Italy - Le Marche Escape to the Continent

This imposing building behind me can house nearly 2,000 people,

stock over 40 million bags of sugar

and hold hundreds of thousands of litres of water.

So find out why it was built

and which country I'm in in just a moment.

Today's potential migrant is an entrepreneur itching to create

a healthier new life to complement her thriving business.

-Quick! Can we go and look?

-Yeah, keen, keen!

So, with some support from a close friend, she's banking on finding

her dream home and a Continental branch to her enterprise.

-It's exceeded expectations, put it that way.

-So pleased!

All my expectations. It really has, honestly.

Welcome to Escape To The Continent.

Today, I'm in Le Marche region in central Italy

and this is Lazzaretto,

a stunning building that overlooks the sea and port

of the capital, Ancona. Commissioned by the Pope,

it was built nearly 300 years ago as a totally self-sufficient island.

Its purpose was to provide a quarantined area to protect

the city from goods and travellers

that may have been carrying infectious diseases.

It operated like this for nearly 100 years but since then it's been

used as a military barracks, a sugar refinery, even a tobacco factory.

Today, it houses many cultural exhibitions

hosted by this stunning region.

Le Marche, or the Marches, lies in the calf of Italy's elegant boot

with its head in the Apennines and its toes in the Adriatic Sea.

This lesser-known region of central Italy is made up of coastal

and mountainous terrain as well as enchanting ancient towns

and villages that seem to crown every sunny hilltop.

Right in the heart of the region, the town of Cingoli

dates back to the third century BC

and is called the balcony of the Marches

for its "pinch me" lake views.

Down in the far southern portion,

the handsome Ascoli Piceno is known as the city of travertine on account

of its ancient architecture built of pale limestone.

With pristine beaches, wild national parks and farm vineyards,

the rich variety and vivid natural colours of Le Marche

present themselves like a wonderful landscape painting.

So how is all this reflected in the property prices?

Well, the region as a whole offers tremendous value for money.

If you head north towards Corinaldo, you can find a property there

for just over £100,000.

Now, that's less than half the national average back home.

The most expensive areas are coastal,

particularly in and around Ancona,

where house prices there start just below £300,000.

Let's find out where today's buyer wants to escape to.

With a prosperous career that has taken her throughout Europe,

businesswoman Janice is temporarily based at her parents'

Tyne and Wear home whilst caring for her elderly mother.

But, with the help of her friend, neighbour and one-time

English teacher Dorothy, plans are afoot to move back to the Continent.

Janice was one of my pupils in grammar school.

After she left school at 18 to go to university,

we lost touch for a while.

And I was in the supermarket one day, I bumped into Dorothy

and it was great to see her and, of course,

living close by we've forged our friendship since then.

We do think very much alike on many issues and it's quite amazing

because there is quite an age gap as well

and yet we still have this rapport.

I think maybe she's become a little bogged down in her

responsibilities to parents and I think now is the time for her

to have life and to have what she wants in life.

And what Janice wants is an unspoilt slice of Italy's organic countryside

that offers a comfortable property with

commercial appeal.

After leaving university,

I joined the pharmaceutical industry in research and development

and then after a few years moved into

production and quality assurance roles

but all the time, you know, underneath was bubbling

this desire to create my own little business,

particularly moving into the natural health field.

The Italians are very much into natural health.

They have pharmacy shops but they also have herboristerias.

An Italian person does not go to the doctor,

they go to the herboristeria first, then they go to the pharmacy

and THEN they go to the doctor.

After basing herself in Milan for four years during

the early noughties doing the ground work,

Janice made her business dream a reality

and she now runs a company that offers consumers

natural alternatives to medicine and healing.

She'd like to grow her very own raw ingredients

and has chosen Le Marche region

because of its high concentration of organic farms,

but, with limited language skills,

decided it was easier to start the ball rolling on home soil.

My customer base currently is mainly from the UK.

It's an internet-based company at the moment but I certainly

plan on expansion when I move to Italy, not contraction.

I would like to think I can create a little business empire.

Obviously I would need good internet connection

and I'd also need quite a bit of land to grow the vines and the fruits.

I would like a big orchard really and, in terms of the house,

I would like a very large kitchen, a nice efficient kitchen.

I'd really be looking for something which has got the old character

but has been refurbished to a nice standard.

-I'm thinking marble and granite and things.

-Oh, yes!

And also I might need some outbuildings, you know,

in terms of preparing the products.

Ideally I'd love to have a terrace, I have this vision of me sitting on

my terrace, running the global business with my glass of red wine.

Janice is also hoping her back-to-nature venture will be

the perfect tonic for her 90-year-old mother.

So I'd be taking my mum with me to Italy

and she's got some health issues, some cognitive decline,

so I need to look after her much of my time really when she's awake

but she does spend more and more time actually sleeping

but I do know that fresh air, oxygen is necessary for this condition

and I would hope because of the nicer weather I can get her outside more.

Her wholesome entrepreneurial skills are clearly paying off already

as Janice has an equally healthy budget for this upcoming move.

My absolute limit really is about £700,000

but ideally I would like it to be less than that.

We'll be taking Janice and her dear friend Dorothy to see a variety of

delightful Le Marche homes in the southern portion of the region

between the Sibillini Mountains National Park and the sea.

We're starting off inland just outside the town of Caldarola

to discuss the finer details

of Janice's prospective continental move.

So ladies, here we are in Le Marche, a beautiful part of central Italy.

Welcome to you both, Janice and Dorothy.

So Janice, why have you picked this part?

Well, I think Le Marche has everything that's lovely about Italy.

Beautiful countryside, it has medieval castles and churches,

beautiful produce as well, the people are very much in touch with nature.

