Sorry - no pets allowed Suitable for children Not suitable for elderly or infirm No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
This is a lovely 2nd floor apartment in a secure block: It is comfortable and well equipped and can sleep up to 6 adults / children and one baby.
The Master Bedroom has a king size bed, a crystal chandelier and fully fitted large oak storage units, with matching headboard, dressing table and two mini chests of drawers. There is ample wardrobe and storage space in this room for all the guests staying in the flat. Bedding for all 6 beds and the travel cot is stored in the centre section of the triple wardrobe: sheets, blankets, pillow cases, towels, flannels etc. The bed has an excellent orthopaedic mattress which is perfect after at day in the sun or a day’s sightseeing. This room also has a new single folding bed and a travel cot for babies and toddlers which we purchased for the flat last summer.
The second sleeping area has a three seater sofa that opens out into another fully sprung king size bed and an armchair that opens out into a fully sprung single bed (please note these are proper beds not just those uncomfortable pull-outs that you have to sleep on when you go and stay with friends). This room also has a TV, video and DVD player and a beautiful sculpted mahogany display cabinet which doubles up as extra storage for our guests as it has two huge shelved cupboards below. It also has a large solid oak dining table that can be extended to seat up to 8 people.
In the hall are six beautiful mahogany chairs which match the dining table, a solid oak coat and hat stand, a hall cupboard and matching mirror. Further along the hall there is a modern cupboard where we store the beach parasol, beach toys for children, extra bedding and cleaning materials.
The flat has a fully equipped kitchen which is well stocked with glassware, crockery and cutlery. A new combo microwave and fridge freezer were installed last summer.
The bathroom has a bath, shower and bidet unit and a slimline washing machine.
The air conditioning unit in the hall cools the flat down very well in the summer.
The apartment has an L-shaped balcony which extends all around the length of the flat; an ideal place to relax with a glass or two of wine on balmy summer evenings. There is a sun blind on the balcony and two washing lines; in the summer it only takes one hour for washing to dry in the hot Italian sun.
Many of the neighbours in this and the mini apartment block across the way are known to us and are always happy to assist our guests in any way they can. There are also some new younger families in these two blocks with young children; last summer several of our guests mentioned that their children made friends with some of the children in the apartment block soon after arrival and were often invited to go and play in the little children’s playground at the end of the close.
There is a small private parking area just outside the apartment block for local residents. You will be entitled to park there providing you avoid the disabled spaces in yellow and do not block the entrance to the neighbours’ garages.
The flat is within walking distance of cafes, shops, supermarkets, restaurants and the excellent Ravello take-away restaurant where you can buy a delicious Italian home cooked meal for the entire family for as little as €20.
Remember you will benefit from the fact that this flat is not in a holiday village but in a smart residential area of Formia. The quality of the produce available in the delicatessens and supermarkets and the local restaurants, needs to satisfy the high expectations of the Italian residents of the area; the prices are competitive, the service you will receive is of the highest standard and the produce is as good as you will find anywhere in Italy.
PLEASE BOOK EARLY FOR SUMMER BOOKINGS TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
Beach Resort near apartment included in the price
The splendour of the Palace of Caserta.
Master Bedroom
Living Room and Bedroom two.
