Sagraitalia is part of the Livinginlemarche group and is closely associated with the well known Livinginitaly group based in Todi in Umbria and run by June Clayton who has lived in Italy for many years and has extensive knowledge about the Italian property market.

At Marchetownhouses, Livinginlemarche and Olivaverde we always do our best to keep our readers and clients up to date with all the latest news, but please do come back and check on Sagraitalia our exciting new website. We do hope that we will get the chance to meet you at one of these exciting new events, the first of which is going to be held in Hackney, east London in October 2010.

We are delighted to offer a limited number of Fractional Ownership opportunities in the beautiful countryside estate of Giacomo Leopardi, situated just below Montefiore dell’Aso on the Adriatic coast in Le Marche, Italy.

This luxurious development consists of three beautiful country villas sitting in 5 acres with stunning views of the sea and mountains. The facilities have been created for all seasons and truly reflect the wonderful Italian lifestyle. Yhe large swimming pool, all weather tennis court, private terraces, landscaped gardens, olive groves and newly planted vineyard will offer something for everyone. More importantly, you can own your very own Italian dream home at a fraction of the cost!

The interiors have been created with just the right balance, ensuring a harmonious blend of traditional and modern materials, creating a feeling of home whatever the season. Original art, antique furniture and high quality modern fittings all work together to give you the best of old and new.

ESTATE GIACOMO LEOPARDI
This stunning 5 acre estate has it all. Three private country houses set within their own landscaped gardens, with each property having access to the vineyard , olive groves, large swimming pool, and all weather tennis/basket ball court.

Nestling on a gentle slope, just a ten minute walk from the medieval town of Montefiore dell’Aso, the properties enjoy stunning views of both the Adriatic Sea and the Sibillini mountains.

Surrounded by vineyards, orchards, olive groves and sunflowers this is true Italian living.

THE PROPERTIES

Casa Giacomo
This four bedroom property sits in its own private grounds within the five acre estate. The elegant landscaped gardens, magnificent pool, tennis and basket ball court add to the relaxed lifestyle our owners will enjoy.

“The interior of the property has been meticulously designed to reflect and accentuate
its distinctive Italian setting.”

The design of Casa Giacomo reflects our desire to create an ideal space for comfortable living and entertaining. The use of natural light and high ceilings creates a very energising environment.

The total area, of 200 square meters, is wonderfully split over two floors. The ground floor has access through large arched doors to the main terrace and courtyard just off the Italian designed kitchen with spacious dining room and snug area. The master bedroom suite on this floor is beautifully appointed and has an amazing marble enclosed walk in shower.

On the garden level there are three double bedrooms, two beautifully appointed bathrooms, a formal lounge area with a large handmade stone and brick fireplace, and a fully equipped living room with high quality wide-screen TV, DVD, music system and Wii game station.

A small office area is also available for those destined to work while away in paradise.There is wifi internet access throughout the property and a fully equipped laundry/cloakroom.

FEATURES AND FINISHES

Casa Giacomo has been built to an exceptionally high standard, using a combination of traditional building methods and modern technology. Traditional materials used throughout the property include handmade terracotta floors, rich marbles, granite worktops and chestnut beams spanning the length of the entire ceiling. Blending these ancient materials with a modern under floor heating system, beautifully designed kitchen and bathroom amenities gives the perfect balance. Handmade and antique furniture together with original pieces of artwork and elegant furnishings celebrate the pleasures of Italian life.

A large sun terrace and a shaded courtyard, with a beautiful old olive tree, provides plenty of space for outdoor entertaining.
A gentle pathway through the olive grove takes you down to the magnificent pool area. The swimming pool, measuring 15m x 6m, has a separate toddler/splash pool surrounded by a large antique terracotta terrace and a beautiful gazebo providing welcome shade during the long summer months.

Casa Giacomo is being offered at the very special price of

only £99,000 for five weeks ownership.

