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...
The
farmhouse and apartment are located in a quiet rural
area of fields and woodland within a few minutes
dri
ve
of the city of Camerino,
in Le Marche.
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
apartment for rent is completely self-contained.
It is situated at one end of a restored
farmhouse permanently occupied by the owners (Sydney and Anna) who have
been resident in Italy
since 1990. It is furnished with several period pieces
and dates back in
part to the seventeenth century. All rooms within the apartment have
beamed
ceilings and restored wooden doors.
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.
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 apartment has its own boiler.
In
addition to the upstairs balcony there is a small table
and two chairs immediately opposite the entrance to the apartment.
There is a
separate seating area under a gazebo in the garden, complete with
dining table
and four wooden chairs plus a charcoal barbecue. 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 apartment's front door) and a small herb garden
reserved for guests.
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
utility room is situated next door to the apartment and
has an automatic washer/dryer, clothes airer, iron and ironing board
and vacuum
cleaner.
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
Within 3 kilometres of the apartment, 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.
Skiiing
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 to the apartment, 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 apartment 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.
This 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.
Swimming
Pool