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/2719
The Lazio region
This region is steeped in history and culture all around. Formia itself is a beautiful chic Italian town surrounded on three sides by the spectacular Aurunci Hills and overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Within driving distance of Formia are Naples, Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, Scauri, Gaeta and Sperlonga. Rome is one hour away by train and it only costs £15 return to get there and back. This town really does have it all. Designer shops, traditional southern Italian markets, restaurants serving delicious Southern Italian food at prices you won't believe and beaches and views to die for. This is an area which has something to offer all year round. CONTACT US NOW ABOUT OUR 08 SPECIAL OFFERS. WE TEND TO HAVE SPECIAL OFFERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER. There are excellent beaches in Formia, Gaeta, Scauri, Sperlonga and the Mondragone area further south. SUMMER GUESTS IN 2008 CAN BENEFIT FROM A FAMILY BOOKING IN A BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE BEACH RESORT FOR UP TO 14 DAYS AT NO EXTRA COST OR AT A MUCH REDUCED RATE (depending on time of year and subject to availability) Please see photos on this page. Two of the resorts we send our guests to are attached to luxury hotels. One is just a ten minute walk from the apartment and benefits from spectacular views of the bay of Gaeta. The other is in the town of Sperlonga and has a beautiful beachside pool attached to the hotel. Lunch is available on the splendid hotel terraces overlooking the Bay of Gaeta or the Islands of Ponza and Ventotene. We also send guests to two excellent beach lidos in Sperlonga and Mondragone. At one of these lidos you can buy superb extra virgin Olive Oil produced from the family olive groves in the Itri hills (but you do need to order this a few days before you require it) and very good lunches are available for as little as €5 - €7. The other beach lido we recommend to our guests is in the Levagnole resort near the town of Mondragone where English speaking guests are particularly welcome as one of the owners is English. This lido is famous in the area for its volcanic spring. Guests are able to have naturally hot showers at a fraction of the cost of the hotel spa nearby. Opposite this lido is a very good restaurant attached to the hotel / spa where you can have an abundant but reasonably priced lunch on the terrace overlooking the Bay of Mondragone. The resort we are able to send guests to may depend on time of year and availability. All these beaches will provide guests with an exclusive beachside parasol service, the beaches are cleaned daily and they all have qualified lifeguards on the beach or at the poolside every day until 7 pm. Please note that private beaches in Italy are closed during the winter months but public beaches are open all year round. If you have children, then the Aqua Park in Itri is a must. Not only will you have a thoroughly relaxing time while your children enjoy the two pools, three slides and inflatables, but you can benefit from their excellent low cost lunches and their delicious home made doughnuts and croissants (they are available from about 3 pm onwards). The white chocolate doughnuts are out of this world. There are other aqua parks in the area, but as this is a family run centre and we have been going to it with our children for many years, this is the one we recommend to our guests. However, we do urge all adults with young children to be Health and Saftey aware at all times at beaches and swimming pools. Health and Safety beach and swimming pool information sheets sent to interested parties should be read with care. In the summer Formia never sleeps: the magnificent roman amphitheratre at Minturnae puts on open air operatic and theatrial productions throughout the summer months. Just a short walk from two of our Sperlonga beach resorts the open air summer theatre, provides entertainment for the entire season for people of all ages: opera, neapolitan songs, classical concerts, pop and rock concerts, traditional folk dancers and more.
The port at Formia is approximately 1 Km. from the apartment and from there you can take a ferry or jetfoil to the islands of Ponza and Ventotene, where the sea water is a beautiful deep blue and there are caves and grottos to explore all around the two islands. Please see Guest Book for a former guest's magical island experience. 30 minutes south of Formia are the traditional villages in the Campania region; a trip to the medieval market town of Sessa Aurunca for the Thursday morning market is a must. We also recommend lunch at the local osteria in Sessa - Da Nicola, after the market. An excellent three course lunch (using only local produce) will only cost you £15 or less. Please see comments below from former guests for more information on trips to the islands and the town of Sessa Aurunca.
Formia area
CONTACT US NOW ABOUT OUR SPECIAL OFFERS FOR 2008. During the summer months this region of Italy has many 'feste' and 'sagre'. A festa was traditionally a religious festival but now all the towns and villages in the area have their summer entertainment programme which can range from funfairs for the children and openair concerts and street dancing. Last Year the Opera Aida was performed in the Gaeta Arena; overlooking the bay in the moonlight. This and all the other activities in the programme were free. The sagre are also a type of festival but they focus on food; each town, village or suburb has its yearly 'sagra' which celebrates its culinary speciality; obviously there are ample free samples available. The traditional Italian mediterranean diet has its roots in this area of Italy, so it is very easy to eat well and healthily in this region of Italy. The Formia area has several 'sagre' - Mozzarella, Salsiccia, Pasticcio, Fresella and seafood of all types.
