The Martellese
About the home
Abruzzo is the place where Italians go on holiday and it is just the way they like it, off the tourist track and unchanged.It has a wealth of castles and medieval towns, 129 kilometres of sandy beaches, 21 ski areas and one third of the region is designated national and regional parks.
The Martellese, at Villa Maieletta, sits in rolling hills with the dramatic backdrop of the Maiella Mountain range in the Maiella National Park. The Villa is on a quiet country lane close to the historic hill-top town of Palombaro, with unrivalled views of the Abruzzo landscape.
Come and live the Italian life. Experience and enjoy the rhythms of rural life that surround us from the porchetta van and cafe culture to events celebrating the olive and grape harvests. The festa month of August has an array of unique activities that include the wild boar festival in Pennapiedimonte, Green Fair in Fara San Martino, the Beer Festival in Limiti (1km down the road) and musical events that extend into September in historic Lanciano. Join us for a special olive picking holiday in November, when you can pick your own olives and return home with the oil from the fruits of your labours. Retire to your apartment to relax and rest in a luxurious environment of classic Italian splendour. While away an hour or two in our play room for adults; show off your skills on our antique American Pool table, enjoy our 42 inch TV, watch a DVD from our library and borrow your bedtime book from our paperback selection.
We are situated amidst great cycling and motorcycling country, where cars are a rare sight on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as two-wheeled transport takes to the roads and tracks in the area. The Giro D'Italia frequently visits the area and the 2013 event, which Bradley Wiggins aims to win, will pass through Guardiagrele 15 minutes away. Local drivers are particularly considerate to cyclists, recognising the prominence of the sport in Italy. We offer indoor parking for cyclists and motorcyclists, along with mountain bikes for the use of guests, guided cycle tours and motor cycle day trips. Road cycles can be hired nearby.
Owners, Kate and Stephen, are experienced English language teachers and text book authors. We are able to combine a holiday in a stunning location with on-site tuition for guests of any age or ability level.
The area has a significant place in WWII military history. It is close to the Gustav and Bernhardt lines, and the site of the Battle of Ortona in December 1943. Evidence of the conflicts of the time can be found in the form of bullet holes in some of Palombaro’s buildings. Events to commemorate what happened are held locally on Remembrance Day each year.
We are very well positioned for winter sports. The ski resorts of Passo Lanciano and Roccaraso, where the World Junior Ski Championships were held in 2012, are less than an hour away. Villa Maieletta offers a quieter, cheaper and more varied accommodation option beyond the resort villages.
The Martellese is the most elevated apartment at Villa Maieletta and takes full advantage of the views with balconies on three sides, which offer a variety of spectacular vistas from a shady spot at any time of day. The bedroom looks out towards olive groves and the Maiella mountains beyond them. The bedroom environment is delightful, with the finest imported Indian 400 count cotton sheets, white goose down pillows, and embroidered damask bedspreads. An exotic bed canopy completes the scene.
A well-equipped newly fitted modern kitchen, in rustic style, provides a pleasurable environment for food preparation and eating. It is combined with a comfortable lounge and sitting area. We offer packed lunches and vegetarian evening meals, by arrangement.
At Villa Maieletta you can be in the mountains in the morning, on the beach in the afternoon, and dine in the countryside under the stars. The Villa is an ideal retreat for couples, those who love the outdoor life and aficionados of architecture and history.
| Size: | Sleeps up to 2, 1 bedroom |
|---|---|
| Nearest beach: | Fossacesia, 30km |
| Will consider: | Corporate lets House swaps Long lets Short breaks |
| Access: | Car advised Nearest amenities: 1km |
| Family friendly? | Not suitable for children Suitable for people with restricted mobility |
| Notes: | No pets allowed No smoking at this property |
Facilities
| Luxuries: | Internet access, Staffed Property |
|---|---|
| General: | Central heating, Pool / Snooker table |
| Standard: | Kettle, Hair dryer |
| Utilities: | Cooker, Microwave, Fridge |
| Rooms: | 1 Bedroom, 1 family bathroom |
| Furniture: | Double beds (1), Dining seating for 2, Lounge seating for 3 |
| Other: | Linen and towels provided |
| Outdoors: | Balcony / Terrace, Shared garden, BBQ, Bicycles available |
| Access: | Secure parking |
Further details indoors:
There is ample crockery, cutlery and glassware. Tea towels are provided, and picnic cool bags for days out.