All our prices are subject to regular review and will increase over time.

f you have always dreamt of owning a luxury holiday home in Italy, fully restored and equipped, professionally managed and beautifully decorated then we at Appassionata  can help you achieve your dream. This makes it an attractive proposition for those looking for a larger property with excellent facilities to share with family and friends.

Marchetownhouses.com and Livinginlemarche.com are pleased to be working with Armando, an Italian mortgage broker based in Florence who has many years of experience and an indepth knowledge of the mortgage market in Italy. He has many excellent contacts in Italian Banks and Financial institutions and can offer a personalised service to our clients requiring finance. Please contact Dermott at Marchetownhouses or Livinginlemarche for more details of our new service.

The house and annex both require major rebuilding and renovation but this is reflected in the low price.
Farmhouse Oliva comes with 7 hectares or 17 acres of land with some fruit and olive trees and has spectacular views toward the sea and Monte Conero to the north.
The resorts of Pedaso and Porto san Giorgio are only 15 minutes away by car and the beautiful city of Fermo is 1o minutes to the east.

The house would be a fantastic home or holiday home for investment purposes and is for sale at 210,000 euros.

Condition: Major Restoration Required
Square Metres: 210
Floors: 3
Garden / Land: yes
Annex: yes

Distances:
Airport: Ancona
Distance: 30-60 minutes
Shops: <15 minutes
Beach: <15 minutes
Skiing: 30-60 minute

We have pleasure in introducing a variety of gastronomic pleasures for you to enjoy.  Be it wine tours and tasting with olive oil appreciation workshops to cooking courses, some of which wil be hosted by a celebrity Swedish Chef, held in some of the most beautiful areaa of Tuscany, Umbria, Le Marche and Sicily.   Venues include an 11th century ex Benedictine Monastery to a 1000 year old Castello and its 18th Century Country Villa in the mystical landscape that is Umbria, to a beautiful 4 star historic Relais with spa facilities in Cortona, Tuscany, or an enchanting Castle with 19 century frescoes in Le Marche and only 15 km to the Adriatic Coast.

Here is a scrumptious slice of the areas and venues we are inviting you.

TUSCANY

Think of Tuscany….synonomous with the cypress tree..   A beautiful  evocative landscape of rolling undulating hills, vineyards, olive groves and fields of sunflowers.  A region rich in tradition, art and culture, history, architecture and birthplace of the Renaissance..  Hamlets and farmhouses, rusticos and palazzos, castles and  colonicas  all  come together to combine a rich tapestry that is Tuscany.

TUSCAN FOOD

Tuscan food traditions are very strong and fiercely regional and a wide range of peasant foods. The basis of all Tuscan food is fresh local, seasonal produce: pork, beef, game, beans, olives, funghi porcini and truffles. Meats are simply roasted or stewed. Side dishes (contorni) or simple vegetables or sformati (patties made with vegetables)) and of course olive oil. Tuscan Chianina cattle, produces the epitome of steak and hence the succulent Bistecca Fiorentina!  The largest bovine animals in the world and reared over many centuries and recognisable for their porcelain-white coat

A sample of typical dishes include:

Prosciutto: cured hams are available in a vast range of flavours from sweet and moist to musty dry.

Stinco di Maiale  (shin of pork) roasted in the wood fired oven

Rosticciana  (pork ribs) roasted or grilled, try them simply with lemon juice

Salciccia (sausage, generally pork) eaten with beans

Tagliata di Manzo Fiorentina (beef steak florentine)

Tagliata di manzo al forno (a chunk of beef steak roasted quickly in a hot oven then sliced and drizzled with oil) usually serves 3 or 4 as a smaller roast would dry out.

Cinghiale (wild boar) roast or “in humido” (stewed) with olives

Coniglio (rabbit) al forno or in humido is a common country dish and excellent

Tuscan vegetables include: fagioli (beans) carciofi (artichoke) spinaci, and of course pomodori

Farro: a grain similar to pearl barley is used in thick soups, with oil and tomatoes as a salad side dish.