-It's just beautiful.

-So do you know this region well?

Because you're the one that's going to be hopefully moving here.

Yes, I've been here to Urbino and Pesaro in the past

but that's it really, I haven't managed to explore the countryside.

So Dorothy, are you going to be keeping us all in check?

Looking after her welfare?

Well, yes, I've known Janice since she was a child

and I looked after her then and my role here is to be her mentor here.

And you've got a successful business, hasn't she, in the UK?

-Is that something you're hoping to bring...

-Absolutely.

-..to Italy as well?

-And I'm hoping that the property we find might

have products that grow there, you know, the vines, an orchard,

because I use things like grape extract in my products.

I'm thinking a little bit of a retreat here, Dorothy.

Well, I'm hoping that she finds a property here

because then, I mean, we are very close friends

that perhaps I'll be invited for a holiday.

So Janice, tell us about this property.

Dorothy and I are thinking suitable place to come on holiday,

possible retreat, but in all seriousness,

what are you looking for you and your mum?

I'm looking for a main house which would be on fairly level ground.

Obviously a lovely house and a lovely garden,

flat land around the house hopefully and perhaps a swimming pool.

How many bedrooms are we after?

I think we need three to four in the main house

but I would hope there might be some outbuildings that I could convert.

-So we're looking at possibilities?

-Yes, yes.

-We can expand.

And, Dorothy, what do you think Janice needs in this new house?

Because it's not just about a property, is it?

It's about changing the way we live our lives.

Well, I think as she said, she needs sufficient bedroom space

so that she can accommodate friends because I think she needs to relate

back to her roots in the UK as well as exploring new ones in Italy.

-That's a very valid point, isn't it?

-It is very good, yes.

-Very good, yes,

friends and family, it's so important when you're out here,

-isn't it?

-Yeah.

-CHURCH BELLS RING

-Well, there are the bells,

that's calling us to start our search.

-I've got the first house lined up so shall we start, ladies?

-Great.

Thank you.

For a maximum budget of £700,000,

Janice is hoping to find a traditional property with at least

three bedrooms, a large kitchen

and outbuildings with business potential for her holistic company.

She's after a substantial plot of level land,

ideally with orchards and vines as well as a swimming pool.

And we've got four first-rate Italian houses up for offer

with land aplenty, but I won't be revealing their price tags

until the end of each tour.

Our Le Marche expedition will uncover new properties,

places and people, then we'll be unveiling a spectacularly

rural setting with a less than traditional home

in the form of the mystery house.

We're starting our property-seeking journey

in the fortified hilltop town of San Ginesio.

Some 700m high in the hills, the sweeping views from San Ginesio

out across lush valleys and mountains are sublime.

This delightful small town has a strong medieval heritage

protected by heavy-duty 14th-century walls, with buildings that

date even further back in time.

There's a great selection of shops off the main piazza,

including a grocer's and a butcher, and, just ten minutes' drive,

our first property is tucked away in rolling patchwork fields,

approached by a sweeping gravel driveway,

featuring a large garage block.

So we've just driven you through San Ginesio, which is your

local town, to bring you to our first property.

It's fantastic!

-Has it taken your breath away a little bit?

-Yeah, I like it.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-And I'm truly hoping this house is going to reignite your

-love affair with Italy.

-I think it might.

-Yeah?

-Quick, can we go and look?

-Yeah, keen, keen. Dorothy?

-Yes.

Come on then, girls.

Converted in the 1930s, this grand three-storey former farmhouse

is built of honey-coloured stone,

with contrasting deep-green shutter doors and windows

that perfectly complement its natural surroundings.

The hallway welcomes us inside and

leads straight into the heart of the house.

-That's your kitchen.

-Great.

With granite work surfaces, huge sink, so you've got a dining area

here, informal seating, with a wood burner there.

-So this is the fireplace for the kitchen?

-It is for the kitchen area.

-Leading onto the terrace.

-Yes, a bit of al fresco dining outside.

-Yes, lovely.

-Patio doors leading out. You've got this very high ceiling.

-Yeah.

-And beams.

-Yeah.

-Beautiful beams.

-I think it's very Italian.

-Yes, it is.

-I spend most of my time in the kitchen really

and the fact that we could eat at the table there is excellent, yeah,

and the views, they're great.

Do you think we could have a pound or a euro for every time

we say great view? We're going to be rich by the end of this, aren't we?

-Well, would you like me to show you a bit more?

-Please.

-OK.

We don't have to go too far because here is our sitting room.

-This is lovely.

-Oh, it's beautiful.

-It's great, it's really great.

I love the windows, the doors, the fireplace and the elegance.

I love the elegance. Some houses in the country are a little bit rustic

and I couldn't really live like that.

I have to live with elegance, you know, it clears the mind.

Look at the ceiling.

So unusual. As you can see it's vaulted and you can probably see

the line running across it, because guess who used to live in here.

Believe it or not, the animals.

When this house was built around the 1930s, livestock was in this part

of the house, so things would've been hanging from that pole.

It's very different but it really works.

The animals would be very happy with it.

I'll tell you what, Dorothy, this animal would be very happy in here

because it is a tremendous property.

You've got patio doors on either side, so the dual aspect.

Now, it's a large space, and primarily

there's only going to be two of you living here.

-Do you think you can cope with that?

-Oh, yes, I can cope.

-Yeah?

I can cope with bigger really.

But I can imagine my table here, unless there's another room?

-A dining room?

-Well, it would be a shame not to show you...

-Yes, it would.

-..what else there is, wouldn't it? Let's have a look.

-My goodness!

-How's this for a dining room?

-Oh, wow.

-This is unbelievable.

It's a little bit of a treasure, I think, at the end of the property.

