Long term lets (over 1 month) Short-breaks (4 days or less)
Changeover day:
Flexible
Access:
Car essential Nearest amenities: 1.5 km
Notes:
Pets welcome Suitable for children Not suitable for elderly or infirm No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
Casa Benessere - House of Wellbeing - is our home which we would like to share with you so that it becomes your home from home during your stay in Italy. Set in a quiet valley with views directly across to the village of Ripe San Ginesio and down the valley to the Sibillini mountains, the house is not overlooked, but not totally isolated - our nearest neighbour is two minutes' walk away and the village only two or three minutes by car - a fifteen minute walk for the energetic! The only sounds you will hear while dozing among the olive trees or barbequeing on the sun terrace are the local church bells, or farmers ploughing the fields. It is a quiet country location for those wanting a relaxed, peaceful holiday in a small Italian community.
Your home on holiday was the home of our friends the Pioli family until late in 2007 and will become our retirement home in a few years' time. Until then, we would like to share it with you. This is not a luxury villa - it is very much a family home which is the way we want it to stay. You will find it thoughtfully and comfortably furnished, with all the facilities we ourselves, and our own families, would like to find on holiday.
The house was partly modernised by the Piolis to make life more comfortable for Annita, their mother, who lived there until early 2007, and we are developing that potential year on year, restoring it back to its original glory. We actively welcome the views of our guests about what should come next in the order of priorities. We want you to have an involvement in our home so that you too can see it develop and grow into the magnificent property it will be.
The house and some of its land
The house in the hamlet in the valley
Sunrise over Ripe, from living room
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/44427
The Marche / Abruzzo / Marche region
Sit back, relax, and imagine ...
Imagine the Cairngorms crossed with Cumbria. Now make the peaks a little higher, and the valleys a little steeper.
Imagine the old bits of Bath, York and Chester that you love. Now dot them in hilltop villages every five miles or so.
Imagine large old farmhouses of Cotswold stone. Now bathe them in the warmth of a gentle golden sun and add sunflower fields around them.
And to finish your picture - transport the whole thing to the hills of rural Italy, take away the crowds, put down the umbrellas, feel the sun on your face and add a large splash of warm Italian hospitality ...
This is why we fell in love with Le Marche. This is why we are sure you will too.
Ripe San Ginesio, MC area
Casa Benessere will be your home for as long as you want to stay. The valley in which it nestles is a quiet community location - and it may be that you don't want to leave the peace of your home from home while you are on holiday. If you do, we have a series of maps and books in the house which will help you decide which of the many places and events you want to choose to see, no matter what time of year you choose to visit. The list is endless - but some of our favourites are :
* Sitting with the locals on the square at Ripe San Ginesio, listening to the out of tune church bells and watching the world go by - a five minute drive away (if that!);
* Watching the bustle of the weekly Sunday market in San Ginesio from the pavement tables of the Terra Nostra cafe - a ten minute drive away;
* Enjoying a gourmet meal at the Villa Sibillini near San Ginesio, or at Le Loggia in Urbisaglia, before visiting the local Roman ruins - a ten minute drive away;
* Swimming in the clear, emerald waters of Lago di Fiastra in the summer, and then soaking up the sun on one of its many tiny beaches - a fifteen minute drive away;
* Wandering through the back streets of historic Tolentino before taking a morning coffee on the main square and watching its famous three-dimensional clock tick the hours away - a twenty minute drive;
* Driving high into the Sibillini monuntains, looking down onto the coast and, if you're lucky, onto the backs of buzzards and eagles before enjoying a drink in the square at Sarnano, a lovely mountain town nestling in the foothills - a thirty minute drive away;
* Exploring the seaside resorts of the Le Marche coast, from the beach bars of Porto San Giorgio to the elegant shopping centre at Civitanova Marche - a forty minute drive away;
* Marvelling at the "Flying House" of Loretto and the magnificent church at Urbino - a fifty minute drive away;
* Having lunch at one of the chic restaurants or tiny pizza bars on the square at Sirolo, overlooking the cliffs, beaches and clear blue waters of the Conero peninsula - an hour's drive away.
