May take pets - please enquire Suitable for children Not suitable for elderly or infirm No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
The apartment is in BARGA, one of the Toscana's most beautiful hillside towns, In an ancient villa with garden and vineyard there is this wonderful second and top floor apartment with stunning views over the hills and the Apuane Alps. This 1 bedroom apartment, with sofa bed for 2 extra persons to sleep 4, has the benefit of a private terrace, a panoramic place to relax, get a suntan, drink an aperitif and enjoy a leisurely meal in the evenings. In a two minutes walk you are in the historic centre with wine cellars, cafes, restaurants and local shops, enjoying the Italian lifestyle in Barga known as the 'Jewel of northern Tuscany' and feeling part of this magical old town The communal pool and the riding school are reachable in a 10/15 minute walking.
Terrace
Front side of the villa
Landscape (see the villa in the circle)
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/50221
The Tuscany region
The urban structure of Barga has remained more or less that of the time of the Commune (12th-14th cent.), with a tangled network of streets running between the irregular buildings. One enters the village through Porta Reale and Via del Pretorio, crossed by narrow lanes and cart-roads.
Past the first square is the Conservatorio di Sant’Elisabetta, an old convent of the Poor Clares (15th cent.), which holds a beautiful altarpiece by the Della Robbia school (15th-16th cent.) and 15th-century Crucifix. The main façade of the Romanesque Duomo, built in several stages from the 11th to the 16th centuries using blocks of light-colored alberese (a local limestone that changes color and nuance depending on weather conditions), is the old remodeled side of the primitive church built in the year 1000. The main door is embellished with two slender columns with projecting lions at the top. The arch is decorated with stylized acanthus leaves.
Remaining from the original church are the beautiful holy water stoups (12th or 13th cent.) and the fragment of a fresco. The baptismal font is hexagonal and has a statue of St. John the Baptist (14th or 15th cent.). The ambo is an excellent example of the work of the Comacine master builders and stonecutters. There is a polychrome wooden statue of the town’s patron, St. Christopher, behind the high altar. The chapel on the right is entirely occupied by Della Robbia terracottas, and in the chapel on the left the Barga of the 1500s can be seen in a 16th-century panel.
The name Arringo given to the large yard surrounding the Duomo preserves the memory of the assemblies held by the medieval community. The space is closed off to the north by Palazzo Pretorio, which was the residence of the Florentine administrator from 1341 to 1859, and today is the home of the Civic Museum. From the square by the Duomo there are broad stairs going down to the Church of the Santissimo Crocefisso, with a late 16th-century façade and an interior decorated with stuccoes and gold.
Immediately after we come to the highest part of the castle, dominated by the imposing bulk of the Duomo, or cathedral; from here the view passes over the roofs of the historic centre and beyond the green hills dotted with villages and farmhouse to the Apuan mountains.
Tuscany is a charmed land, equally blessed by the genius of man and nature, and often by the combined efforts of both. Think of the vineyards: rows of baby green vines that manage somehow to march in arrow-straight formation up the gently rolling hillsides, bounded by single files of darker green cypress trees, snaking sandy roads leading to rust-coloured farmhouses and moss-coated castles, symmetrically rounded hilltops surmounted by towns so homogeneous as to seem one single building. Every inch of land has been sculpted, first by the elements and then by generations of inhabitants whose goals were always twofold: make the land produce as much as possible, make the land as beautiful as possible From Via della Speranza one descends to the other city gate, called Porta Macchiaia because it opens onto the great stretches of macchia, or thicket, and the Apennine woods. From there one follows Via di Mezzo, passing alongside old buildings, until arriving at Piazza Garibaldi, which is dominated by the majestic Palazzo Balduini (15th cent.).
At Piazza Salvi there are two buildings in the Florentine style of the 1500s: the Loggia dei Mercanti and Palazzo Pancrazi, today the town hall.
The Loggia, raised on graceful columns, was built when Cosimo I de’ Medici instituted the Barga market (1546), the major commodities of which were salt and silk. The stone lion on the façade is the symbol of Barga’s political subjection to Florence.
