Your Dream Le Marche Holiday

Independent Cottage and Studio apartment sharing swimming pool and fantastic views

Have you visited Tuscany or Umbria and wondered what they were like before the tourist hordes arrived? Have you wished you could find a rural retreat with no traffic noise, just the sound of the birds singing and the wind whispering through the trees? If so then we have just the location for you...Location

Both the cottage and the studio apartment are completely self-contained and are located in a quiet rural area of fields and woodland within a few minutes drive of the city of Camerino, in Le Marche. The cottage, which has been available for rent since 2004, sleeps up to three people and adjoins one end of a restored farmhouse. The studio apartment, new for 2008, sleeps two and is situated a few metres from the house.  Both benefit from access to a large swimming pool.  They can be rented separately or together, ideal for friends and relatives looking to stay together, but with the freedom offered by separate accommodation.

The owners (Sydney and Anna) have been permanently resident in the farmhouse since 1989.

Le Marche is a relatively mountainous region in Central Italy and is bordered to the north by Emilia Romagna, to the west by Tuscany, Umbria and the Apennines and to the south by Abruzzo. It sports a coastline of around 180 kilometres with mostly sandy beaches and approximately one tenth of its area is composed of protected reserves and parks. The majority of the region is rural with small settlements and farms dotting the hillsides and there is little in the way of heavy industry. Fishing is an important economic activity in the villages along the Adriatic coast. A fuller description of the local attractions can be found here.

The Accommodation

The Cottage

The cottage is furnished with several period pieces and dates back in part to the seventeenth century. All rooms within the cottage have beamed ceilings and restored wooden doors. A free WiFi hot spot can be accessed from parts of the cottage and garden. This enables guests to use the internet from either their laptop or PDA. 

 Living/dining/kitchen area (ground floor)

HouseThis is an open plan area with lounge seating for four persons, plus a dining table and four chairs. There is a television with video that can receive cable and satellite channels (including Sky News), a stereo system with tape player, CD player and radio. There is also a large wooden dresser. The kitchen area is raised at one end of this space and consists of an oven, four ring hob, grill and fridge with freezer compartment. There is also an electric toaster and microwave oven. A spiral staircase leads up to the first floor where the master bedroom, bathroom, study/2nd bedroom and outdoor balcony may be found.

Bedroom (first floor)

Bedroom
This has a large double bed with iron bedstead and comfortable mattress. There is a large wardrobe, chest of drawers, two bedside cabinets and an electric ceiling fan. The two windows provide a magnificent view of the town of Camerino. A small area alongside the bedroom can be used as a study (and has books and videos available) or if required, can house a single bed and leads out onto the wisteria covered balcony. The balcony is ideal for al fresco breakfasts and has a small table and two chairs looking out over the garden and pool areas.

Bathroom (first floor)

The bathroom is spacious and comprises a toilet, bidet, marble surround washbasin and a large shower enclosure. A constant supply of hot water is assured as the cottage has its own boiler.

Utility room

The utility room is situated next door to the cottage and has an automatic washer/dryer, clothes airer, iron and ironing board and vacuum cleaner. Use of the utility room is shared with guests using the studio.

Outside

In addition to the upstairs balcony there is a small table and two chairs immediately opposite the entrance to the cottage. There is a separate seating area under a gazebo in the garden, complete with dining table and four wooden chairs plus a charcoal barbecue. Apart from three similar areas reserved for guests in the studio, those using the cottage have free access to all other areas of the extensive gardens, including the swimming pool.

The Studio Apartment

This is a newly-renovated (in 2007-08), independent studio apartment for self-catering holiday rental. It consists of an entrance lobby, a bathroom and a large room providing sleeping and dining areas with a well-equipped kitchenette. A free WiFi hot spot can be accessed from parts of the garden. This enables guests to use the internet from either their laptop or PDA. 

The StudioEntrance lobby

The studio is entered through a restored antique chapel door with stained-glass panels. There steps lead down into the apartment with the bathroom to the right and the main area ahead. On the left-hand side are eight original photographs of famous stars from the 1960s.

Bathroom

The attractive room contains a toilet, bidet, sink with large mirror and a full-sized shower cabinet. There is also a heated towel rack.   

Bedroom area

There are two antique and very comfortable single beds, each with its own lighting controls. Furnishings include antique painted wardrobe and chest of drawers. While lying in bed you can look through both windows at the splendid view or watch television. On the walls there are interesting framed photographs and prints.

Kitchen and dining areas

This is a well-equipped kitchen with sink and a four-ring stove. There is also a large fridge/freezer and a microwave oven. On inset shelves, there are cooking utensils and a collection of crockery and cutlery. There is a small antique table and two chairs.

Outside

There are three places reserved for the guests in the studio apartment. Immediately outside, there is a pleasantly shaded and paved area with table and chairs. On the far side of the building containing the studio, there are chairs and table in a private, grassed area overlooking the gentle sloping valley. Just round the corner, there is a paved terrace with comfortable chairs. Apart from three similar areas reserved for guests in the cottage, those using the studio have free access to all other areas of the extensive gardens, including the swimming pool. Guests in the studio also have shared use (with people using the cottage) of the utility room that contains an automatic washer/dryer, clothes airer, iron and ironing board and vacuum cleaner. 