Pecorino cheeses: sheep’s milk cheese, fresh or “stagionata” for at least 12 months which brings out the sharp flavours: try it with honey and walnuts

Pastas: As in every part of Italy there are local varieties of pasta. Maccheroni is a flat broad ribbon or square usually eaten with rich game sauces such as lepre (hare) or cerve (venison) or porcini. Ravioli is traditionally filled with ricotta cheese and vegetable such as spinach or chard. .

Pasta fritta is a dough (similar to a pizza dough) rolled out thin and cut into slices then deep fried. It puffs up like a pillow and is dusted with salt.

Tuscan breads include the dry unsalted loaf, “pane patate” with added potato flour (which helps it to last longer) and oily focaccia.

UMBRIA

A mystical and enchanting land, famous for its Saints, evokes a shrouded mystery from its green verdant hills, unbelievable sunsets, to its lakes; Trasimeno, favourite lake amongst Italians, its stunning medieval hilltop towns and villages, some of which are world acclaimed.  Assisi, Spoleto, Orvieto, Todi to name a few,  Castles and Towers over populate the Umbrian landscape   Enticed?

Umbrian cuisine….The most noteworthy characteristic is its simplicity.   It relies strongly on seasonal produce such as mushrooms and wild asparagus, on wild delicacies such as truffles, vegetables including black celery, cereals, regionally reared meat – particularly lamb, pork and game – either cooked over the fire or worked into cured hams and salame.  Umbrian extra virgin olive oil is amongst the best with 6 DOP varieties.

Ttruffles in particular play an important part in many Umbrian dishes, starting from hors d’oeuvres such as crostini al tartufo – made with black truffles, crostini alla norcina – made using anchovies, truffles and chicken liver, and chicken liver crostini – made with chicken liver, capers and a squeeze of lemon. Or smply enjoy fresh umbrian pecorino cheese with black truffe.

Probably the most typical Umbrian pasta dish are spaghetti – or strangozzi – with black truffles. Other pasta course highlights include umbrichelli in salsa di Trasimeno – with perch filets, shallots, garlic and chilli pepper –, spaghetti col rancetto – with bacon, cherry tomatoes and fresh pecorino cheese –, pappardelle alla lepre – with hare ragout, bacon and cloves. Ciriole alla ternana is a variety of pasta made using just water and flour, and is usually served with a garlic, oil and chili pepper – a dish that appears also in the traditional cuisine of both Narni and Spoleto, only with the name of strangozzi. Besides an abundance of meat dishes, generally either grilled over the fire or cooked on the spit with an abundance of herbs, Umbria also boasts two particularly tasty soups: one made with chick peas and the other with chestnuts.

Among the region’s most typical main courses is colombaccio selvatico, or palomba (turtledove), generally cooked on the spit. The area around Orvieto specialises in the so-called gallina ubriaca (literally, “drunken hen”) chicken cooked in plenty of good Orvieto wine. Specialities from Perugia include roast lamb’s head and torello alla perugina. Umbrian desserts are almost always baked in the oven, with ingredients such as almonds, spices or candied fruit  The Assisi rocciata, a spiral kind of pastry sausage which resembles a strudel. The classic rustic bread known as brustegnolo includes dried fruit in the mixture, .

Chocolate has a long standing history in Umbria. Founded in 1907, the Perugina chocolate factory rose to international popularity and fame with its Baci, made with ground hazelnuts and dark chocolate.

LE MARCHE

Tucked away in a corner between the Adriatic sea and the Apennine mountains, le Marche is a mosaic of lovely old hill top towns, hidden valleys, dramatic gorges, snow capped mountains, vine clad slopes, agricultural fields and long sandy beaches.  The Adriatic Coast  consists of 180km of beautiful, clean sand or pebble beaches and secluded coves and makes Le Maarche the perfect holiday destination.

