Italy - Abruzzo Escape to the Continent

It's thought that that rather strange-looking wooden construction

and many more like it have encroached along this shoreline

for the last 200 years,

but where am I, and what is that structure all about?

Join me in a moment to find out.

Today, we're helping a nature-loving couple who between them have only

spent one day in the region that they now want to call home.

Our property search offers them plenty of options.

-It's got potential.

-It's fantastic.

-It's spectacular. It's a gorgeous view.

-Yes.

-But we'd better be quick about it.

-I'd just move straight in.

-Ahh!

Welcome to Escape To The Continent.

I'm in Abruzzo in the southeastern side of Italy

and this strange wooden structure is actually a stilted fishing platform.

They were built here during the 18th century as a safe way

for local fishermen to be able to land their catch - using

these long, thin spindly arms, they can cast their nets into deep

water without actually having to leave the shoreline.

They've been here for centuries and now they're protected by law,

so they stand here proud and erect as a symbol of Abruzzo's

maritime and cultural history.

The Abruzzo region is situated in the middle of the Italian

peninsula with the waters of the Adriatic bordering its eastern side.

Often overlooked by tourists, Abruzzo offers up some of Italy's

most unspoiled scenery,

from medieval hilltop villages to ancient castles.

Much of the landscape is mountainous,

the snow-capped Gran Sasso or Great Rock is one of the highest

mountain ranges in Italy and extends for around 22 miles.

With a third of its territory set aside as protected national park

and reserves,

Abruzzo rightly deserves its title as the greenest region in Europe.

The wild forests are still inhabited by wolves and bears

and sheep roam free on the hills.

If you're looking for a secluded and rustic new life on the Continent

then this scenic and unspoiled region is worth considering.

Now, the remote and rural landscape of this region is

reflected in the house prices, so that's good news.

Here in Abruzzo, you can pick up a house

for much less than you would in the rest of Italy.

The average detached property, even in the capital L'Aquila,

will set you back about £190,000, so you'll get twice as much

bang for your buck here than you would back in the UK.

And the more remote and rural you're prepared to go,

the more you'll get for your money.

So what is it about this region that's attracted our buyers?

There's only one way to find out - let's meet them.

Octave and Claire from Brighton met at night classes 23 years ago.

Octave is a site manager at a special needs school

and Claire a sports journalist for an international news organisation.

It's Claire's itchy feet that's prompting this move.

It's been a great job, I've had a great time. I've been there 31 years.

I think perhaps the time has come to take early retirement.

If we could find the right house in Italy then it would be the

perfect excuse to quit and do something else with life.

Octave will also leave his job

and they'll move out of the schoolhouse that comes with it.

It's a lovely spot, very quiet, and although it's been a family home

and a great place to bring up the girls, it's never really been our

house and it would be lovely to have our own house to do something with.

The couple have two grown-up daughters.

With both of them having left home and in further education,

it's a chance for music-loving Octave and Claire to unwind

and they couldn't have chosen a better location.

We normally go to Italy at least once or twice a year

and we've been doing that for roughly around 20 years.

Me and Claire and the girls, we all like the Italian way of living

and food and the relaxing manner that they have over there.

-And the weather.

-Oh, yes, and the weather!

Although Claire spent a year living in Rome and can speak Italian,

she's only been to Abruzzo once, for 24 hours.

For Octave, it's new territory.

Some people may think that we're crazy,

going to a region that we've never been to together.

But we've heard it's beautiful, it's got lots of national parks,

mountains, lakes, wild bears. I want to see wild bears!

And it's supposed to be a good place to buy property.

And the nature lovers hope to adopt a slice of the good life once they move.

I have a dream in Italy of having some chickens and two donkeys,

I really want two donkeys. I've always wanted donkeys!

-You're not so sure, are you?!

-No, I'm not sure about the donkeys!

I would like to do a bit more fishing,

so when we move to Abruzzo, I'll be able to do it at my own leisure.

They may have a romanticised view of the country,

but they've thought long and hard about the practicalities.

I think we should manage fine for money.

We'll have our pensions, and if necessary, if possible,

I might do some teaching.

I'm a qualified English teacher,

so I might do some teaching just to help us out a bit if we need it.