I wasn't expecting this to be here and then you walk through.

-Not at all.

-Dorothy?

-Hope she buys it.

And it's only our first property.

Let's head upstairs, look at the bedrooms

-and hopefully that love affair will continue.

-OK.

So we have to start off upstairs with the master bedroom

for the most important lady in the house.

-Beautiful en-suite.

-The bathroom looks quite big.

Yeah, the bathroom is really spacious with a sunken bath.

Quite ornate, actually.

On this floor, you have four bedrooms in total.

-Oh, right.

-Good, good.

So you have another three bedrooms with two family bathrooms attached.

-Great.

-If that wasn't enough, up the stairs, two more bedrooms.

-No, no!

-With a huge study area as well.

-Really?

And being mindful of your mother, plenty of bedrooms with

-her own bathroom if she can cope with the stairs.

-Yes.

-Are you pleasantly surprised?

-Yes, very pleasantly surprised.

-It's exceeded expectations, put it that way.

-So pleased.

All my expectations. It really has, honestly.

I think I would've been disappointed if you'd said anything different.

Well, it's an amazing house.

So let's head outside, let's talk about the land,

because I know that's equally as important as the property,

and get your thoughts on that.

The grounds that come with the property are really rather special

and cover just over seven acres of woodland

and gently undulating fields.

Closer to the house, the landscaped garden features fruit trees,

a sunny terrace and 100 square metres of garage space that could be

developed for Janice's business needs.

And directly to the rear of the property,

a pretty vine-covered portico

where the terracotta tiled pathway leads straight up to a pool.

-Gosh.

-Isn't it beautiful?

-Yes, crikey.

There is a shallow end but it's been lined with black

-so it has a real impact, don't you think?

-Yes, it does.

-I love it.

-Do you?

-Yes, I do.

-Are you excited?

-I'm very excited.

Scale of one to ten, how happy does this house make you?

-Eight out of ten.

-Oh, that's not bad! I was hoping for nine.

Let's see if the price can make a difference.

How much do you think the property

is on the market for in this idyllic setting?

-650.

-Dorothy?

I think it would be a little over 700,000,

I think there's an awful lot here.

It's halfway between the two of you.

The asking price is £675,000.

-Oh, that's right. Right, OK.

-I'm very surprised.

-Very surprised, I thought it would be more expensive.

-So...

-Yeah.

-..why don't you have a little time on your own?

Go back into that property, check out those extra bedrooms,

have a think of how you would use it for your business,

also for your mum, which is so important,

and then I'll come and find you in a little while.

-OK.

-Off you go.

-All right, thank you.

-Thank you.

Just under the top budget of £700,000,

our first property is a beautiful...

Outside, a separate garage could be suitable for Janice's business,

and it all stands within a plot of some seven acres.

Well, I think the property is...it's stunning from the outside

and it's stunning from the inside actually as well.

It has very beautiful features

and I think whoever renovated this farmhouse did an absolutely

fantastic job because everything is done to an extremely high standard.

-How we doing, ladies? Have you seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes, I think we've seen everything.

-Yeah? Are you sad to leave?

-I think that's always a good test with a property.

-Yes, very sad.

-Yeah, what about you, Dorothy?

-Oh, very sad to leave, yes, very.

-Good, I'm taking that as a good sign. Right, let's go.

-OK.

Well, what a great start to our house hunt here in Le Marche.

Dorothy and Janice loved our first property so I must admit

I was a little perplexed when Janice only gave it eight out of ten

but I'm not one to be put off

and today I'm feeling quietly confident with our next viewing.

Not only is it a superb house,

it also has the potential for a vineyard.

Our next destination is in the hillside town of Sarnano,

which lies at the foot of the Sibillini Mountains

and so has extensive verdant views across the elevated terrain.

Sarnano's cobbled streets have a good selection of shops that

include a general store and bakery

as well as street markets selling local produce.

And within walking distance of the town,

we come to the gates of our next house,

a country villa with 150-year-old pedigree that offers

a serious amount of bricks and mortar.

So on to our next property.

-Very nice.

-Now you're probably wondering...

-Yes.

-..which one is it?

-Yes.

-Oh, yes.

-This is the property.

-Yes.

-But these two buildings either side come with the property.

-Really?

-Oh, great.

-So what do you think of the actual house itself?

-It looks fantastic. It looks beautiful.

-I love the brickwork.

Really?

-You like the idea of...

-I like it. I like the idea of having the three.

-Yes.

-Yes, I think you could have that house and I'll have that one.

Dorothy, I'm loving your work already.

You might not need me, she's already sold it.

And the symmetry's very nice.

I like houses to be symmetrical like this with the door in the middle,

-that's great.

-It's a handsome looking property, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Shall we step inside?

-Yes, please.

Located at the edge of the national park,

this second option is an extensive property with

a wide range of options and we're starting the tour in the main house.

So the first room when you come into the property is a

very Italian dining room.

-It's lovely.

-Yeah?

-Yes, beautiful, beautiful ceilings.

-All the beams.

But you've also got...cotta, they call it, with the terracotta tiles

-on the floor, they've got a varnish on them.

-Really nice.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Do you like it, Dorothy?

-I like it.

-Yes, it's not intimidating in its size, it's cosy, isn't it?

-Yes.

-You're keen to see some more?

-Yes, please.

-Now how's this for a kitchen?

-This is lovely, Nicki.

-Yes.

-It's a great shape, a great size.

-Yeah.

-Very homely.

I like the granite work surfaces and the tiles

and the log burning stove would be great in the winter, nice and cosy.

It's just absolutely exquisite.

You've also got a utility room next door with additional storage,

which I think is always handy.

