How far do €430,000 go in these days of wobbly economy? You could treat yourself to just over a month in the cupola suite of Rome’s Westin Excelsior, one of the world’s most expensive hotel rooms; splash out on two Ferrari F430s; or you could purchase a good-sized home by the beach or deep in the Italian countryside. To put it in context, here are three properties in South, Central and Northern Italy that command that price (or slightly less).
Borgo Ferri, Santa Caterina Ionio, Calabria
An ancient family estate, neat rows of vineyards and the turquoise crystal of the Ionio Sea. All this is Borgo Ferri, a gated development in the village of Santa Caterina Ionio, in Calabria. The seat of the Ferri family, the Borgo has been split by owner Barbara Ferri and her husband Alfred Lenarciak to create a private golf community. Its 250 acres will be home to 150 properties set among the estate’s gardens, olive trees and vineyards. Owners will have access to a nine-hole golf course (with nine more holes planned for the future), swimming pool, tennis and beach club—the Borgo is located on the shore of the Ionio Sea. Borgo Ferri offers several options, but three-bedroom villas with gardens cost €425,000. There is a possibility of having a private pool built on the grounds at an additional cost. Borgo Ferri is about 50 km from Lamezia Terme international airport. Properties are for sale through Savills (+44 (0) 20 7016 3740, www.savills.co.uk).
Mulino Felice, Comano, Tuscany
An ancient mill that has been fully restored, Mulino Felice looks straight out of a postcard. Casement windows framed by cornflower blue shutters open on a whitewashed façade under a sloping roof. Inside, exposed beams and a brick fireplace give this three-bedroom home a rustic charm. But the outdoors are what make is special. Behind this ancient mill, which has been fully restored, tall trees cover a hill, looming large over Il Mulino’s gardens, olive grove, and vineyard. A courtyard with vine pergola is the perfect place to soak up the views of the vineyard while dining alfresco while a terrace overlooks the stream that crosses the mill’s 2,300 square metres of land. Mulino Felice, which is one hour and 15 minutes’ drive from Pisa airport and just over one and a half hour’s drive from Genoa, is on the market at €430,000 with L’Architrave Immobiliare (+ 39 0187 475543, www.larchitrave.net).
Period apartment, Acqui Terme, Piedmont
A cream-white 19th century villa perches high on a hill near Acqui Terme, overlooking the mosaic of greens that is the Piedmontese countryside. Here, Apta Domus are selling a huge apartment—“the size of a sizeable farmhouse,” says a spokeswoman—with private access. The beautifully restored interiors exude country elegance, with details such as exposed bricks, arching doorways and fireplaces. The apartment, which is only one hour away from Genoa airport and just over an hour and a half from Turin and Milan, is laid out maisonette-style, with living room and kitchen area downstairs, and two bedrooms (both with Jacuzzi ensuite and one with a private living room) upstairs. “The apartment is situated in a beautiful restored and prestigious period villa built during the 1800s, at the time when it was the fashion for people to visit the thermal springs in places like Acqui Terme, which is nearby,” says the Apta Domus spokeswoman. “These areas are once more becoming very fashionable. And this apartment, unlike many others, has its own private garden.” It is on the market for €420,000. For more information, contact Apta Domus on +44 (01)1628 474 513 or visit www.aptadomus.com.