* For those who enjoy golf, there is an 18 hole championship course and a 9 hole 'executive' course available on the Conero peninsula - combine a round with a trip to the restaurants of Sirolo or the beaches nearby.
* And throughout the year, taking part with local village communities in one of their many, many festas - the summer palios, the winter Christmas markets when families open their homes and sell local crafts, the autumn festas of white wines or "Vino Cotto" (literally "cooked wine", and a local speciality, if you know where to get it - which you will!) of asparagus or chestnuts, of wild boar or parmegiano cheese; of truffles or potatoes - festas basically celebrating everything good about life and Le Marche!
How to get there
Casa Benessere is a 45 minute drive from Ancona airport, mostly by major roads. Full instructions will be given on booking, with satnav co-ordinates if required.
Alternatively, it is a 2.5 - 3 hour drive from Rome airport - an easy and scenic journey through lovely Appennine villages, on major roads.
Cheap flights are available to Ancona from Stansted, and to Rome from most British airports with www.Ryanair.com - in 2007 flights were as little as £34 for two people, including taxes - return!
A car is essential in Le Marche. Cheap car hire is available from www.cardelmar.com - an agency using more well known companies such as Avis and Europcar - friendly service and the cheapest prices we have been able to find.
For the more adventurous, trains and coaches are also available from most Italian cities - contact us for more details.
And for those who have all the time in the world, a leisurely crossing from the UK by ferry, followed by a car journey through some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe, with the peace and quiet of Casa Benessere to welcome you at journey's end, is a must! We have done this journey and would be pleased to provide details should you be interested.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Ancona: 95 km
Railway:
Tolentino: 26 km
Activities near Ripe San Ginesio, MC
Sports: Tennis in town Horse Riding
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats Beach or lakeside relaxation Cycling holidays
Sofabeds (1), Single beds (2), Double beds (2), Dining seating for 6, Lounge seating for 6, Sleeps maximum of 6
Other:
Linen and towels provided.
Outdoors:
Private garden, BBQ, Bicycles available, Childrens pool, Swing set
Access:
Parking space
Further details indoors: * Cool in the hot days of summer; * Warm in the snows of winter; * Heated by a traditional log fire (wood provided) and supplemented by gas central heating.
On the ground floor there is a small indoor kitchen and dining area - most people eat outside in the summer - and the kitchen is equipped with a gas cooker, fridge with freezer, separate freezer if required, and a full range of crockery, cutlery, pots, pans and dishes.
As with all traditional Italian farmhouses, the living-room is on the first floor with stunning views across the valley to the hilltop town of Ripe San Ginesio. Its focal point is the open fire and it's a lovely, comfortable room, easily seating up to six adults. There is a television (Italian channels only) with video / DVD player and a radio / CD system.
Bedrooms are also on the first floor and are large and spacious, one of them being en-suite. Two rooms are equipped with double beds and one with two either single or bunk beds, depending on your preference. Each bedroom has a hairdryer provided.
There is a further family bathroom on the first floor, and a well-appointed toilet and shower room on the ground floor.
A highchair and cot can be provided if required.
For those (not very frequent!) rainy days, or days when it's just too much trouble to go out, we provide a large selection of books, DVDs, videos, CDs, jigsaws and board games, suitable for both adults and children.
The ground floor is extensive and is currently used as storage space. Our plans involve turning it into a large kitchen / dining room (currently a garage) with a separate huge sitting room (currently the old 'stalle' or animal barn) with stunning views across the valley to the village of Ripe San Ginesio, and a smaller study room (currently the wine-making room!) which will also have the capacity to become a further bedroom for those who find stairs a problem.
Further details outdoors: You are welcome to make full use of the extensive grounds attached to the house including :
* A large olive grove;
* A fruit and vegetable garden, including peach, apricot, cherry, fig, apple, plum and walnut trees - fill your boots!