Food wise, having both the sea and the land as its reward, Le Marche benefits two-fold.   Again, like its close neighbours Tuscany and Umbria, Le Marche is renowned for the quality of natural ingredients which go into the production of  its regional dishes and food products, an abundance of mushrooms, truffles, wild boar and chestnuts, lamb, proscuito, pecorino cheese and olive oil

Pasta triumphs in the Marche, with preference given to homemade versions.  Wide tagliatelle and maccheroni filled with exquisite flavours.  Try “vincisgrassi” a pasta made with eggs, stretched to lightness and cut in rectangles which, are layered in a casserole with a sauce made from chicken livers and mushrooms dusted with grated cheese, covered with bechamel sauce and baked in the oven.Pesaro,on the Adriatic is famous for its “brodetto” or fish soup made with 13 species of fish – no more no less.   Also prepared along the coast, the “brodetto marchigiano” made with fish dipped in flour, fried in a mixture of oil, onion and parsley, and flavoured with saffron. In some areas, stewed snails (lumache) occasionally creep on to the menu.  Try spaghetti dressed with vongole, or baby clams, or spaghetti allo scoglio, “on the rocks” dressed with seafood.

Another specialty is the “pecorino di San Leo”, a cheese made from sheeps milk, “ricotta” (a kind of cottage cheese) from Urbino, “bazzott” (a local fresh cheese) from Fano, and the “olive ascolane”, big white olives filled with a mixture of cheese, egg, nutmeg, white meat chopped and mixed with prosciutto, mortadella and salame, lemon peel and parsley, then dipped in beaten egg and bread crumbs and fried in oil.   Formaggio di fossa is a strong flavoured cheese aged by being walled up in limestone holes in the ground!

For an antipasto, mountain salt-cured ham and lonza (salt-cured fillet of pork) try ciauscolo (a soft, spreadable pork salame). Try “passatelli”, strands of pasta made from breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and egg cooked in broth. Apart from the ever-present meat grilled alle brace, on embers, delicious stuffed pigeons (piccione ripieno) and rabbit cooked with fennel (coniglio in porchetta) are a Marche speciality.

SICILY

A place that conjures up many thoughts - traditions and soul immediately spring to mind least it beng the largest island in the Mediterranean, with a diverse landscape of colours from Etna’s top covered with snow to the warm and wild coast of the Zingaro nature reserve, to the verdant Madonie, from the Greek temples of Agrigento tn the West to the windmills and salt pans of Trapani.  Few other regions can boast such a variety of natural landscapes and nature reserves like Sicily. Added to this, Sicily boasts the best climate in Europe.

Sicilian food  and wine echoes the colours and flavours of a generous land, changing from province to province, village to village, each different taste to be savoured,  succulent  fish dishes bundles of breaded swordfish filled with sardines and couscous to popular dishes such as pasta with cheese, “stigghiole” roasted entrails of lamb, “panelle” croquettes made up of chick/pea and fried, “arancini” fried rice balls filled with butter and ham or with ragout);  “farsumagru”  browned calf meat filled,  to“aggrassatu” roasted lamb filled  to the tempting sumptious desserts……..cassata” cake with butter-milk curd cream, candied fruit a, “cannoli” fancy cakes filled  with fresh butter-milk curd cream or chocolate cream, “granite” grated-ice fruit flavoured drinks, “pasticciotti” kind of pastries, “frutta martorana”almond-paste based and usually fruit-shaped pastries. Perhaps that is why Sicily’s food is kept a secret.

Sicilian wine…..journeying through country lanes full of vineyardsl, sample from their wine cellars,  the most famlus Sicilian wines,   il Marsala, il Moscato, il Nero d’Avola, il Cerasuolo di Vittoria, il Bianco d’Alcamo, la Malvasia di Lipari, il Passito di Pantelleria. We  hope we have whet your appetite !