We know the importance of travelling light and supply a welcome pack of essential items, to ensure that your arrival is comfortable whenever you reach us. Beach towels are also supplied, to give you extra room in your suitcase.
The bedroom includes hanging space and a shoe rack in period style, dressing table and chair. There are bedside cabinets with attractive lamps. A classic chandelier provides the centrepiece in both the bedroom and lounge. The apartment features a host of personal touches, including specially designed & hand-painted clothes hangers.
Hallmark Christy towels are provided to complement the four piece bathroom suite.
Further details outdoors:
Furniture is provided for each outdoor sitting area.
A utility room next to the apartments has washing machines, an iron and ironing board. A clothes drying rail is provided for every apartment. Beach towels are supplied, to give you extra room in your suitcase.
An "agroturismo" restaurant, which serves food produced almost entirely on its own land, is only 3 minutes walk from the Villa. A swimming pool, five-a-side football and a tennis court are available there for the use of our guests .
Owners, Kate and Stephen, live elsewhere in the grounds away from the apartments. They feel that living on site enables them to provide a complete holiday experience for guests, through their knowledge of the area and local events. They do their best to make guests feel at home, and to be a resource for advice and information, without being intrusive.
Further details
Smokers are welcome provided that they smoke outside.
Conditions
A non-returnable deposit of 25% is payable at the time of booking to reserve an apartment. The balance should be paid eight weeks in advance of the arrival date, together with a £150 refundable deposit against damage or soiling that requires deep cleaning.
Payment is by Paypal / Direct Bank Transfer.
Full terms and conditions will be emailed with the booking form.
Photos
The Marche / Abruzzo / Abruzzo region
Abruzzo is a hidden gem, with unchanged and scarcely discovered rural areas. It is located between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic sea, and includes three national parks, making it the largest protected area in the whole of Europe. It has miles of sandy beaches, and the small fishing port of Pescara, which has a modern upmarket town centre and is a fashionable beach resort. Abruzzo has numerous historic hilltop towns, beautiful architecture and is rich in culture, arts and crafts. Small towns often specialise in a particular craft, such as Pretoro, which is well-known for woodcrafts, and Sulmona which is famous for confetti (sugared almonds).
Attractions within easy reach include:
-the town of Chieti, built on the site of a pre-Roman settlement, whose remains can still be viewed today
- Guardiagrele, the local centre for ironmongery, which has stunning views of the surrounding landscape and distant coast from a delightful illuminated plaza
-the 15th Century city gate and baronial palace in Casalincontrada
-weekly markets in towns such as Casoli
-the vast ducal palace at Crecchio, a castle which these days is home to the Byzantine Museum of Abruzzo
-the beaches at Vasto and Fossacesia
-the fortification at Roccascalegna, which clings to the top of limestone crags that rise from the valley floor
Local food and drink is a delight, from home-made pasta served in local family restaurants to arrosticini and porchetta, which is sold from vans which pay a weekly visit to our villages.
Wildlife is in evidence everywhere; wild boar, eagles and owls are often around, and Apennine wolves can be seen and heard higher up the mountains. Wildflowers that would be the envy of Interflora grow undisturbed on Abruzzo hillsides, orchids are amongst them. Fireflies make the night sky twinkle from April to June, sometimes beyond. Enjoy the constellations in the night sky, unhindered by light pollution and watch the late evening moon rise gloriously over nearby Casoli.
People in Abruzzo’s rural areas are wonderfully warm and friendly, with an openness and honesty that is seldom found among the urban sophistication of more developed places.
Abruzzo’s weather is difficult to beat, with sunny days and comfortable temperatures almost all year round. It has the ideal balance between warmth and freshness in elevated areas like Palombaro.
The Lanciano / Palombaro area
Palombaro is a hill-top town with a mere 1,131 inhabitants, which sits 536 metres above sea level. It boasts spectacular views over the Valley dell'Avello and is at the foot of the 2,252 metre high Martellese Mountain, one of the highest in the Maiella range. Palombaro was the Italian location for the 2011 film, “Lost in Italy,” which features Ray Winstone and Glen Murphy. The beautiful church of the Assumption, which dates back to 1561, appears in the wedding scene.
The valley walls of Palombaro are host to numerous caves. The Cave (Grotta) of St. Angelo can be found just a few kilometres away inside the remains of a medieval church, whilst the amazing Grotta del Cavallone, reached by cable car and complete with stalactites, is also nearby.
