock is also a climbers’ paradise, with about fifty routes and climbing variants.
The beautiful scenery also makes it an ideal location for painting holidays.
Known as the ‘Food Kitchen’ of the North, Emilia-Romagna is the ideal destination for food lovers. Bologna, 'La Grassa' ('The Fat'), is thought by many to be the food capital of Italy. As well as a huge array of pasta dishes, the region is also renowned for Langhirano and Parma ham, Parmesan, balsamic vinegar and, of course, Lambrusco (but luckily not as we know it in the UK!). The area has many restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias that offer fantastic value for money, including one just 15 mins' drive from the house that offers great seasonal food and organic meat, reared on their own smallholding. Cooking courses are held in Modena, Parma and Bologna, as well as guided tours of the production sites of some of Emilia-Romagna’s famous products; however, there’s no need to go further than our local Parmesan producer in Quara, just minutes from the house, for a tour.
This area is a car and motorbike enthusiast’s dream come true - Lamborghini (Dosso, nr Ferrara), Ferrari (Maranello), Maserati and Ducati (near Bologna) all have their factories and museums in this area. There are several playgrounds in the area, including in Quara and Toano, and an aquapark in Reggio Emilia, near the A1 junction.
Booking notes
A 30% non-refundable deposit is required to secure a booking, with the balance due 8 weeks before the start of the holiday. Payment is in euros by bank transfer. Contact us for more information.
Guest comments
'We thought we would get a few days of peace and quiet, but never realised how peaceful it could be - where did all the noise go? ... We feel privileged to have stayed in your country retreat'
'For my first real taste of Italy, nothing could beat throwing open the shutters to glorious sunshine and a simply amazing view'
'Food and wine superb, the house rustic but so so charming, views and countryside out of this world'
'A very different, amazing and memorable holiday'
House swap
House swap considered. Will need to sleep at least 4.
Owner profile
About the owner
We are Marcus and Polly and we live in London with our two young children. Polly speaks fluent Italian, having studied languages at university, so her love of the language, literature and all things Italian dates back to then.
Year purchased: 2003
Why the owner chose a home in this location
We wanted to buy somewhere off the tourist trail (partly to get away from it all and partly because it would be more affordable than other, more saturated, parts of Italy!). We chose Emilia Romagna because we have access not only to the beautiful historic cities of Reggio, Modena, Parma and Bologna, but also the Appenini mountain range, where one can ski in winter and walk/cycle etc in summer. There's also the food, of course! We fell in love with our house as soon as we saw it. We love its rustic feel, its metre-thick stone walls, its character, its views...
Unique benefits of the property
If you want to experience the real, rustic Italy, without crowds of tourists getting in your way, you'll find it here. We have renovated our house so as not to lose any of its abundant character (we like wonky walls!) so it's simple in style, but very comfortable and well-appointed. It's in a peaceful hamlet on a no-through road but is only 2km from the shops and amenities in the village of Quara. Whether you're planning to get your culture fix in Bologna and Modena; visit the Lamborghini, Ferrari and Ducati museums; enjoy the many outdoor activities on offer; experience the gastronomical delights of "the food kitchen of the North" or simply hang out, relax and spend your time lazing by the fabulous open-air pool in nearby Toano, our house offers you the perfect base.
For booking and further information
Property Ref IT2714
Contact Name:
Polly Fox
(UNITED KINGDOM) +44 07941090639
Alternate Contact Details:
(UNITED KINGDOM) +44 02077712621
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Property Ref IT2714
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