But let's keep going, I've got more to show you through here.

The main reception room on this floor

has been divided into two sitting areas.

One part is more of a cosy snug,

and the other side a sunroom with views out across the pool

that I hope will be to Janice's exacting taste.

It has a bit more of a modern feel actually.

Even though I know it's an old house, older perhaps house.

-It is older, yes.

-But it feels a little bit more modern, yeah.

-And it's very light, isn't it?

-It's still traditional,

-if you see what I mean.

-Yes, and again it's important because

your mother's going to be part of this big move. Would she be happy?

I think it would be great from the point of view that she's got

a lot to see outside. She can look at the trees.

We don't do that at the moment so that's a real plus.

So are we liking this house? Does it feel like a home?

-Well, I think it's pretty good.

-Yes.

-You like it, Dorothy, don't you?

-Yes, yes.

-Janice, what do you think?

-Yes, I think it's great.

-I want to see the rest.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-OK, well, there's one more thing to show you...

-OK.

-..on the ground floor.

-OK.

Have a little look at this room

but guess what this room used to be used for?

There's an oven there. The washing?

No, grapes.

-Oh!

-They used to harvest grapes here. Where the hot tub is...

-Yes.

..that's where they used to put the grapes.

The family used to roll up their trousers...

-Fantastic.

-..use their feet.

The juice would come through into here, you can see there's a hole.

-Yes, yes.

-Drain into there

and then it would be transferred from there into the cauldron.

-Stoking the fire, they'd produce their own wine.

-Amazing.

So this house has a history of vine growing.

We'll come back to the vine possibilities later

but for now we're going to head to the three bedrooms upstairs.

A fully tiled family bedroom serves two large double rooms

and we're going to take a peek at the largest bedroom.

-So the end of the hallway is your master bedroom.

-Very nice.

-With a good sized en-suite as well.

-Oh, OK, great.

This is a very feminine room without being too ornate.

A very subtle palette that's been used.

-And I just love the beams everywhere.

-Yeah.

-They're beautiful.

That wraps up the principal accommodation in the main house,

which stands in just under ten acres of land,

that includes formal lawned gardens, terraced seating areas,

the swimming pool we saw earlier

and sheltered sloped acreage with suitable soil for vine growing.

Then there's even more potential for guests,

and business, in the two remaining buildings.

Got a coach house to our left,

built around the same time as the main house,

that's been converted into an artist's studio.

It's huge, the downstairs is very much open-plan,

there's still the troughs, they've left them where the animals

used to eat, but that could be a great conference room

or if you wanted to do lectures to talk about your business.

You've got a little kitchenette,

there's also a pull-down bed in there.

Potential to rent that out.

If that wasn't enough, the other side of the property

there's two huge garages, but, above that, a self-contained flat.

Oh, great.

-Dorothy, are you with me on this one?

-Very good.

-We like that, don't we?

-Yeah, that's great.

-Friends, family, but again you could rent that out.

-Oh, it sounds good.

So with all of this going for it,

right on the edge of the national park,

we are unfortunately going to have to put a price on it.

Well, it's always difficult. I think it's going to be at the top end.

I think 700 or above even, yeah.

Right. Dorothy?

690.

-It's actually under your budget.

-Oh!

Yeah, asking price is £658,000.

-Really?

-Oh, yes.

-Oh, right, OK.

-Yeah, that's good.

-Gives you some flexibility.

-I like it, it's a very... it's neat and...

-Is it you?

It could be me, yes.

So why don't you take this opportunity to go off on your own

-and I'll come and find you?

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

Very comfortably under budget,

the second property is a handsome three-bedroom country villa...

And the whole lot lies in nearly ten acres of

Le Marche's prime countryside.

Oh, look at this.

This is huge.

-Yes, it's an unusually shaped room.

-Yeah, with a fireplace at the end.

Ooh, could do lots of things with this.

-And again the beams and the terracotta tiles.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

I think the first impressions of this property

are that it's really Italian,

it's really smart actually, smart looking, and the garden,

that landscaping is beautiful.

The slope is a little...might be a little bit hard work, you know,

to farm that land and I would've liked the vines to be established now

rather than having to wait perhaps ten years if I planted some.

It's given me a lot to think about.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Have you seen enough?

-Yes, it's great.

There's a lot to see with this property, isn't there?

-Yes, there is.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, there's a lot of potential here.

-Good!

-Because I wasn't sure, you're quite reserved.

-Yeah. No, I'm thinking.

-Are you holding back from me?

-When I'm reserved I'm thinking.

That's good. Keep thinking because it's positive.

-Right, let's hit the road.

-OK.

Janice has chosen to relocate to the Le Marche region

to reap the benefits of its rich, fertile soil

but the small village of Acqualagna has already cultivated

a multi-million-pound industry, as its world renowned

for the most valuable truffles on the market.

The chief truffle hunters are Giorgio Remedia and his pet dog,

who's trained to detect the scent

of the rare fungi buried deep underground.

So we've arranged for Janice and Dorothy to join this expert duo

along with his fellow English speaking aficionado Paola Marini

to explain the process.

This place is one of the very few places in the world

where all the three major truffles do grow.

The white truffles, which are the most precious ones,

black winter truffles and summer truffles.

Can you explain a little more about the role of the dog?

Basically the job of the dog is to find the small area where

the truffle grows and he can do this by having a much better nose

than human beings have.

And how long have you been doing this kind of work?

HE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

Oh, all his life!

Reliant on tree roots for nutrients, truffles are almost always found

in heavily forested areas,

more commonly those with oak and hazelnut trees.

-We've found a truffle by...

-Oh, really?

The dog has dredged the surface and as soon as Giorgio has

seen the truffle, he has stopped the dog and giving him his reward.