Next is Piazza Angelio, whose harmonious proportions make it seem like an outdoor living room. Farther on there is the Teatro dei Differenti, built in 1795 over an earlier theater from 1689, followed by the Accademia dei Differenti, promoted and supported by the Medici. Built along Via di Mezzo are the 18th-century residences of the noble families, including those of the Bertacchi, the Pieracchi counts, and the Mordini. The Baroque Church of the Santissima Annunziata (1595) has a Latin-cross plan, with a vast longitudinal nave and false columns against the walls.
Outside the centre, the Church of San Francesco (15th cent.) has glazed terracottas attributed to the workshop of Andrea Della Robbia (1453-1525).
Lucca - Garfagnana / Barga area
Situated in the nord in the region of Tuscany, the Garfagnana is a valley rich of history and traditions, very close to some of the most historical centres such as Lucca, Pisa and Florence. This valley originates from the Serchio river and its affuents, and is located between the Apuan Alps and the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano, which give to the valley a sort of different pictures and colours thanks to the mixture of people, traditions and landscapes. This is the perfect spot for people who want to live in contact with nature as well as to discover the history of this valley and the kindness of its inhabitants, by following the paths and the old muletracks on foot, by Mountain Bike or horse-back. Useful links: http://www.barganews.com http://www.garfagnanaturistica.info
How to get there
Barga is a hillside town, 21 Miles far from Lucca. The nearest airport, weel connected to Barga via local bus or train, is the Galilei International Airport in Pisa. *Several bus go direct from the airport to the bus station of Lucca. You can then take a direct bus to Barga. The Barga bus station in only 200 meters far from the villa, just 100 meters past the Hotel Villa Libano entry. *By train from Pisa airport, change at Pisa Central, then direct to Barga Gallicano-5min by bus or taxi far to Barga town- For details of train connection from Pisa Airport to Barga Gallicano see TRENITALIA.COM(the site has an English Version). *Local taxi( Gonnella on mobile number + 39 339678336 or Biagiotti on mobile number + 39 3483580424). Approx. travel time Pisa-Barga 90 minutes
Sports: Tennis in town Watersports Waterpark Horse Riding Fishing
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats City breaks
Facilities
General:
Central heating, TV, CD player
Standard:
Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer
Utilities:
Cooker, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine
Rooms:
Bedrooms (2), Bathrooms (1), WCs (1)
Furniture:
Sofabeds (1), Double beds (1), Cots (1), Dining seating for 4, Lounge seating for 4, Sleeps maximum of 4
Other:
Linen and towels provided. Highchair available.
Outdoors:
Balcony / Terrace, Shared garden
Further details indoors: Welcoming accommodation with an amazing view from the private terrace. The apartment is comfortable, quite and bright, with all amenities you may need for your unforghettable holiday. A bottle of our good wine will be on the table at your arrival.
Further details outdoors: Barga is a wonderful medieval town bursting with history, beautiful architecture, galleries, cafés and restaurants. There is a jazz club which offers live music all year round as well as a theatre and summer jazz and opera festivals. Throughout the summer in Barga and surrounding villages there are frequent small outdoor festivals with live music, dancing and local food. The modern part of Barga has a public outdoor pool, a cinema, tennis courts, riding stables, bike hire and, of course, many shops, cafes and restaurants.
Further details
30% deposit is asked for rental, rent balance on arrival day.
Conditions
Smoking permitted outside on the terrace
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: Euros €
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
2 Jan 09
1 Aug 09
400£364
0-
0-
1 Week
1 Aug 09
16 Aug 09
500£455
0-
0-
1 Week
16 Aug 09
1 Apr 10
400£364
0-
0-
1 Week
21
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.
SHORT STAYS ALLOWED.
ALL CHARGES-INCLUDED.
DISCOUNT DEPENDING ON LENGTH OF STAY.
DOWNPAYMENT/DEPOSIT REQUESTED
Availability
See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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To contact this advertiser please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/50221
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