Built in the 1800s and completely renovated in 2008 to an exceptionally high standard, Villa Eliza offers a cool, stylish take on modern living, while set in serene Italian countryside just outside the ancient hilltop town of Arpino, conveniently positioned for all the many amenities Arpino has to offer. Every well-thought-out feature reminds us that this is the home of an interior designer. Many of the elegant furnishings are also either included or available for sale by separate contract.

While the 330 sq. mt. house is currently presented as a classic two-level home, with common living space upstairs and bedrooms below, one of the lower floor bedrooms has been cleverly plumbed and wired so it may become a kitchen if desired, thus allowing the house to be changed very easily into two separate apartments. Both levels have independent entry doors and there is an attractive fireplace on each level. In total, there are three beautiful marble bathrooms and a powder room

Roman beige travertine floor tiles flow throughout the house. The semi-open plan design leads you effortlessly from room to room, each area having its own identity yet opening seamlessly into the next, creating a feel of light and space. Expansive bookshelves with recessed lighting give character to the large TV room, while an inbuilt decorated glass panel forms a stunning divide between a dining area and the sitting room. A cook's kitchen, with granite bench tops, double ovens and a hidden dishwasher will ensure that entertaining is easy and enjoyable. The kitchen has direct access into the living and dining areas inside the house, and also accesses easily the various outside entertaining areas around the property. The lounge room opens via two sets of French doors on to the adjoining terrace. A gorgeous "termocamino" fireplace will heat the entire upper floor of the house economically in winter..... as well as the hot water should you so wish. Breathtaking views extend over the patchwork valley and beyond to the mountain range.

A wood-fired pizza oven in the garden completes the possibilities for hosting magnificent parties for extended family, friends and guests - or just relaxing for a quiet family dinner in the warmth of an Italian summer evening.

The half-acre garden, terraced down the hillside, is a lush and fertile paradise. Once owned by a professional gardener, this home is surrounded by mature trees, many fruit trees including cherry, fig, mandarin, lemon, peach and pear, as well as enough olive trees to harvest and make your own olive oil! There is ample space to put in an infinity swimming pool, positioned for a perfect view over the valley - due west for the evening sunset.

The property is accessed by a short private hard-surface drive. There is currently a covered carport, but also enough space to expand this into a full garage. Other houses can be glimpsed but are not intrusive, giving a private and secluded feel to the property without it being isolated.

Energy classification G

ARPINO AND THE CIOCIARIA

Arpino is one of the major medieval hilltop towns in the area of Italy called the Ciociaria, the name given to the fertile land that lies south of Rome but north of Naples, situated inland in the hills in the heart of Italy.

The Ciociaria region is within easy reach of both Rome and Naples and their respective airports. A day's shopping in Rome is a common pastime, while an even shorter drive brings you to the charming beaches south of Rome. Alternatively, drive east, and the mountains of the Abruzzo National Park await with horse trekking in the magnificent beech forests, and sparkling mountain lakes and rivers where you can swim in the heat of the summer. And at the other extreme of temperature, although Arpino itself is temperate, less than an hour's drive brings you to the winter ski slopes.

Often overlooked, both by tourists and by those foreigners in search of an Italian home, in favour of the more publicized regions of Tuscany and Umbria, the Ciociaria remains largely an unspoilt gem with beautiful scenery and medieval hilltop towns. A home or second home in the Ciociaria, in the hilltop towns of Arpino, Veroli, Alatri or in the rolling countryside that surrounds them, will afford you a setting where over two thousand years of history combine with an idyllic rural Italian lifestyle, where you can still discover the 'real' Italy and take time out from the busy crowds of the larger tourist cities, while being less than ninety minutes journey from central Rome or either of Rome's two airports.