Once the dog marks a truffle, the hunter carefully digs it up.

Weight for weight,

truffles are one of the most expensive foods on the planet

and it's the white ones that have the highest price tag.

-This is the king of...mushrooms.

-OK, yes.

In terms of value, in terms of rarity, uniqueness, so there's only

one better thing to do than truffle hunting and that's truffle eating.

Truffles are best eaten as fresh as possible

so Giorgio is taking our ladies to a nearby restaurant to sample

the morning's harvest, and on the menu is a simple pasta dish

finished with some raw, freshly grated white and black truffle.

Ooh!

-It's just like nothing else really.

-My goodness, this is delicious.

-What do you think?

-Don't take all the truffle, leave some for me!

I'll try not to.

I can see how you can get addicted to this.

The last port of call today is another house and this one

is right down on the southern border of the region,

near the village of Venarotta.

Surrounded by mountainous escarpments,

Venarotta's streets are lined with heavy stone architecture

housing all the essential amenities

and bordered by attractive patterned paved stones.

And on the outskirts of the village,

down a long driveway, we find our next house.

So, you two, we've had some very favourable comments

on our Italian property and here is our next offering.

-It looks fantastic.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-What grabs you when you look at it?

-Looks very solid.

-Yes, a substantial property.

-Yeah.

-It has a lot of warm colours in the stonework...

-Yes.

-..doesn't it?

-I love those windowsills.

-You itching to get inside?

-Itching, yes.

Dating back about 100 years,

this property is an interesting proposition, being that behind

the traditional looking facade it has a rather unexpected layout.

Recently renovated by the current occupants,

the house has been divided into two completely independent zones

and we're starting the tour up on the first floor

in the parts Janice would probably want to call home.

So...

you've sort of got a separate house upstairs.

It's got its own front door, which leads you

straight into the drawing room.

Massive window right in front of you.

It's very nice, yeah, very elegant.

And it's getting your head around a very different layout...

-It's lovely.

-..and you've got a fire,

you'll also have central heating with this property.

-And around the corner, Nicki?

-It's semi open-plan.

The next room I think is very impressive.

You have here your dining area and also a fabulous kitchen.

Oh, that's lovely. Really nice.

-Fantastic.

-I love that cooker.

-Yes.

-Isn't it gorgeous?

-Yes.

-Yes.

Oh, it's very nice, very sleek and modern.

I love the decor and the units are great. The granite is beautiful.

-I like the island in the middle.

-Yeah, I do love those.

I love the colours and the tiles on the floor are really nice.

So we're doing well so far.

-I want to show you the master bedroom on the upstairs.

-OK.

Now, we've just walked through one bedroom/office.

You've got an en-suite there, which in actual fact both bedrooms share.

-OK.

-And then this is the master bedroom.

-Wow, look at it. Look at this bed.

-What a bed!

-It's very inviting, isn't it, girls?

-Oh, yes.

-Yes.

Your mother actually could be in the bedroom next door to you.

If that's a little bit too claustrophobic for you,

perhaps your mum's area could be underneath

-because there's so much space down there as well.

-Very nice, very nice.

Now everything has been very nice.

Yes, I know everything's been very nice.

Show me something I don't like and I can pull a face at and say,

-"This is horrible. I couldn't live here."

-Well, that's good.

Could you live here? Could you live up here?

-Oh, I could live here tomorrow.

-Yes.

-Now, that's the first time you've said that to me.

-I know, yeah.

Down on the ground floor,

there are a further two large interconnecting en-suite bedrooms,

one with double doors out to the front.

Then to the other side of the hallway is a steam room, sauna

and utility with a small kitchenette.

These ground-floor rooms are currently used for

rental accommodation and are served by another quite compact kitchen,

breakfast and living room that benefit from a large

sunny balcony with views over the garden.

This property has a lot of flexibility,

giving plenty of options for Janice, her mother and the business.

The house stands in some ten acres of mostly flat land,

featuring olive groves, a tennis court

and that all-important swimming pool.

I mean, just standing here, what springs to mind?

-I'm thinking figs and olives and swimming.

-Healthy lifestyle, yeah.

It's a beautiful swimming area.

I mean, this is not the North of England, is it?

No, it most certainly is not.

-This isn't a conventional house, let's see...

-No.

..if that's reflected in the price.

You go first.

I think 65?

-OK, £650,000?

-Yes.

-OK.

I think it might be over budget in fact.

Maybe 725?

Well, how do you fancy £594,000?

-Really?

-Yes.

-Oh, wow!

-OK.

-That is a lot of difference.

-That's interesting.

-Yeah.

-There must be something wrong with it.

-No!

You can't say that to me. It needs the right buyer.

This house only works for certain people the way

-it's currently laid out.

-OK.

So wander around imagining this could be your future home,

what would it be like to live here?

-All right.

-See you later.

-OK.

-Thank you.

Over £100,000 under budget, this stone-built country house

practically offers two complete homes for the price of one.

Well, upstairs in this house it's very elegant,

very special I would say.

Downstairs I think does have a feel of a holiday home, which I'm not sure

is right for me really, but I can see its potential for renting.

I love the outside of the house and I think I would be a little bit

greedy in fact and I think I would like the whole house for myself.

So that the elegant hallway should lead into elegant...drawing room

and an elegant kitchen and it doesn't do that. Those things are upstairs.

There's a lot to think about with this house.

I think you have to go away and think.

Ah, ladies, I wondered whether I'd lost you forever.

-Have you lost your heart to this home?

-Maybe.

Ooh, look, she's playing hard to get now.

-She's not giving too much away, is she, Dorothy?

-No.

Cards close to the chest.

-Well, got to make a move now, let's hit the road.

