LIGURIA:A PROPERTY in a redeveloped medieval village 15 mins from the Italian Riviera in Liguria is for sale for €387,000. The two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment is in Colletta di Castelbianco,a village abandoned up to a few years ago which has been completely restored and where every home has high speed internet.
The work of turning a medieval village into one of the first e-villages in Europe was overseen by restoration architect, the late Giancarlo de Carlo. Several owners are architects, including one from Dublin.
Now stone-built houses overlook beautiful hills in the restored village, narrow streets lead to charming little squares, patios, gardens and terraces. Apartments were woven into the original buildings, so it is impossible to know where one ends and the other begins.
Each has its own front entrance and terrace. And each property in the village also has a high-speed connection for internet, satellite TV and telephone connected to the village switchboard.
There is a procaccio (manager) living in one of the houses who looks after rentals and maintenance. The village has a taverna, outdoor theatre and a pool with lifeguard.
Annual condominium fees work out at about €2,000, which covers everything.
The owners - from America, Australia, England, Ireland as well as Italy - meet often, for a summer barbecue, biennial meetings about the running of the village, photographic competitions, musical events and the annual olive festival, where they harvest the olives and make their own oil.
Resident owners manage a communal organic garden which can be harvested by the entire village.
The house for sale has a front patio and an upper terrace with spectacular views over green hills, a lounge with an open plan fully-fitted kitchen, a lock-up garage with freezer. Furniture is included in the sale.
• Colletta at Realitalia, 0044 870 890 9936, www.realitalia.co.uk
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