Despite never having visited the remote region,

there's only really one thing that concerns Octave.

My biggest concern about moving abroad would be that there's

got to be a easy route

for the girls to get to us.

The recent sale of an investment property had given Octave

and Claire a nice pot of cash, so they're in a position to

move as soon as we find them the right house.

The budget for our move to Abruzzo is £210,000.

Claire and Octave would like us to focus our Abruzzo

house search inland, away from the coast and large towns.

So I'm joining our buyers by a 17th-century church

in the Gran Sasso National Park to establish a few more

details about their proposed move.

Claire, Octave, welcome to the Gran Sasso mountain range -

-isn't it spectacular?

-BOTH: It is, yes.

So what I want to know from you is why the two of you have

chosen this region of Abruzzo to move to?

Well, it's partly because of the spectacular scenery,

it's so beautiful here with the mountains

and the national parks and lakes, and we just love the look of it.

-So how well do you know the region?

-We've spent 24 hours here before!

-When was that?

-Last month.

-24 hours?

-Yes.

So tell me what you're looking for. What's this dream property of yours?

We are after something like a farmhouse with lots of land...

How much land, what's "lots"?

Enough to keep two donkeys, some chickens,

and grow our own fruit and vegetables. Perhaps an olive grove.

-And possibly a river at the bottom of it.

-Octave really wants a river!

Hopefully it will have fish in it, but if not,

I'll have to travel to a lake or something!

How rural do you want to be?

Something that feels rural, but is not at the very top of the mountain

and completely inaccessible.

It would be nice if there was something within walking

distance, a restaurant or a bar or a village.

Even if it is three-quarters of an hour's walk or something.

-How many bedrooms, Octave?

-About three to four.

How much work are you prepared to do?

Well, I'm willing to do some work with my hands with

the aid of contractors, because I'm a little bit of a handyman anyway.

That's very good.

Ideally, we'd like at least part of the property to be habitable

so that we could move straight in and so that we wouldn't have to

-move the cat more than once!

-The cat is very important!

-She is!

So you don't want a complete renovation project,

but you don't mind doing a bit of work. Lots for me to go on. Budget.

-How much have you got?

-We've got £210,000 in the bank.

We've sold a house that we had in Brighton, that's all done.

We could have access to up to another 100,000 at a push.

£210,000 is a decent sized budget for this area.

But you've got access to this £100,000 as well,

should you need it. OK.

We don't really want to use all of that, if possible!

But you've got it there.

We've got four fantastic properties lined up for you to see.

-Are you ready to see the first one?

-Oh, yes.

-Absolutely.

This way, follow me.

On a budget of £210,000, but with access to some savings,

Claire and Octave are seeking a farmhouse-style property with

enough land to keep some animals.

They'd like three to four bedrooms to accommodate their daughters

when they come to stay, and Octave hankers after a river

or lake within the grounds

and ideally, all located within walking distance of the village.

While immersing our buyers in the life and culture of the region,

we're lining up four classic Italian properties to tempt them with.

Our final mystery offering should prove that where there's a mill,

there's a way!

But will it be enough to inspire them to take the plunge?

Our first property is located in Carapelle Calvisio.

Perched on the foothills of the Gran Sasso mountain,

this medieval municipality is surrounded by forests of oak

and pine and provides a bar popular with the locals.

With only around 100 inhabitants, this quiet and peaceful

settlement offers our buyers rustic Italian charm on their doorstep,

since our first house overlooks the town, and I'm hopeful that it's

somewhere Octave and Claire will feel really at home.

And here we are, property numero uno.

It's over 100 years old and I would like to know what you think.

Oh, it's quite small. It looks small.

It's very sweet and it looks from the outside like it's very well

-cared for.

-Yes.

-But there doesn't seem to be much land.

No, there is a garden, but we'll talk about the land.

It's quite an interesting situation with the land.

Just beyond the neighbour's house is a plot of land of 300 square metres

on for £13,000. That is an option.

You'd get that separately if you wanted to live here.

You could buy it, keep your donkey over there.

I know that the two of you are very adventurous

and you're ready for this, ready for your big move!

You want to throw yourselves into the Italian lifestyle,

so a little surprise...

You're going to be spending the rest of your time here.