It is only 45 minutes to the ski resorts of Passo Lanciano and Roccaraso
Lanciano, 25 km away, is sedate, relaxing and brimming with examples of great architecture, like the Basilica of Santa Maria del Ponte, which houses an 8th century statue of the Madonna.
During the festival season in August there are artistic and cultural events all over, including traditional music, modern tribute bands and fashion shows by teenagers, where there is the opportunity to learn local dances and try all kinds of food produced in the area. Other annual events include a walk through the Maiella mountains sponsored by world famous pasta makers De Cecco, and a Fiat 500 car rally in June. Olive picking at the beginning of November offers the opportunity to see the local press (frantoio) in action and sample a variety of oils.
The area has a significant place in WWII military history. It is close to the Gustav and Bernhardt lines, and the site of the Battle of Ortona in December 1943. Evidence of the conflicts of the time can be found in the form of bullet holes in some of Palombaro’s buildings.
Villa Maieletta is in the hamlet of Limiti, 4 kilometres from Palombaro. “Festa” time here includes the Sant'Antonio festa 2 minutes walk away and the beer festival, centred around the De Vitis grocery store. The family-run store provides a unique service for such a tiny place as Limiti, and is a hive of activity owned by the amazing Maria, which includes a bar, hardware store and petrol pumps. An "agroturismo" restaurant, which serves food produced almost entirely on its own land, is only 3 minutes walk from the Villa. A swimming pool, five-a-side football and a tennis court are available there for the use of our guests.
Find out about all the latest attractions on our Villa Maieletta Holiday Apartments Facebook page.
How to get there
Click map icons for more information
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| Nearest Travel Links | |
| Airport: | Abruzzo International Airport at Pescara: 45 km |
| Railway: | Chieti: 35 km |
| Ferry: | Pescara: 45 km |
Villa Maieletta is just an hour away from Pescara Airport; Ancona Airport is a short two hour drive away. Rome Ciampino can be reached by car in two and a quarter hours, with Rome Fiumicino only a little further away. Return flights for a couple from London Stansted on Ryan Air can be bought for less than £70.
There is a frequent and inexpensive coach service between Rome and Pescara which takes a similar amount of time.
A wide range of car hire desks can be found in airport arrival halls, with some of the most competitive rates offered on airline websites.
Activities near Lanciano
Tennis in town
Fishing
Walking holidays
Rural / countryside retreats
Beach or lakeside relaxation
Cycling holidays
Reviews
![]() 21 Oct 2012 |
Villa Maieletta is in a quiet corner location with great views of the Majella Massif. It is well located for a bike ride up the Giro d'Itallia giant Blockhaus and for road cyling around the... more |
![]() 30 Sep 2012 |
We were looking for a quiet and relaxing holiday and this was exactly what we had. The area is beautiful, close to Abruzzo's national parks. The apartment was excellent, beautifully furnished,... more |
![]() 16 Sep 2012 |
The welcome from Kate and Stephen is both warm and genuine - reflecting the hospitality of the local villagers and the Abruzzio region in general. The apartment is luxurious and thoughtfully... more |
Rental prices
| Rental prices originally quoted in: British £ | Convert to: |
| Prices for group size 2 | ||||||
| Period | From![]() | To![]() | Weekly![]() | Nightly rate | Minimum stay | |
| Weekday | Weekend | |||||
| Autumn to Spring | 15 Oct 12 | 22 Jun 13 | £ 324 | - | - | 4 Nights |
| Summer | 22 Jun 13 | 28 Sep 13 | £ 365 | - | - | 1 Week |
The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.
Summary of our Terms and Conditions
Bed linen, bathroom and beach towels are all supplied.
There are no extra charges, except for central heating when needed.
Smoking is only permitted outside the apartments.
Villa Maieletta is exclusively for adults.
Guests should be considerate to people in adjoining or neighbouring properties.
Guests are responsible for the condition and security of their belongings during their stay.
A non-returnable deposit of 25% is payable at the time of booking to reserve an apartment. The balance should be paid eight weeks in advance of the arrival date, together with a £150 refundable deposit against damage or soiling that requires deep cleaning.
Please make payments by Paypal / Direct Bank Transfer.
Full terms and conditions will be emailed together with the booking form.
Enquire nowAvailability
See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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Contact the owner
* Required fields Please check the following errors: | 2 years listed You are contacting Villa Maieletta
Languages spoken ![]() The owner is based in Italy and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2011. This apartment has received 5 reviews from previous guests. ![]() |
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