For an antipasto, mountain salt-cured ham and lonza (salt-cured fillet of pork) try ciauscolo (a soft, spreadable pork salame). Try “passatelli”, strands of pasta made from breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and egg cooked in broth. Apart from the ever-present meat grilled alle brace, on embers, delicious stuffed pigeons (piccione ripieno) and rabbit cooked with fennel (coniglio in porchetta) are a Marche speciality.

In the northern Marche look out for piadina, a flat, unleavened bread often served with cold meats at roadside bars.

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Exciting News…………To compliment  their top range, namely Bartolomeo and Donna Sabina,  In their pursuit of excellence Cantina Sobrano believe it is of  paramount  importance to offer great choice, top quality and value across the range. For this reason they have invested time and energy to develop a new line of varietal wines .  These new and exciting wines will be introduced from February 2010.  These wines will represent the expression of their great terroir and will widen the choice of wines to fulfil customers’ demands for younger and more approachable wines

(ANSA) – Rome, March 26 – The following is a city-by-city guide to some of Italy’s art exhibitions:

BASSANO DEL GRAPPA – Museo Civico: 22 works by 16th-century master Jacopo da Ponte, show marks 500th anniversary of birth; until June 13.

BRESCIA – Museo di Santa Giulia: Inca, Origins and Mysteries of the Civilisation of Gold; 250 artefacts, until June 27.

CASTELFRANCO VENETO – Casa del Giorgione: home-town show marking 500th anniversary of Giorgione’s death; 130 works by Veneto painter and other Renaissance masters including Bellini, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian; until April 11.

COMO – Villa Olmo: Pieter Paul Rubens, 25 works plus 40 by painters of his circle including Van Dyck, Jordaens, Thulden; until July 25: FERRARA – Palazzo Diamanti: 20th Century Masterpieces from the Maeght Foundation; some 100 works by Matisse, Kandinsky, Chagall, Miro’, Leger, Calder, Giacometti, Bonnard, Braque and others who showed their work at the gallery of Aime’ Maeght in Paris; until June 2.

FORLI’ – Musei di San Domenico: Flowers: Nature and Symbol from the 17th Century to Van Gogh; 100 works from international museums including Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Delacroix, Courbet, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne and Klimt; until June 20.

GENOA – Villa del Principe: Genoa’s most celebrated palazzo celebrates its reopening with a show gathering 80 landscapes in the Doria Pamphilij collections including Caravaggio’s Rest on the Flight into Egypt; until September 26.

MILAN – Palazzo Reale: Goya and modern masters, 184 works by Spanish great and later artists including Miro’, Picasso, Bacon and Pollock; until June 27.

- Triennale: Roy Lichtenstein, 100 works from the Guggenheim, Whitney, Vienna’s Moderner Kunst museums; until May 30.

- Pinacoteca di Brera: Carlo Crivelli, San Domenico Triptych, works from Marche and loans from major world museums; until March 28.

- Palazzo Reale: Egon Schiele and his Viennese contemporaries; 80 works on loan from Vienna’s Leopold Museum; until June 6.

NAPLES – six city museums: The Return of the Baroque, 350 works and 27 tours; until April 11.

PADUA – Museo degli Eremitani: Caravaggio, Lotto, Ribera, 50 works from the collection of art historian Roberto Longhi; until March 28.

PARMA – Three city venues show Parma University’s huge archive on 20th century Italian art; Palazzo del Governatore (art, photography), Galleria San Ludovico (fashion) and Scuderie della Pilotta (architecture and design), until April 25.

PIACENZA – Fondazione Ricci Oddi: 19th-Century Tuscan Painting, Macchiaioli and beyond, 40 works; until May 2.

ROME – Palazzo Massimo: Treasures from Morgantina; 16 ancient Greek masterpieces from southern Italian site returned by Met; until May 23.