-Oh, fantastic!

-That'll be good! Yes! OK.

-Just check out the key.

-Whoa!

-That's a real key!

-Shall we go and have a look?

-Yes, please.

This characterful stone-built property

perched on the mountainside will be Octave and Claire's base

for the remainder of their time here in Italy.

Yes? Follow me. We're not starting here, we're going downstairs.

The accommodation is spread over three floors and the entire house

has been restored, retaining many of the original features.

It's currently let as a holiday home.

We descend the stairs into the living room.

Now, we are in the depths of this property,

so this is the living room with this fantastic vaulted brick ceiling.

Structurally, it's brilliant.

It's absolutely solid, built in a really traditional Italian way.

Stone walls.

The floor is new - terracotta - but dotted around the house

you've also got original terracotta flooring.

-What you think about this room?

-I think it's built to our size.

Lucky we're not six foot tall! It's perfect for us!

-It's sweet, very sweet. Small.

-Slightly small, yes.

But very nicely done. Beautifully done. I love all the exposed stone.

Clearly,

the snug nature of our first property is causing some concern.

It may be that Octave and Claire are thinking about the space needed

when the girls come to stay.

The living room leads to the kitchen and doors onto the garden.

So here we are in the kitchen, and this time,

the vaulted ceiling is made out of brick, which I think they've

restored brilliantly and gives it such a fantastic authentic feel.

What do you think?

It's beautifully done. It's very sweet.

I think it would be lovely in the summer with these doors.

It worries me slightly it might feel a bit claustrophobic

and a bit gloomy in the winter.

I think we're more used to having a kitchen with more light

coming in than just these two doors.

You're right, maybe in winter it would be quite dark.

Actually, the garden is south-facing,

so when you do have sun,

-which you will have a lot of here, it will be spectacular.

-Yes.

Also on this floor, you've got a beautiful bathroom

and a utility room.

I know you've still got question marks about the size

of this property.

-But there's more to show you!

-OK.

The sleeping accommodation is back upstairs,

with one bedroom off the entrance hall

and a further two good-sized bedrooms on the top floor

of the property, one of which could be Octave and Claire's room.

And into...the master bedroom.

Oh, this is nice.

Now, you both wanted space, you wanted size.

Well, this room has got a lovely size to it

and these beautiful ceilings that are done so wonderfully.

They've exposed a few of the bricks at the top

and then smoothed out the rest of it.

Just let's take in this floor.

Original terracotta floor,

-tiles that they've cleaned up and preserved.

-It's a nice room.

It's an absolutely lovely room.

Beautifully done out and I love the balcony. It's a fantastic room.

More to see, follow me.

A better reaction to the bedrooms,

but as we head out into the garden, I'm a little concerned,

as they've already indicated it's too small for them.

Let's hope the view wins them over.

Out we come into the garden.

Now, Octave, you wanted to see the view. How is that for a view?

Um...

CLAIRE GIGGLES

There aren't any...mountains, as such.

-Look at it! Are we looking at the same thing?

-It's beautiful.

It is beautiful, yes.

But it seems a shame when you're in the Gran Sasso mountain range

not to actually see any mountain peaks.

The hills are lovely,

-but they're not the mountains.

-OK.

But we are in a village, slightly further down,

the Gran Sasso mountain range is all around us.

I know we said we wanted to be close to a village, I think perhaps

this is a little bit too close, it feels a bit too closed in.

But this garden is so quaint.

It's got an almond tree, a plum tree, it's got a grapevine

and this fantastic apple tree...

-Here you go, Claire.

-Oh, dear!

-That's for Claire.

-Thank you!

-And that's for you, Octave.

-Lovely apples.

-I get a grape!

-You get a grape! So you've seen the property.

But what you don't know is how much this house is on the market for,

so Octave, what do you think the price of this house is?

I would say about £160,000.

160,000. And how about you, Claire? What do you think?

I wouldn't say much different, maybe 170,000.

OK, well, you're both wrong. By quite a bit, actually.

-Oh.

-It's more expensive.

-Is it?

It's on at £195,000.

-I'm astonished, given how little land there is.

-Yes.

Are you still happy to stay here, though?

-And experience...

-Oh, yes.