-OK.

Janice's long-distance move is about a complete change of lifestyle

as much as a new house

so I'm taking her and Dorothy to this old stone farmhouse

just outside Amandola

that's currently being converted into a home by two British expats

who swapped rural Northumberland for rural Italian two years ago.

David and Jane both feel passionately about organic

and self-sufficient living

so their first-hand expertise of the local soil

and soul of Le Marche should be invaluable to Janice

and her vision for a healthier life out here.

David and Jane, thank you for inviting us to your wonderful home.

-You're welcome.

-You're more than welcome.

Very hospitable of you, and can I introduce you to Janice and Dorothy?

And Janice here is hoping to move to the region.

You've chosen a lovely region of Italy, Le Marche is wonderful.

I think you three are kindred spirits.

You've got a lot in common and perhaps this

is your opportunity to find out a little bit more about the area.

-Absolutely.

-Dorothy, do you fancy a cup of tea?

-I do, we should leave them.

-Come on, then. Lovely, thank you.

-OK, bye.

Back in the UK, David worked for a non-profit organisation

giving advice to farmers and rural communities.

He and Jane spent eight months touring Italy

before deciding on their farmhouse in Le Marche,

complete with 13 acres of land where they've planted

an organic vegetable garden with pumpkins ready to be picked.

This one's probably good enough for some soup.

And what are the green ones, then, Jane?

They are an Italian variety of pumpkin.

Everything we grow we want to grow organically

because I'm a great believer in your food is your medicine.

-Absolutely...

-It's your health.

-..yes, that's how I think, too.

One of the key things we've learnt this year is you need to

avoid July and August, because if the plant's not big enough

-it just burns off completely...

-It will burn.

-..under the sunshine

so you've got to get your plants in the ground in the spring

so that they're established enough to see themselves through

the summer because it's pretty... you know, 35-plus is a good summer.

Because we've never grown in this type of climate before

and we've got to cope with the mountains, the wind,

the cold, cold winters but then the hot, hot summers.

-And the pests will be different here as well.

-Yes, absolutely.

Yes, the bugs are bigger.

So what we'll do now, Janice, we'll go up to the house

and we'll have a go at cooking some pumpkin soup with this pumpkin.

In Italian, this is a "zucca"

-and so we're going to cook "zuppa di zucca".

-OK.

-OK?

-OK, great.

Leaving Dorothy and I to get lost in the scenic surroundings, the green-fingered trio

are peeling and chopping the freshly picked pumpkin.

Obviously we like to grow lots of vegetables but we like to try

and buy other grains and flour

and all sorts of things which are organic and

we've actually been very fortunate to meet up with a group of people.

-It's a sustainable buying group.

-OK, like a cooperative or...?

Yes, it's a set of like-minded people who want to buy...

who want to source their product, we're talking rice, pasta, cheese.

I mean, so far we're the only non-Italians in the group...

-Oh, OK.

-..which makes the meetings challenging.

The chopped pumpkin is sauteed with onion, ginger, garlic,

carrot and celery and cooked in an organic stock

for about 45 minutes before it's ready to be served.

Oh, looking forward to this!

"Zuppa di zucca."

-The fruits of our labour.

-Oh, wow.

-That looks delicious.

-Bellissimo.

-How often can you eat outside?

Well, I think from about May to October.

Then how cold does it get in the winter here?

We had snow last year in the first week of December

to the end of March.

At this height you don't see so many vines and so many olives.

-Uh-huh, OK.

-So you have to think about those things,

the height of your land.

But, once you'd picked the house, how easy has it been to integrate?

We always knew that that would be quite a big challenge.

It's not easy because we don't speak fluent Italian

-and I don't know how your Italian is.

-Not so good.

And of course, you have to cope with the dialects as well.

-It's not only the Italian, it's the dialects.

-Yes.

At the moment for example, you're doing your house up.

Do you have to make an adjustment? You know, the way that people

do things in different countries, certainly in Italy.

Paperwork perhaps takes a little longer, having said that,

-our permission only took two weeks...

-Oh!

-..from submission

to approval, which I think would probably be difficult to be beaten.

We then selected the builders, that took a bit of time.

I think you just have to realise that

you're in this for the long term.

Janice might have mentioned she wants to run a business out here

which is successful in the UK but transferring it to Italy

-is another thing, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

-And also you're going to need staff.

-Yes, I'll eventually need some staff.

Oh, right. Well, I think anything that gives somebody a local job that

isn't really agricultural-based would be most welcome.

-Right, oh, good.

-Has the country given you what you were looking for?

Well, one of the wonderful things it gave me is, when we were

touring around for eight months, I actually lost 20 kilos, which is...

A good waistline!

A good waistline, so it's already given me better health.

I mean, the food and the quality of life is for me so much better.

Well, listen, thank you so much for the time, for the meal

and for all the great advice.

All the best with the house and we're waiting for the invite back,

-aren't we? To see when it's finished.

-Yes, see it finished.

'As well as Jane and David's crucial advice,

'hopefully Janice has also found some organic suppliers for her

'business but she just has to find the right Le Marche house.'

And before committing to any property purchase,

there are a few things to remember.

It's important to bear in mind that in Italy you need to put about

8% of the property price to one side for solicitors' costs,

stamp duty and agents' fees.

On top of the figure, you're paying for the house.

When it comes to business,

be aware that the country's complicated bureaucracy

means there's likely to be piles of official documents to comprehend

and even taxes to pay before starting up.

Finally, as with any legal transaction,

be sure to seek sound professional advice.

It's the final day of our house hunting mission in Le Marche, Italy,

but before we get back to house business

our ladies are taking a little time out to hit the boutiques

in the village of Ripatransone.

