Casa Akiko

GUALDO

At a glance

Le Marche is as yet little known to tourists, but its beauty and unspoiled environment mean that this region will soon eclipse over-hyped and over-crowded Tuscany.

We are delighted to offer you Casa Akiko, originally a 19th Century farmhouse. In recent years, careful restoration has enhanced its original charm and it is now a comfortable and luxurious country villa.

Located in the Valle di Chienti near the small hill town of Gualdo, 3 km away, and the major town of Sarnano, the villa is situated 1 km off the main road on a country lane, surrounded by meadows, vineyards, and cultivated farmland. The views change with the seasons: in spring you gaze at fields of red poppies; in autumn golden wheat waves gently in the breeze.

Looking across to the majestic Sibillini Mountains, a winter ski area, the location borders the beautiful and unspoiled Sibillini National Park, a protected area with an abundance of fauna and flora. Sarnano, 8 km away, offers visitors all services and is one of the rare Italian towns to have completely preserved its medieval town center. The local thermal spa, Fonte San Giacomo, is a good spot for beauty treatments!

The house is furnished with great taste and style, with numerous local country antique pieces. Overall it is a most comfortable house as the Australian owners created it as their own retreat. Entry into the large living/dining room with a fireplace, satellite TV, VCR and a sound system. The living room opens to the spacious, shady portico ideal for alfresco dining looking onto the old olive tree garden and swimming pool (12x6 m with diving board). Please note that the pool is not fenced and care must be taken if there are small children in the party. The large kitchen is well-equipped with top-quality appliances including a dishwasher and microwave. In the garage is the laundry with a washing machine.

There are four bedrooms. On the ground floor is a twin bedroom with a bathroom (shower). On the first floor there are the other three bedrooms: one is a huge master bedroom with en-suite bathroom equipped with a spa bathtub. Two twin bedrooms share another bathroom. In the attic is another twin-bedded room which may be too warm for comfort in the height of summer.

On arrival, basic food items are supplied together with a wine list with recommendations and a list of restaurants with owners' recommendations.

High speed broadband internet access.

Distances: Ancona (airport) – one hour by car (inexpensive flights with Ryanair).
The village of Gualdo just 'around the corner' offers basic shopping, banking, etc. Market day is on Tuesday. Sarnano, 10 min. away, offers most services, restaurants, supermarket, tennis courts, hospital and health spa, Fonte San Giacomo with it's mineral water spring and beauty treatment. The market day there is Thursday.

In the nearby Mount Sibillini National Park you will find horse riding, mountain biking, paragliding, trekking, etc. Places of great historical interest can be reached within half an hour's driving: apart from already mentioned Sarnano, well worth a visit are Amandola, a town noted for its antique tradition of ebony furniture and marquetry artistry, Caldarola, with its castles and Serrapetrona famous for its elliptic square, its palaces and mansions and summer festivals, and Camerino, the ducal city of antique magnificence.

Near the Conero National Park coastline is Recanati, where Giacomo Leopardi was born and only one hour by car from the farmhouse you can reach the great beaches of the Adriatic Coast such as Porto San Giorgio Sirola.