-I think it's a gorgeous holiday home.

Absolutely beautiful holiday home,

but as somewhere to live permanently, I think it's all too...doll's house.

-It's been done up to a really high spec.

-Yes, it has.

Someone has really taken their time.

Just cleaning the floors, the walls, exposing the brickwork,

that sort of work, that takes a bit of effort and a bit of money.

Also, you are in a really good location,

being so close to a village.

Being right in the heart of something as quaint as this.

I'd like the two of you now to go and have a look around the property

on your own and talk amongst yourselves.

-Off you go.

-Thanks, Anita.

Under budget by £15,000,

we've had a lukewarm response to what is

a beautifully restored rustic mountainside property.

Arranged over three floors, the accommodation includes

a vaulted kitchen and living room and three bedrooms.

-This is the other bedroom.

-Yes.

I don't think this would be suitable for the girls, really.

It's a bit small, isn't it?

You could put a double bed in, but then it would be a bit cramped.

I thought when we first approached the house it looked really sweet

and even from the outside, you could tell it was very well cared for.

But I was worried then that it was a bit too small, and I think

having seen inside, I do feel it's too small for us.

-Hello.

-Hello!

-Are you ready to spend your first night here?

-Yes.

We're going to light the fire, crack open a bottle of wine

-and it should be nice!

-Feeling positive about this.

-Yes.

I think what we'll do is take a stroll around the village first

and maybe have a drink and THEN come home

-and crack open a bottle of wine!

-Sounds like a good night!

And tomorrow is another day and I've got lots of properties to show you.

-Great.

-So the adventure begins here, with this key!

Thank you!

-Enjoy your evening! See you tomorrow.

-Bye.

-Bye!

After settling in,

our buyers are heading out to explore their local surroundings.

Look at this key!

SHE GIGGLES

Gosh.

Let's go.

Whilst the first property might not offer a water feature for Octave,

at least there's a plentiful supply in the town.

Or maybe not!

The local policeman will come in a minute!

And after buying provisions, they're ending their first day back at

the villa with a language lesson for Octave from Italian-speaking Claire.

How much does that cost?

-Quant e?

-Quant e? That's a bit short.

-"How much is it?"

-Oh, quantity?

No, two words - quant e?

Quant e? Si, signora!

-Come vai?

-Come va!

-Come va!

-Salute!

-Salute!

So the first property yesterday didn't quite pack the punch

that Claire and Octave were looking for.

It was too small and it was too close to their neighbours.

What they want is views and land

and I'm going to sock it to them today, because the properties

I'm going to show them have them both in abundance.

The next property is found close to the town of Bisenti,

which lies nearer to the Adriatic coast.

The medieval settlement's claim to fame is as the alleged

birthplace of Pontius Pilate.

The historic squares

and narrow streets offer a rich range of facilities.

A more modern affair than our first property, this house is

situated in a remote hillside spot within walking distance of the town.

-And welcome to the next property.

-Thank you.

What you think, first impressions?

I'm not entirely sure, I can see a lot of concrete,

but I like the look at the sides

and the fruit trees look interesting.

-But I'll reserve judgment, I think, until we see the rest.

-It looks big.

-But I need to see what it's like inside.

-Shall we go in, then?

-Yes, please.

-Follow me.

'What it may lack in character at face value is more than made

'up for by the space on offer inside.'

Come in, come in.

Into the living room. Really decent-sized room.

Three huge sofas in here

and that lovely wood burner to keep you nice and toasty in the winter.

-Take it in, what do you think?

-It's lovely, it looks nice. Yes.

Nice and spacious.

It's...a great size, um...

And obviously the views are fantastic, but otherwise

it's a bit bland, it's a bit square and straight and featureless.

-Is this the only living room?

-This is the main master living room.

It pretty much takes up a huge amount of the house.

Yes,

-it just seems a shame just to have one big room for everything.

-OK.

Let's have a look at the kitchen,

cos I know you both like to cook. Let's turn this way.

-Oh, this is sweet.

-Sweet, isn't it?

You have an abundance of cooking implements.

-You've got a gas cooker, a range cooker...

-That's very nice.

Isn't that lovely?

-And you've also got a gas oven over here.

-Great.