- Musei Capitolini: The Age of Conquest: The Lure of Greek Art in Rome; masterpieces looted from Greece between the third and first centuries BC; until September 5.

- Scuderie del Quirinale: Caravaggio, 24 masterpieces from Italy and abroad including Musicians from the Met, Lute Player from the Hermitage, Amor Vincit Omnia from Berlin, Uffizi’s Bacchus, David With the Goliath’s Head from Borghese, Fruit Bowl from Biblioteca Ambrosiana; till June 13, first of string of events marking 400 years since his death.

- Fondazione Roma Museo: Edward Hopper, 170 works mostly from New York’s Whitney Museum including The Sheridan Theatre, New York Interior, Pennsylvania Coal Town, South Carolina Morning, Summer Interior, Morning Sun, Second Story Sunlight, A Woman in the Sun and Girlie Show; until June 13.

- Vittoriano: From Corot to Manet, The Symphony of Nature; 170 Impressionist works including Corbet, Boudin, Pissaro, Sisley; until June 29.

- Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Massimo: The Secret of Marble, Painted Marble From Ascoli Satriano; 11 Ancient Greek works from the ancient city of Ausculum in Apulia including griffins returned by Getty Museum in 2007; until April 18.

SIENA – Santa Maria della Scala, Opera della Metropolitana and Pinacoteca Nazionale: ‘From Jacopo della Quercia to Donatello, Early Renaissance Art in Siena’; 300 works including 20 polyptychs reconstructed for the occasion, 25 restored works, loans from around the world; until July 10.

ROVERETO – Mart: From the Stage to the Canvas, 200 paintings depicting theatre productions by such artists as David, Delacroix, Fussli, Degas, Ingres and many others; until May 23.

TREVISO – Casa dei Carraresi: The Secrets of the Forbidden City, Matteo Ricci at the Ming Court; until May 9.

VIGEVANO – Castello Visconteo: Leonardo da Vinci’s output during his time in Lombardy; ‘virtual codex’ on flying, botany, mathematics, weaponry, astronomy, engineering and architecture; until April 5.

photo: one of the Jacopo della Quercia pieces in Siena

Originally Porto San Giorgio was the ancient port for the city of Fermo and is now a very pleasant seaside resort with its lovely beaches.  Famed for its fish, there are many good and reasonably priced eateries where you can enjoy the celebrated Le Marche fish shoup “brodetto”

Porto san Giorgio  is very lively during summer months with lots of concerts.  Charming Liberty Style architecture greets you, which was very popular and in vogue in fine seaside resorts across Italy from the 19 century.

It’s 13th century fortress, built by Lorenzo Tiepolo, later Doge of Venice, stands close by the town’s central square, and has fine towers.

PEDASO
To the south of Porto San Giorgio is Pedaso, which is the Marche’s “mussel beach” – these delectable molluscs are cultivated on concrete pillars that lie just off its short, gravely beach. Apart from being a popular place for skin-diving, it is very close to the motorway.  During summer months you can enjoy the mussel feast or “Sagra delle Cozze,“     BUON APPETITO !

This thriving and elegant centre is one of the most beguiling towns in this stretch of the Marche and boasts a sophisticated old centre and lively cultural life that should not be missed.

Its most striking feature greets you as you arrive – a belt of massive 14thC walls (above), built on Roman foundations, strengthened with buttresses and impregnable towers, and topped by houses. The main streets of the walled historic centre run along a narrow ridge and there is much to tempt you to explore.

Start in Piazza Federico II which lies at the north-eastern end of the town where the Roman forum of Aesis once lay. Its name recalls the birth here of the fabled Medieval Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II in a tent on 26 December 1194. Frederick, known as Stupor Mundi for his stirring deeds, endeared himself even more to the city when he later called it his special city, its very name seeming to recall that of Jesus.

The 18thC face of the Duomo, the robust caryatids on the palace to the left of the church and the obelisk in the centre give the square a decidedly Late Baroque tone.