The food in this area is recognized worldwide as being among the best in Italy. The Italian Mediterranean diet is famous worldwide for its healthful qualities and wholesome natural ingredients. Real Pizza (baked in stone ovens made with 100% buffalo mozzarella), fish, the freshest sea-food imaginable, pasta of all kinds and roasted vegetables to die for, must be sampled. Recommended restaurants in the Formia area are : The reasonably price Trattoria Ravello which is just around the corner from the flat and provides home cooked dishes to take away or to eat there in simple surroundings for less than €10 per person, Il Risorgimento, a short walk from the flat and overlooks the beautiful bay of Gaeta, Zi Anna, at the port of Formia and specialises in fish, sea food and amazing roasted vegetables, La Fontana, in the market squre where you can order an excellent steak and Il Tartufo (this last one specializes in mushrooms and truffles and all types of vegetables and excellent pizzas cooked in the traditional stone ovens). For special occasions the excellent Vecchio Borgo Antico restaurant in Castellonorato should be tried; it is reached by following signs to the mountain village of Maranola and then up to Castellonorato. This restaurant dominates the Bay of Gaeta providing excellent views of the towns below; at night the illuminated coastline is truly spectacular. Their taglierini with giant prawn and fresh roquette is a must. If you would like to try your hand at Italian Karaoke or dinner and dance (at an economical price) then you must go to Il Gelso, just off the Domiziana (about 20 minutes south of Formia in the Campania region). Your host at Il Gelso is the 'larger than life' Fernando. His rendition of 'My Way' has to be second only to Sinatra himself.
Visitors to the area in the Christmas season must see the 'Presepe Vivente' in the local villages (it literally means the 'Living Crib'.) Visitors to the area in the Easter season must visit the town of Sessa Aurunca (20 mins away from the apartment) to see the Good Friday and Easter Monday Processions. On Good Friday the entire town processes through the town for 8 hours culminating in four enormous bonfires being lit in the town's incredible medieval town square. It feels more like 1407 than 2007. (More information and photos available on these on request).
For sports enthusiasts the Olympic Coni sports centre is in the next street to that of the apartment and a windsurfing school in Formia Vindicio is a short bus-ride or drive away. Opera enthusiasts could have singing lessons with a professional opera singer and anyone interested in cuisine could assist the Chef is one of the local restaurants in the Formia area or further south. Details of these and other activities are available on request. A taxi service with tour guide facility can also be arranged on request. In the town of Sperlonga there is a water skiing centre and and horse riding club which provides leisurely rides on the beach at sunset. The horse riding club also provides a day camp service for children of all ages. At the camp children will have riding lessons, cookery classes, treasure hunts and a couple of hours on the beach.
The aqua park at Itri is a must for children and parents alike; its three waterslides and two large pools surrounded by the most spectaclular scenery will provide you with a day out that you will treasure forever. (See above). The Garigliano river provides plenty of fishing opportunities for anglers, and yachts are available to hire on request. As there is so much to do in the Formia area we provide our visitors with suggested Programmes of Activities for 7 / 14 / 21 day visits to the area geared to the time of year and season required. CONTACT US NOW ABOUT OUR SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR ROUND.
How to get there
Fly to Rome and get a bus from the airport to Rome's Termini station then take a train to Formia station; a direct train (called 'intercity' in Italian) only takes an hour or just over. Once in Formia take a bus or a taxi to the flat. For first timers it may be best to take a taxi. This will cost about 8 euros. If you want to explore the area we advise that you hire a car from the airport in Rome and travel to Formia by car taking the A1 motorway or the Appia and Pontina roads to Formia. This journey will take about 2 / 3 hours depending on traffic and the time of year.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Rome: 110 km
Railway:
Formia: 1 km
Ferry:
Formia: 1 km
Activities near Formia
Sports: Tennis in town Watersports Waterpark Horse Riding Fishing
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats Beach or lakeside relaxation Good nightlife City breaks Cycling holidays
Facilities
Luxuries:
DVD player
General:
Central heating, Air conditioning, TV, Video player
Sofabeds (1), Single beds (2), Double beds (2), Cots (1), Dining seating for 6, Lounge seating for 3, Sleeps maximum of 7
Other:
Linen and towels provided.