It's got quite an English country cottage feel to it.

-Yes, it has.

-Is that to your taste?

-Yes, it's quite nice.

I think it's a shame not to have a kitchen that leads

directly to the outside so that you can eat outside easily.

Here, you'd have to go out the front door and sit by the road,

-which would be a bit of a shame, really.

-Unless you could go upstairs.

-Ah, OK.

-Shall I take you up?

-Yes.

-OK! Yes!

-Intrigued!

I fear this property isn't grabbing Claire.

Also on this floor are a good-size double bedroom

and a large shower room, the only bathroom facilities in the property.

There are two further bedrooms on the first floor,

both doubles with plenty of space for furniture.

This is the master bedroom. It is a good-sized room.

It's a good size.

I suppose we'd get the wardrobes in,

but the main thing is the bathroom being downstairs.

I think it's a bit of a strange layout.

You've got the terrace right outside the bedroom window,

which is a bit odd.

It's almost like this should be a living area and

the house should be upside down,

but, of course, you've got the kitchen downstairs,

so it would be difficult to do.

There is a lot that this property has to offer and I haven't

revealed what I personally think is the best bit yet.

-Shall we go out onto the terrace?

-Yes.

-Let's really take in what this house has to offer.

-OK.

-And out you come.

-Oh, wow!

-Oh, wow!

-Yes!

-This is fantastic.

-This is lovely.

-You wanted a view, how's that for a view?

-Fantastic.

-Lovely.

-It's a gorgeous view.

-And beyond those hills,

you have the Gran Sasso mountain range in all its glory.

-Wonderful.

-You also wanted a bit of land.

The wonderful thing about this property that I really wanted

to show you was the garden.

-You have 170 mature grapevines...

-Lovely!

..22 olive trees, walnut trees, Sharon fruit, elderberry,

rosemary, plenty of herbs down there.

It's all a bit overgrown at the minute, but somebody who really

wants to enjoy a garden could make that sing spectacularly.

-What's your overall feeling?

-Um...

I'm not sensing too much enthusiasm for this one.

Well, the bathroom being downstairs, that's a bit concerning.

-Also, what, would we try and shift things around in the house?

-Yes.

The terrace is lovely, the view is fantastic, the land is lovely.

But there seems to be a lot of buts. The layout of the house, I think.

The fact that the kitchen doesn't lead outside.

OK, I'll let you go off and have a good look in a moment.

Before you do, I'm going to get you to try

and figure out how much you think this is worth.

How much do you think it's on the market for?

We are a bit more remote than yesterday,

but given the amount of land, I think it's probably about the same

-as yesterday's, so I'd guess about 190,000.

-Octave?

Um, I would say about 195,000.

Well, the closest is you, Octave.

-Oh, right!

-It's actually on at £196,000.

-So pretty much...on the money.

-OK.

I'd like the two of you to go and look around on your own now.

Try and imagine yourselves here, think about the pluses and minuses

-and we'll meet up at the end, OK?

-OK.

-See you in a bit.

Under budget by £14,000,

our second offering is a spacious

three-bedroom property with a fantastic terrace offering

panoramic views of the Gran Sasso mountain range.

It comes with nearly two acres of land.

-This is the other bedroom.

-Yes.

-It doesn't grab me.

-You'd need a lot of money to redo this.

You would, cos you'd need to make it all more user-friendly,

otherwise things are always going to be awkward and a bit irritating.

-The layout...

-Very much so.

I wasn't very struck by the house itself when we first arrived,

it just seemed a bit...

ordinary, a bit concrete, a bit square, not much character.

But the views are absolutely spectacular,

all the way to the Gran Sasso mountain range.

They're absolutely glorious,

you'd have a job to find a better view anywhere.

The balcony upstairs looking out onto the land, that looks good.

The house itself...

It doesn't make me feel at home.

Apparently there's 120 grapevines, red and white.

-What would you do with them?

-Make lots of wine!

-Do you reckon?

Are you already planning your next business venture?

-Wine production in Italy!

-Absolutely, yes!

So, you've seen this house, had a really good look around.

-Mm-hm.

-Yep.

-I think it's time to move on.

-OK.

-Let's go.