The Pool and GardensThe pool

Swimming Pool

The large 12x6 metre swimming pool is outdoors and situated on land previously used as a vineyard. The area is paved and is complete with a covered area housing a large dining table and chairs together with crockery, cutlery and wine glasses (this area is shared with Sydney and Anna) and there are a total of six sun-beds. There is a toilet and a fridge located in the pool house and an outside hot shower. The pool is of varying depth (1m – 1m 50) with a hydro-massage system and a counter-current flow - so you can swim on the spot for hours! It is cleaned each day by an efficient robot system. It is covered when not in use (it is generally open between June and mid October) and overnight. The whole area is gated and fenced.

The Grounds

The beautifully maintained garden (with lawned area, flower beds, shrubs and a vegetable patch) extends to two acres and there is also a child’s swing. Guests are invited to pick fruit from the trees that include (in season) figs, plums, cherries, apples and mulberries. There are also grapes (some above the cottage's front door) and a small herb garden reserved for guests.

Local Knowledge

The Weather 

The house is at the end of a private road and so it is a peaceful haven with no sounds of passing traffic and, as it is about 450m above sea level, the air is pure and healthy. Although there can be many sunny days, January to March is usually dry and chilly with a heavy snowfall in early January. (Bolognola, the nearest ski resort, is only a forty-minute drive away.) In April, May and early June, there can be rainy days but Spring is a fantastic season - fruit trees blossom, the sun frequently shines, wild flowers blanket the fields and verges, the birds sing and, at night, the fire-flies glow. From mid-June to early September, it is normally very hot, sunny and dry. Autumn, with its burnished and russet foliage, is a magical time. It does sometime rain and, as the days shorten, it becomes cooler. It is the ideal time for walking and exploring. The swimming pool is normally open from mid-June until early October. For the rest of the year, the pool is covered and not used. This site will show you the current weather in Le Marche

Local Wines and Food 

The best known regional white wine is Verdicchio, produced mainly in Matelica (10 kilometres away) and Castelli di Jesi. It varies from the cheap and cheerful to superb vintage wine. Local red wines, named after where the wine is made, are Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno. A famous local, sweet, sparkling wine is Vernaccia di Serra Petrona. Produced in Camerino and other nearby towns is a superb aniseed spirit, called Mistrà, that is delightfully used to 'correct' a coffee. Local foods include 'ciauscolo' (a spreadable salame), 'frappe' (a Carnival sweet made of fried strips of sugared dough) and 'torrone' (a nougat). Among local dishes are 'coniglio in porchetta' (rabbit stuffed with pork and wild fennel), 'polenta' (a solid pasta made from maize flour on top of which is meat or vegetables) and 'vincisgrassi' (a superior lasagna). Local cheeses include 'pecorino' (from sheep's milk) and 'ricotta' (from the remaining whey). Excellent honey and olive oil are also produced locally.

Eating In and Out 

Food Within 3 kilometres of the accommodation, there are two supermarkets selling a wide range of foods that includes local and regional specialities. Also close by, there are local specialist bakers, butchers, greengrocers and delicatessens. There is also a local market where it is possible to buy fresh fish. It is, therefore, very easy to buy locally almost any food required - apart from some essential Ingredients for Indian and Chinese food! Close by, there are several unpretentious restaurants and pizzerias, serving good and inexpensive meals. At some of them, it is possible to eat outside in summer. Within a twenty-minute drive, there are about a dozen slightly more expensive restaurants that present very good food and an excellent range of Italian wines. All guests are provided with a list of local restaurants and Sydney and Anna are very happy, if required, to provide advice and make any required bookings. At weekends in summer and on feast days, it is normally essential to book in advance.

Skiing

About a 45-minute drive away, you can ski in the spectacular scenery of the Sibillini Mountains. The nearest small village is Bolognola, or 'Little Bologna' so named by the four rich families who, in medieval times, fled from Bologna. A few kilometres away, at a height of 1070 meters, is Pintura where there are seven ski lifts taking you up to 1845 meters and the pistes that have a run of 5 kilometres. The place is unsophisticated but never overcrowded and with no queues for the ski lifts. It is also unusually cheap! The ski season is normally from mid-December to the end of March.

Special interest holidays

The nearest neighbours, Caroline Crawford and her Italian husband, live about 500 metres away. They provide a variety of art courses, including landscape painting, fresco painting and drawing for beginners. You can stay in the accommodation and walk along the tree-lined lane to their house and studio.
Another friend of Sydney and Anna, Karin Montali, organises Iyengar Yoga courses throughout the year that are held in her studio in Camerino, a short drive away. Early booking is advised because her courses are very popular!
On request, Sydney and Anna can also organise for an ayurvedic massage and, at a nearby excellent restaurant, a private course on Italian cookery. 

The accommodation is listed on www.holiday-rentals.co.uk, property number 58279
You can check up to date on-line availability and contact Sydney and Anna by following this link to the booking website. 

Many more pictures of the cottage and studio apartment can be seen in the photos section

Do you want to own a Holiday Home In Le Marche?

If we've convinced you that Le Marche is the place to be, then we can also offer a great opportunity for a permanent holiday home in the Camerino area. Click here for more details.