-Buongiorno.

-Buongiorno.

-Look at this. The knitwear's always so lovely.

-Oh, this is you, Janice.

Don't temp me, I can't afford it. I'm buying houses.

Oh, I love this bag.

SHE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

Ah, OK.

Ah, crochet! This is clever, really, really nice.

OK, I think we'll come back.

SHE SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

-Thank you.

-Arrivederci.

-Arrivederci!

-I'll be coming back here, Dorothy.

-Oh, I'm sure.

-If the house we see today is in this area.

-Wow, yes.

-Fantastic.

After near temptation from some stylish handmade accessories,

it's time to find out if the final property

will clinch that elusive sale.

With this house hunt here in Italy,

we've certainly heard plenty of plaudits for our properties from

Janice and Dorothy but my question is, are they just being polite?

So let's see how we get on with our mystery house today,

because hopefully this could be Janice's perfect Italian retreat.

And for the mystery house we're staying in

the village of Ripatransone,

which is our closest location to the coast.

Boasting almost unreal views of the surrounding landscape

with colours that contrast ploughed farmland against lush vineyards,

the village of Ripatransone clings to the hillside.

Facilities include restaurants and shops as well as

the narrowest alleyway in all of Italy, just 43cm wide.

A short walk down a hill from the village,

our final property is a former farmhouse which has been remodelled

into something a little less conventional that is certainly not

the traditional property Janice asked for.

Just take a look at the property itself

and then just move your eyes to the right. What can you see?

-The views, fantastic.

-A spectacular view!

-Fantastic.

-It's the best view we've seen so far.

-Absolutely.

-It's incredible.

So are you wondering why we brought you here for our mystery house?

-Are you intrigued?

-Mm-hm.

-Absolutely, yes.

Well, it's not on one level, although it looks like it could be,

-and I would say the inside, the layout is quite eccentric.

-OK.

You can see there's a front door there, we're not going to go through

there, we're going to go to the other side of the property and enter

it that way. Just before we do, how do you both fancy dining outside?

You've got a wonderful pizza oven, sit outside, enjoy the views.

You could probably eat there, I would say, nine months of the year.

-Right, very good.

-So for the last time, shall we get started?

-Yes.

So...

this entrance we enter straight into the living area.

-Oh, this is completely different.

-Isn't it?

-Completely, yeah.

-It's quite modern, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And so clean-cut.

It's hard to believe this used to be an old farmhouse.

Built around the 1900s and 20 years ago a Chilean architect

-completely transformed it to make it into a home.

-Uh-huh.

Janice, you haven't said an awful lot.

-I'm reserving my judgment so far.

-It's not quite hitting it for you?

-Yeah, it's different. It's just so different from what we've seen.

-Yeah.

So it's a bit of a shock.

And just through here is our kitchen.

I think the kitchen's got quite a rural feel to it. Country?

Think the wood is great, the original, you know,

where the architect's put the beams across here.

This is fantastic, but the tiles, I really don't like those tiles.

I think it's got its own appeal

-but I think it could also be ready for a make-over.

-Absolutely.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Big enough space to work with?

-I think so, yes. Space-wise it's OK.

And just look at the size of that table.

-Dorothy, can you imagine Christmas here?

-Yes.

I particularly like the door with the access out onto that terrace.

That's nice, yeah, that's nice.

Is it beginning to win you over or are you still nonplussed?

I'm still...

-in two minds really.

-OK, all right.

Despite the proportions,

sadly Janice is clearly struggling with her enthusiasm for this house.

Upstairs there's a large fully tiled bathroom and three bedrooms,

one a single room, there's also a twin,

leaving the last one just for Janice.

So, Janice, let's see if the upstairs can change your mind.

This would be the master, it has a balcony, sensational views.

The views are fantastic but I don't feel it's the house for me.

Do you think it might be, just a thought, the decor?

No, I think it's the inherent style the house has been designed with,

I think that's what's doing it for me really, or not doing it for me.

What you probably haven't noticed is that it's actually three storeys.

In actual fact there's a third floor underneath.

The very basement is an additional bedroom with another single.

You've also got an open-plan work space and another bathroom.

Ah, OK, so there's a lot of space here.

Loads of space, lots of bedrooms.

-Still hasn't done it for you, has it?

-No.

-I'm trying, Janice!

I'm so trying.

Let's go outside, because if anything is going to win you over

with our mystery house, it is that view.

Outside, the grounds are on sloped land across various levels

that cover just under five acres of mature woodland and olive groves.

See, I thought I'd bring you out here to tease you with the Jacuzzi

but also, in more seriousness, that you can actually take in

-that spectacular view.

-Absolutely fantastic.

Yes, it has the farmland rolling up towards the mountains.

-It's something that is quite unique.

-Yeah, it is, very.

-So the location works?

-The location is fantastic,

I just need to find a house which suits me inside.

Yeah. Well, let's see if our price makes any difference.

I think about 65?

-650,000?

-Yes.

-OK.

-OK, I think maybe higher. Probably 700.

-OK.

You are...

Janice...

£148,000 out.

The asking price is £552,000.

I'm hopeless.

OK, OK.

Now, I know your estimate was out

but how do you feel about that as a figure for this house?

Well, it's much better, of course, yes.

It's way under your budget.

Way under anything else that we've shown you, so

go and take another look around, have a think, look at the land,

the possibilities there for your business and, well,

you'll find me enjoying this view, that's for sure.

OK.

She wasn't taken, Janice, with this property the moment we arrived

but I think this house has so much going for it.

I said at the beginning it's quite eccentric but with that much

money left in the bank you could make this the most

tremendous home in the most wonderful location.