Almost everywhere you look,

olive trees are a feature of the rolling green hills of Abruzzo.

The region is one of the country's largest producers of extra virgin

olive oil. Every year,

260,000 tonnes is harvested

from its groves.

Octave and Claire have dreams of a self-sufficient lifestyle when they

move to Italy and producing their own olive oil would be a good start.

So we sent them to meet Francesca Di Nisio,

owner of a family-run olive oil business in the town of Bucchianico

to help with the olive harvest.

Hello, Claire and Octavio, I will call you with the Italian name!

-Is it fine for you?

-Yes, that's good.

-OK!

-Have you ever picked olives before?

-No, never.

-OK, so you have your tool.

This is called in Italian "rastrello".

So, we use this tool

to remove the olives from the branches

and what I gave to you, it's something that my grandmother

used before, when there was not this tool, but just hands!

So everything was hand-picked and put in a basket.

So, all the olives are collected and put in these airing boxes,

and then everything is bring to the oil mill.

So, look, you take a branch,

then you pass the rastrello on it. Look.

And then the olives fall down in the net. OK, so let's work!

Otherwise the day pass! OK!

Francesca's trees produce three different types of olives

-and there's a simple test to see if they're ripe.

-How will you know it?

Just using the fingers. So, for example, this one...

Oh, it comes out. A fantastic drop of olive oil and water.

Once picked, the olives are pressed

and the oil separated from the water.

300 years ago, the olives from the area would have been

pressed in this mill, which Francesca has had restored.

In the centre is the original grindstone, which was operated

by horsepower and a huge oil press

made from an eight-metre piece of oak.

A perfect setting for Octave and Claire to taste the oil,

which is an art in itself.

So, I invite you to take the cup like I'm doing, then put the other

hand over it and rotate it,

because we have to warm it up.

In order for the oil to be classed extra virgin, which is the highest

quality, it must be below 0.8% acidity

and not too sweet in flavour.

OK, so we have to take...

I will show you it first, and then you will repeat with me.

You have to take a small amount of extra virgin olive oil,

like a teaspoon, then rotate it in your palate.

Then like this...

SHE SUCKS AIR INTO HER MOUTH

Let me see!

THEY COPY HER

Yes, OK. And then swallow it.

So I will do it first, and then you will repeat.

-Salute.

-Salute.

The sucking action heightens taste and smell by allowing the oil

to spread across all the taste buds in the mouth.

SLURPING

I don't think I drank any!

-HE SLURPS

-Don't do too strong... OK.

SHE SLURPS

What is the strongest sensation that you can tell me?

In the throat, it's very strong!

You know, this is called, technically, the peppery taste.

-Mm!

-It tastes spicy.

Here, also, you catch the bitterness.

The bitterness and peppery are the two characteristics of fresh

extra virgin olive oil.

Having gained useful tips on olive oil farming,

we're getting back on the road

to find Octave and Claire a house that's ripe for the picking.

Our next house is close to the town of Penne,

around 20 miles from the Adriatic coast.

Nothing to do with the pasta,

the town features a well-preserved medieval centre.

Built from red brick, it's been dubbed "The Little Sienna".

Our property sits in the foothills of the Apennine mountains,

enclosed by beautiful olive groves.

Welcome, my lovelies, to the next property.

Your eyes cannot detract from that view, because it is pretty special.

-You've probably already spotted the lake, Octave.

-Oh, yes.

Straight down into the valley, the location is on the money, really.

-Yes, it is.

-But let me draw your attention to the actual property.

This is the outside and the first good look you're getting -

-what do you think, Claire?

-Lovely, it looks a very good size.

It looks like a traditional house but it looks like it's been

newly done up and very well done up, by the look of it.

It's nice and clean.

Let's go inside. I'm really looking forward to showing you this one.

Come on.

'A more positive reaction to this traditional farmhouse,

'which has been recently renovated and extended.

'We're heading to the modern wing of the property,

'where the kitchen is situated.'

-This is very nice.

-Yes, yes.

-Very nice.

Look, beams!

This is a real kitchen.

And a fireplace.

-Yes, the fireplace is lovely.

-This is excellent. Just the right size.

Mm-hm! I didn't even have to say anything! This is good!

So, yes.