Outdoors:
Balcony / Terrace
Access:
Parking space
Further details indoors: Please note that we are not travel agents and this is not a Holiday Village but it is a pleasant apartment in a safe, residential area of Formia and the neighbours are friendly and helpful at all times whenever required. It is an ideal environment for anyone who wants to live the Italian life for a while and perfect for young families as it is a safe and child friendly neighbourhood.
PLEASE BOOK EARLY FOR SUMMER BOOKINGS TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
Further details outdoors: SUMMER GUESTS IN 2008 CAN BENEFIT FROM A FAMILY BOOKING IN A BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE BEACH RESORT FOR UP TO 14 DAYS AT NO EXTRA COST IF THEY BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE.
Please see the photos of the beautiful beach resorts we are able to arrange for our Formia guests as part of this package. As one of our guests wrote in an email last year:
'Thank you so much for arranging such a wonderful holiday for us; the beach facilities at the local hotel were excellent; totally and completely relaxing - a little slice of Heaven'.
Check out our website for photos and more information on our apartment and the Formia area.
Further details
SUMMER GUESTS IN 2008 CAN BENEFIT FROM A FAMILY BOOKING IN A BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE BEACH RESORT FOR UP TO 14 DAYS AT NO EXTRA COST IF THEY BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE.
Two of the beautiful resorts we send our guests to are attached to luxury hotels. Imagine yourselves eating a delicious Southern Italian lunch on the splendid hotel terraces overlooking the Bay of Gaeta or the Islands of Ponza and Ventotene. Unadulterated Luxury all AT NO EXTRA COST.
SEEING IS BELIEVING! - LOOK AT THE BEACH RESORT PHOTOS AND READ THE COMMENTS IN OUR GUESTBOOK BY LAST YEAR'S SUMMER GUESTS.
All the resorts we send our guests to will provide them with an exclusive beachside and / or poolside parasol service; the beaches are cleaned daily and life guards are on duty until 7:00 pm every evening to make sure children are happy but also safe. Health and Safety beach and swimming pool information sheets sent to interested parties should be read with care.
PLEASE BOOK EARLY FOR SUMMER BOOKINGS TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.
Conditions
CHILDREN AND SPORT If you ask anyone who has been to the south of Italy with children to tell you about their time there, I am sure they will all say the same thing: “Southern Italians love children, they welcome them everywhere with open arms”. This was certainly true for us when our children were young, that’s why we kept going back. Restaurants, cafés, Italian style pubs, all have high chairs and are happy for families with young children to go and eat, drink or snack there at any time of the day or evening. Beach holidays are a wonderful way of entertaining young children as they will be occupied for the entire day at a comparatively low cost; they will make lots of Italian friends on the beach and could even learn a little Italian. When our children were small all they really wanted to do when we were in Italy, was to go to the beach or the aqua park; they weren’t really interested in much else. As they got older they started asking about some of the other sporting activities that they can do in the area. They tried a variety of activities but their favourites have proved to be horse riding on the beach in Sperlonga and water skiing on the lake. I think our younger daughter would like to have a go a paragliding but you have to be over 18 to do that in Italy so she has a few more years to go.