* An extensive woodland, filled with the song of hundreds of small local birds including finches, nightingales, cookoos and woodpeckers (we also have birds of prey nesting nearby);
* A sun terrace / BBQ area complete with sunloungers, 5' outdoor dining table, chairs, parasol and barbeque - this is a real sun trap almost all day;
* A large hammock slung between two shady fir trees - ideal for sleepy summer days dozing to the sound of songbirds;
* An original outside wood-burning pizza oven - and it works perfectly for cooking meat too!
* A garden area - but don't expect grass at the moment, there hasn't been enough rain for the past couple of years;
* An above ground circular swimming pool 14' by 4', filled with fresh mountain water provided by our own well and warmed gently in the sun, complete with water wings and infant's safety chair;
* Two adult and two children's mountain bikes for exploring the wonderful local countryside;
* The house also has a large field attached, which is worked by Claudio - a local farmer - and has in recent years grown wheat, corn and sunflowers. Claudio speaks a little English and is always happy to stop and chat!
Further details
* The house will be cleaned and bedding / towels changed once each week during your stay at no extra cost.
* We include a box of goodies to welcome you to our home, and we provide basic essentials such as washing-up liquid and toilet rolls.
* In the house is a file packed with information on local places to visit and eat, festivals to enjoy, bike rides to try and mountain walks to wander.
* As well as information about local doctors etc we will provide you with details of an English-speaking contact who will be available locally to help with any difficulties.
* And if, like us, you fall in love with Le Marche and want to buy your own home in the area, we can provide details of local people who can arrange for you to see what's available and guide you through the buying process.
Conditions
* We know how important a pet can be to a family, so well-behaved dogs, cats, budgies and goldfish are all welcome!
* We ask you to observe our strict no-smoking policy please.
* At the present time the house is not suitable for anyone for whom stairs are a problem as there is a staircase to the living room and bedrooms - we hope to provide ground floor facilities within the next two years.
* Please note that we do not have satellite TV - local Italian channels are available. Enjoy a holiday without television! We do provide plenty of DVDs and videos for all ages and tastes.
* We can be flexible with start and end days as we know from experience that flights can be much cheaper mid-week. Just ask us!
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: British £
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
Summer
24 May 08
15 Sep 08
500£ 500
0-
0-
1 Week
Rest of year
15 Sep 08
5 Apr 09
400£ 400
0-
0-
1 Week
11
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion. * Rates in Euros : 663 (summer) 530 (rest of year)
* Because flights are sometimes cheaper on weekdays we can be flexible about start and end days - just contact us and ask!
* We believe that families with children should not be disadvantaged by soaring costs during school holidays. For that reason we try to keep our prices low throughout the year. The price also reflects the fact that you will be staying in a comfortable family home - not a luxury villa.
* As we add to the house year on year - based on both our own vision of the kind of home we want it to become, and the vision of our guests who we hope will add their own ideas - prices are likely to rise. However, those guests who have been with us from the start and who have become part of our home-making project will always be offered special rates.
* We fell in love with Le Marche when we spent our honeymoon here - so we also offer special rates to honeymooners - contact us for details.
* Rates include all electricity, gas and wood if used, bedding, house and beach towels, a welcome pack, a house clean and change of bedding at the end of each week, full access to all our land and to produce from the fruit and nut trees. Winter rates include heating using the log fire which also heats the radiators.
* We can arrange pick-up from the airport(s) and a range of local activities from factory outlet shopping to horse-riding to gourmet meals, for an extra cost. We do not make a profit from these activities - we will just arrange them for you and you pay locally.
* We ask for a deposit per booking of £150 which reserves your preferred dates. The remainder will become due six weeks before your stay begins and at that time we will ask for the balance plus a refundable deposit of £100 to cover any damage to the property or its contents. We will refund this money immediately after your stay providing no cost has been incurred.
* We accept payment by cheque or by electronic bank transfer.
Availability notes
To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/44427
Click to view availability for this property.
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/44427
Contact details for home 44427
Please mention Holiday Lettings
Name:
Mike and Cath Andrews
Mobile:
+44 (0)787 3263692
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Languages:
Contact Notes: By mobile at any time.
Advertiser joined: 31 Dec 2007 This property added: 31 Dec 2007
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