You're absolutely right, this is a really large kitchen,

a really good size, lots of light coming in.

You've got French doors straight out onto the terrace overlooking

the lovely garden.

Interestingly, though, this kitchen isn't part of the original house.

It was built seven years ago, but done so tastefully.

Beautifully done.

-Can you see yourself in this kitchen?

-Oh, yes.

Yes. Definitely.

Fire going. Glass of Amaretto.

Octave? To your liking, sir?

-I'm lost for words, really!

-That doesn't often happen!

OK.

I am going to have to prise you away now,

cos there's more of the house I want to show you.

We could just live in here, really!

Can I encourage you both to move in that direction? Off you go.

(Yes!)

'It's a strong start to our house tour.

'Have we finally found a winner?

'But will the older part of the house provoke a similar reaction?'

So, the living room. This is part of the original house.

We've just walked past a utility room and shower room...

Into this space, which has got the rustic, rural, cosy feel.

-If you look up, it's got a vaulted brick ceiling.

-Yep.

And a charming little spiral staircase to go up.

So it's got a bit of character. What do you think of this room?

It's a lovely room. I like the ceiling and I like the floor.

It's a shame in a room like this not to have a fireplace or a wood

burner or some sort of focal point.

-You've got the massive one next door!

-Yes, I know,

but you need one to sit round in here in the depths of winter.

Despite the lack of fireplace,

this property appears to be drawing our buyers in.

Again, this house has an unusual layout by British standards,

with two double bedrooms on the ground floor, along with a bathroom.

There are two further bedrooms upstairs, one with a bunk bed

and a single and a three-piece family bathroom.

Plenty of space to accommodate the girls.

-So this is the master bedroom.

-This is a good size room...

Is a lovely room, beautifully done, the ceiling is very nice.

We won't spend that much time in here, really.

Only when you bring me breakfast in bed!

No, this is quite pleasant.

I'm loving the positive vibes from Octave and Claire,

so it's back outside to take in that view and the one

and a half acres of land on offer, including a nice little surprise.

-Fantastic-size pool.

-Very nice.

It's lovely. It's really lovely. It's got everything.

You've seen the house, you've taken it all in, you've seen the land,

the pool that comes with it.

What you don't know is how much it's on the market for.

-So, Octave, what do you think?

-Um...

This is a difficult one because of the swimming pool.

That adds value to it as well. Um...

What if we said...

240,000.

Claire, what do you think?

I think it's definitely over budget,

because it's got a lot of land as well and it's so beautifully done.

I think a bit more, 250,000, maybe?

-On the nose, lady!

-250?

-£250,000...for this property.

-Mm-hm.

-It's very interesting.

-It is very interesting.

I tell you what, why don't the two of you go back up to the house,

take your time and really absorb everything this house has got

-to offer.

-OK.

-Then I'll meet up with you in a bit.

-OK, then.

-We'll go this way.

-Yes!

-Have a look down here.

-Look at the land.

Although over budget by £40,000,

our charming renovated farmhouse has intrigued our buyers.

The property comes with four bedrooms,

a light and spacious kitchen with open fireplace, and a swimming pool.

This is the second bedroom, then. It's not a bad size.

You'd get a double bed in here.

But it always seems to be that with every house,

there's two bedrooms upstairs and then one somewhere else,

so it would be an issue with which girl got which bedroom.

It's a compromise really, isn't it?

This property is brilliant.

I suppose the bedrooms, we'd have to jiggle things around,

but, um...it's a contender.

And I know there's no river at the end of the garden,

but there's a lake and also the swimming pool, which is good.

It's all good, basically.

The kitchen really makes this house,

it's the most fantastic kitchen.

It's huge, the biggest kitchen I've seen. And beautifully done.

And with the two big French windows that open right up onto

the south-facing terrace, I think it would be an

absolutely glorious room in the summer.

In the winter, you've got this fantastic fireplace,

which would heat up the entire room and make it really warm and cosy.

It feels good.

-Hello!

-Hello!

-Still smiling?

-Yes!

-That's good.

-Are you ready to leave?

-Not really, no!

Has this property given you something to think about?

-Yes, it's given us a great deal to think about.

-Most definitely, yes.

Wonderful.

