Stylish Villa with Private Pool

Situated in an elevated position in the Piemonte village of Bergamasco, Il Palazzotto commands beautiful views over the ancient tiled rooftops and across the Belbo valley beyond. The renovated house was built in the early 1900's and retains many original period features, including an Art Nouveau style glazed window in the stairwell, which occupies the whole of the right side of the house and provides a stunning feature when seen from the entrance hall. The accommodation is arranged over three floors, with a large underground garage/store at street level, making the fourth elevation. Many of the ceilings have painted frescos, which have been painstakingly restored by hand in order to remain faithful to the original style of the house. All of the floors are tiled with traditional Italian tiles and these, combined with the high ceilings, plus the shuttered double-glazed windows keep the house cool during the summer months. Outside, the private south-facing terrace is situated in an elevated position, overlooking the valley with views to the sister village of Carentino. An iron gazebo provides shade for daytime and evening meals and there is a gas bar-b-q for outside cooking. If you get too hot, you can take a refreshing dip in the 5m plunge pool and then return to relax on the large hammock, or poolside sun beds. Steps from the terrace lead down to the lower entrance and garage, both of which provide access to the street. The garage doors are narrow and will only take small vehicles and bicycles, however there is sufficient off road parking outside the side entrance to the property. Please note that the pool is only partially fenced and so Il Palazzotto is not suitable for very young children, unless they are supervised while outside on the terrace. Nearby facilities: The village of Bergamasco is nestled in rolling countryside at the edge of the famous wine-growing region of Piemonte, where reds such as Barolo, Nebbiolo and Barbera D’Alba are produced. In the SE of the region, the town of Gavi produces a select white vintage, but there are many private and cooperative cantinas dotted throughout the hilltop villages, where you can enjoy some late morning ‘degustazione’, before returning to the haven of Il Palazzotto. Of course, the area is equally famous for it’s cuisine and the local specialities can be sampled in the restaurants in Acqui Terme, Nizza Monferrato, Cannelli, etc. Bergamasco village offers shopping for basic supplies (2 butchers, baker, pharmacy, tobacconist, small general store and grocers) as well as 2 bars and a restaurant (menu of the day). For more comprehensive shopping, there are large supermarkets at Nizza Monferrato (Il Gigante – 11 Km) and Alessandria (Galassia and Bennett – 18 Km). Acqui Terme, originally a Roman spa town offers many shops selling local delicacies and crafts. Nizza boasts a wine museum and the cooperative cantina sells several red and white wines, as well as locally distilled grappa and spice-infused spirits – a speciality for Christmas. Bergamasco also hosts a truffle festival in early October, when there is a street-party, open air music and activities for children and adults alike. Further a field in Canelli, there is an annual battle re-enactment and Alba holds a Palio – claimed to be older than that held in the Piazza del Campo in Siena. The colourful coastal villages of The Cinque Terre and Portofino are around an hour’s drive away. For the more active, there are fantastic natural parks in the hills above Genoa with far-reaching views of the Ligurian coast. Acqui has two golf courses, plus a lido and mountain bikes can be hired to explore the trails of the Bormida Valley – an area of special geological interest. In winter, of course, there is skiing at Sestriere and on the slopes of the Val D’Aosta – both around 1-2 hours away.