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: British £
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
January (long lets only)
1 Jan 08
1 Feb 08
200£ 200
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0-
1 Month
February (long lets only)
1 Feb 08
1 Mar 08
200£ 200
0-
0-
1 Month
March
1 Mar 08
1 Apr 08
450£ 450
0-
0-
1 Week
April
1 Apr 08
1 May 08
450£ 450
0-
0-
1 Week
May
1 May 08
1 Jun 08
500£ 500
0-
0-
1 Week
June
1 Jun 08
1 Jul 08
500£ 500
0-
0-
1 Week
July
1 Jul 08
1 Aug 08
550£ 550
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0-
1 Week
August
1 Aug 08
1 Sep 08
550£ 550
0-
0-
1 Week
September
1 Sep 08
1 Oct 08
450£ 450
0-
0-
1 Week
October
1 Oct 08
16 Nov 08
450£ 450
0-
0-
1 Week
November (2 weeks min)
16 Nov 08
1 Dec 08
350£ 350
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0-
2 Weeks
December
1 Dec 08
1 Jan 09
350£ 350
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0-
2 Weeks
111
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
PLEASE NOTE: THE ABOVE RATES ARE GUIDE PRICES ONLY. WE ARE HAPPY TO NEGOTIATE RATES WITH GUESTS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE US AN OFFER. WE TEND TO ACCEPT LOWER OFFERS IF THEY ARE BOOKED AND PAID FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
When you are considering an offer you should note that the Guide Prices above are based on 2 people renting the property per week. Weekly supplements for extra guests, including children, will be payable.
Guestbook
"We didn't know what to expect when we went to Formia last year as we had never been south of Rome before, but it was amazing. The people were so friendly, the beaches were superb and the weather was incredible. " Mr and Mrs Lyon - Southampton
"We wanted to experience life as the Italians lived it so this seemed ideal. We were not disappointed. We walked to the market every morning and if we got there early we could even buy freshly caught fish from the local fishing boats, the restaurants were great and some were surprisingly cheap compared to any of the restaurants we went to in northern Italy." Jill and Brian Cooper - Sydney Australia
"We had always rented villas with swimming pools in the past as we have three children but two years ago we found that our two teenagers got bored very quickly in our remote villa in Portugal so last summer we opted for this. Surprisingly we found the flat more than satisfied our accommodation needs and we all had a super time. We sat on the beach in Sperlonga most days and ate in fantastic restaurants at night, our children tried their hand at waterskiing, paragliding and scuba diving; in the evening they went clubbing and made more friends than we thought possible in just two weeks. We booked again for this year as soon as we got back." Owen family - South Wales.
We wanted to visit Rome but found the hotel prices extortionate in the summer months so we thought we would try this. It worked very well, we bought a 7 day pass for the inter-city train to Rome and found it very easy indeed. There are two inter-city trains an hour (three in the summer) and it only takes an hour to get to Rome from Formia. The inter-city trains are modern, clean and air-conditioned and above all they are CHEAP. In fact we couldn't believe the price so we treated ourselves to first class travel and had our own private compartment on most of the days and were served coffee and cornetti in our seats (Italian croissants) every morning. We highly recommend Formia to anyone wanting to visit Rome; not just because it is better value for money but because Formia is a lovely town in its own right. Visiting Rome was amazing and everyone should do it at least once but returning to Formia in the evening and having a meal in the Risorgimento restaurant near the flat, which overlooks the amazing Bay of Gaeta made our trip complete. We are definitely doing this again. S. Patel - Croydon
We stayed in this apartment during Easter Week this year as we wanted to experience the Holy Week Easter processions which my Italian grandfather used to talk about when I was a child. The owners of this apartment have family connections in a town called Sessa Aurunca in the Campania region, so they arranged for us to participate in all the Holy Week festivities in this amazing historical town. Sessa Aurunca is famous throughout southern Italy for being one of the only towns who still retains all its medieval traditions and festivals. Every day from Palm Sunday to Easter Monday a Procession of men and boys leaves one of the many Parish Churches and processes around the town for several hours dressed in the robes and colours of that particular parish. The most impressive of these processions are the ones on Good Friday and Easter Monday. The Good Friday Procession unites all the parishes together; this time they do not wear their parish colours but they are all in black robes and black hoods, as they are openly mourning the death of Christ. They process through town from 5 pm to about 2 am. The entire community is involved in this important religious event. Men and boys carry vivid statues of the Passion of Christ. Little girls as young as 2 are dressed in black and gold and represent Angels of Death. It is a medieval style funeral in every sense of the word. Every time the procession passes a particular area of town, its residents light a huge bonfire to symbolize good burning out evil. In the ancient Catholic tradition, fire is a purifying and cleansing force. When the procession reaches the Market Square 4 huge bonfires are lit in the centre of the square; it is quite a sight. On Easter Monday the whole town celebrates the risen Christ with another procession: in this one all the men wear the robes in their parish colours; the Bishop and the local Mayor and other dignitaries are at the front and everyone else follows. In the evening the whole town celebrates with music, dancing, food stalls of every type. It is the biggest party you can imagine. What is really amazing about this whole event is that it is not done for the benefit of tourists or visitors; in fact we seemed to be the only foreigners there; this is done because it has always been done. No one really knows when exactly it began; the town’s historians believe that it has been going for at least 1000 years if not longer. For us it really was a glimpse into the past. Anyone with any historical or cultural interest at all in Italy, should have this experience, we cannot recommend it highly enough. Prof. G. Manzi Schmidt - CA. U.S.A.