Our lowest-priced house of the lot, the contemporary mystery house

is significantly under Janice's budget of £700,000.

Oh, the outside is incredible.

That view, it's like Eden, isn't it?

The Garden of Eden out there. You couldn't have chosen a better place.

It's just that the house does not fit Janice's needs.

It's interesting to have this extra level

and I prefer that fireplace to the one upstairs.

-There's a lot of space, isn't there?

-Yes.

-But I'm not sure what you

-would use it for. It's not making me change my mind.

-No?

-No.

The village is lovely, I really like the village, and the property,

it's great that it's so close to the village

but from the beginning I didn't have a good feel about the property.

It's too modern. I prefer the traditional Italian properties.

This, I'm sure, will suit someone but it's not the house for me.

Mmm, sunshine on your face, it just lifts your spirits.

Right, ladies, how you feeling?

-Because that's all our properties done.

-Yeah, good, good.

-Lots of information to take in.

-Lots of information, yes. Dorothy?

-Yeah, I think we're quite stunned.

-Stunned in a good way?

Oh, yes, because you have provided food for thought.

Well, do you fancy going somewhere quiet where you can have

a proper chat about everything that you've seen

and then I'll catch up with you, how about that?

Yes, OK.

It could be said that the legacy of Le Marche's medieval towns

was signed and sealed in Fabriano, as this area has been producing

the finest leaves of paper in the world for more than seven centuries.

So during the week I went to meet curator Claudia Grochetti

at Fabriano's Museo della Carta to find out more.

The production of paper started at the beginning of the 13th century

and the Fabriano papermakers invented

wonderful inventions. The first one is the hydraulic hammer mill,

the first automatic machine in the history of paper.

The second one is the watermark.

So producing this high quality paper,

-did it bring huge wealth to the town?

-Yes, of course.

We had 40 paper mills during the Middle Ages.

It was very important for the economy of the town.

Claudia, I must admit, I don't know how it's actually produced.

Are you able to show me here at the museum?

-Yes, of course I can show you.

-I'd love to see it, thank you.

-OK.

Today's mass-produced paper is made from wood

but up until the mid-19th century

it was actually made from scraps of linen.

The museum still employs this ancient method to create

high-end, handmade paper, using an electric replica

of a wooden multi-hammer mill that mashes the rags into a pulp.

The hammers were moved by the camshaft,

the camshaft by the wheel and the wheel by the water of the river.

It was like a mill.

The macerated rag pulp is transported into a large vat

which is continually stirred to stop the liquid separating.

We have 99% of water and only 1% of fibre and they move the fibres

and the water to have always the fibres on the surface.

So, Claudia, what's the next step?

Yes, and now we have the paper maker, who is making

the sheet by hand like the ancient tradition.

Now, I also notice there's some emblems,

some symbols on it as well.

Yes, this is the watermark,

the second invention made by the Fabriano paper makers.

Standing here just looking at this watermark, every single bank note

-throughout the world carries one...

-Yes.

-..and it all started here

-in Fabriano.

-Today it's a very important security element.

-Would you like to try?

-I would love to.

Here we go.

-It's a little bit difficult to move.

-Oh, yeah.

The real secret of the production of paper

is the hand of the paper maker, the movements.

You'll have to lay the sheet on the woollen felt.

-OK, it's very beautiful.

-It is.

And then after the pressing we put the sheet to dry by here.

And how long would this take to dry, this one sheet of paper?

It depends on the thickness of the sheet.

The paper that we see today, do we still use the same raw ingredients?

Today for the handmade production we use cotton from the plant.

For the industrial production we use the wooden pulp.

-Well, such history, such tradition.

-Yes.

-Amazing, thank you for explaining...

-You're welcome.

-..the whole process to me.

-It has been a pleasure.

-Thank you.

Now the tour is complete, I'm joining Janice and Dorothy

for a drink to find out

if any of our houses will make the Le Marche dream a reality.

-So, Janice, Italy still the country you want to move to?

-Oh, yes.

We've really explored it further so I've got a good idea of what

I can achieve here.

So let's talk a little bit about the properties that we saw,

the three of us.

Have we got close, do we think, with any of them?

Yes, the majority of the houses had the elegance

and the style I'm looking for.

Is there one property that we've got close to you wanting to live in?

Yes and no, really.

I mean, I keep on thinking about property number one

because it had the flat land with the doors opening onto

the flat terraces around the house.

It was just beautifully elegant inside

but property two was a little bit more polished inside

so something between the two would be perfect really.

You see, the second property, you would have to establish

your identity on it in the garden and the land around.

The first property, you didn't have to do that.

So do you think our first house is worth another viewing?

Yes, I would like to go back to look at the first house.

I think I might have to rethink my plan a little because maybe,

you know, with my business doing well, I could maybe extend the budget

to pass that million mark if I was to wait a little bit.

Yeah, it is a healthy budget but in this part of the world

-vineyards are at a premium, aren't they?

-Yes.

-You know,

boutique vineyards have a very high price.

Is there anything you've both taken from this experience?

Well, I think probably Janice has learned what she doesn't want

as well as what she does want and I think that's always very useful.

-Yes. Well, thank you both very much. We wish you all the best.

-Thank you.

I know it will work out for you

-and, Dorothy, I know you've really helped Janice.

-I hope so.

At least we know where we're going to come on holiday next time,

-don't we?

-Exactly, yes.

So that's the end of our journey here in Le Marche

and, although we didn't manage to secure a house sale for Janice,

what we have discovered over the last few days is you can buy

a magnificent home here on her budget

and, if Janice still harbours that dream and desire

to own her own vineyard and orchard,

it will require a major rethink of her investment.

So, from a very sunny and glorious Italy, ciao.

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