A Villa in Tuscany's Lunigiana Region
One solution is buying a villa or apartment in a development for foreigners, something that seems to be gaining popularity in Italy. Advantages are not having to speak fluent Italian, having someone to watch your property when you're not there, and having assistance available with anything you might not understand. They'll sometimes even decorate and furnish the house.
I recently visited a picture-perfect project site in Bagnone in Tuscany's Lunigiana region. It's below the castle and right across the river from the pretty village of Bagnone where there are services. Two ancient structures are being turned into apartments for vacationers while other buildings will be free standing houses. The smaller places are just right for two, and will be restructured using the local traditions of Tuscan architecture.
The Lunigiana region is a scenic area of northern Tuscany with small medieval villages and castles, wooded hills with good hiking trails, and traditional festivals. Here you'll find fewer tourists and lower prices than in other parts of Tuscany. Pontremoli, shown in the picture, is a well-preserved medieval town and one of the principal towns of the Lunigiana.
When completed, the complex will be a gated community and properties will be fully managed and taken care of when the owner isn't there. Apartments could be rented out as weekly vacation rentals, too. Prices start at €150,000 for a monolocale or studio, and go up to €450,000 for a full house. Beaches on the coast, mountains with skiing, and the cities of Pisa and Lucca are within an hour.
The project is being designed and built by people at Graffiti Properties who've lived in the area for years. I've seen some of their restoration work and its fantastic. More information is available by email at focus.martina@libero.it
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