Dear Lucia,
What a wonderful time we had exploring Italy and the rest of Europe! We just returned the day before yesterday from our 3 week adventure and are just now re-adjusting to the familiar ways of life at home. As you might imagine, we've spent much conversation reflecting on our experiences and I can honestly tell you that the experiences we had in Formia and Sessa were the richest and most authentic of our entire trip. Joan and I are also teachers and we were welcomed so generously by your friends Georgio and Rosaria. Ben and Mary really enjoyed this rare and valuable experience and we're very grateful to you for helping us make the connection. Steiner family - USA - Summer 2007
Thoroughly enjoyed the experience of living among the Italians. Visited Sperlonga on two of the days and thoroughly enjoyed the pool and beach facilities arranged for us. The food at the hotel was marvellous. The waterpark at Itri was a godsend for my son and daughter who absolutely love swimming. It was not too big or too busy and I had a thoroughly relaxing time. Lunch was excellent as sometimes kids can be fussy with regard to food. The kids learned to dive. 4 visits to the aquapark were included in our holiday. The highlight of my holiday was the visit to Ponza. We took the early morning hydrofoil out - what an experience as I work with a ferry company and had never experienced the hydrofoil. When we arrived we hired a small boat for the day; we bought a packed lunch from the local stalls, juices etc and packed them into the icebox supplied with the boat and off we went to discover the west side off the island. We could not believe how clear the water was and we enjoyed the dips in the beautiful coves. We thoroughly enjoyed the restaurants in Formia. The ones we mainly used were Ravello, Risorgimento and Tartufo. Ravello was outstanding and one of the girls had a little English so we had some banter. Cafe Tirreno was a favourite for cocktail and ice-cream late afternoon. The Panorama Shopping Centre was excellent, my son must have bought all the Italian police car toys in stock. On our last day we checked our baggage into the left luggage in Rome Termini and took the bus to St Peter's Square. We did not have time to go inside the Vatican but what an experience just being there. We had a lovely meal not far from this square and this rounded off the wonderful time we had in Italy.
Moreland family - Scotland - Summer 2007
Thank you so much for arranging such a wonderful week for us. I didn't realise when we first booked this apartment that you would do so much for us. We really appreciated the beach bookings and the holiday programme you arranged for us. When we decided to opt for a non package 'do it yourself' holiday we expected to have to spend some time planning our days and getting to know the area but as you did it all for us we didn't waste one minute of our precious time there. We felt like VIPS when we went to Il Risorgimento restaurant and Antonio welcomed us as if he had known us for years. The flowers delivered by your cousin on our Anniversary were such a nice touch; thank you for that and for the surprise Prosecco at the the beach resort later. Our son loved the water-skiing you arranged and by the third day was happy to just be left there for the whole morning while we relaxed on the beach. Please let us know how we can tell other people about this as it is a very special experience and they will not realise just how much they will receive just by reading the internet advertisement. It was like staying with old friends rather than renting a flat from people we hadn't ever met. Thank you so much for everything. Ana and Pete - London - October 2007
Availability notes
To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/2719
Click to view availability for this property.
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/2719
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