OK, you can keep thinking, but we do actually have to depart,

otherwise the owner will come and have us moved off his property!

-This way!

-OK!

Later that evening,

Octave and Claire reflect on the property search so far.

Although they are still excited about the move,

there's some concern about the remoteness.

Glorious area, isn't it?

So what do you think about moving here?

I think it'll be nice. Um...

I'm not too sure about the winter, but...

As long as we weren't right up in the mountains...

-Yes.

-You could just have so much space here, couldn't you?

You could have endless space, it would be lovely.

It's the final day of Octave and Claire's property search, and as

they spend their last few hours in Abruzzo,

it's clear that their daughters are a big consideration for this move,

both in terms of how they'll get here during the holidays

and where they'll sleep when they do.

For Octave in particular, it could be the deal-breaker.

So before we see our final property, I'm taking our buyers to meet

some British expats who have already made the move here,

to find out how living in this region has worked for them.

They now run a self-catering holiday business on the fringes

of the Majella National Park.

Octave and Claire are also keen to grow their own produce, something

expats David and Pauline have succeeded in doing here in Abruzzo.

-Hello, David, hello, Pauline.

-Hi, Anita!

-What an amazing spot!

-And what a fabulous day for your visit.

-We've timed it perfectly.

-Let me introduce you to Claire and Octave.

-Guys, hello, welcome,

-good to meet you.

-Thank you very much. Nice to meet you.

They're thinking of living out here, moving permanently.

You've been here for six years already.

I thought it would be perfect opportunity for the two of you

to spend some time with David and Pauline to get to know

what it is that you're letting yourselves in for.

-Sure, it would be our pleasure.

-Yes!

The four of you go off, I'll just hang out by the pool!

-What a tough gig!

-It's hard!

-Guys, come with us and we'll show you around.

-Thank you.

-See you later!

-Bye.

Before moving to Abruzzo, David was a journalist

and Pauline worked in IT.

Their life now couldn't be more different.

Instead of being chained to a desk, they spend their days

running their three holiday villas and tending their orchard.

One of the great things we found coming here to Italy is that

with a little bit of land, you can grow a huge range of fruit and veg.

-Did you start this orchard from scratch?

-We did.

We wanted to grow English fruit and veg, like, for example, damsons,

which just don't exist here.

And what is life without damson jam and damson crumble?!

But on the other hand, you find you can grow fairly exotic

things like pomegranates, like lovely juicy figs...

So we grow a mixture.

David and Pauline also grow olives, and after their visit to the

olive mill, Octave is keen to find out how much work is involved.

Olive farm, do you tend to them yourselves?

They're incredibly labour-intensive.

We deliberately didn't go for too many,

because we didn't want to be olive farmers and it is hard work.

Something wants doing to them all the time.

-Right.

-So just have a few.

-We've got eight.

-And how many litres of olive oil would that produce?

Um... OK, from our trees last year

we picked about 130-odd kilos of olives.

From that, we got about 25 litres of oil. That's perfect for us.

Unless you want to be an olive farmer,

and you will need things like tractors -

-I'm not kidding, you really do...

-The machinery...

It's not a case of going to a tree

and sort of picking off an olive like that.

There's a lot of work involved.

With Octave left mulling over the realities of olive farming,

I joined the group for lunch,

where we're gaining further insights into life in Abruzzo.

What about the cost of living?

The nearest restaurant to here, you can get a two-course meal with

as much wine as you want, water, coffee

and it will be ten euros a head.

-And it's really good.

-It's good, it's home cooking.

On the other end of the scale, you've got, a few miles away,

you've got a place with a Michelin star.

So we are rural,

but we're not, you know, Hicksville.

We're sitting here and it's beautiful sunshine

and this is wonderful alfresco dining,

but this is a really rural part of Italy. Very mountainous.

-You have to put snow tyres on...

-You do.

-You need to consider getting...

Yes, there's a law that you must carry chains for your tyres.

From November to early April.

Normally, we will get about an inch

and a half of snow throughout the course of the winter.

It comes in two or three falls,

the sun comes out, melts it after two or three days, it's all gone.

The interesting thing about Claire

and Octave is that they know they'd like to live in Abruzzo,

but they've only spent 24 hours here,

so knowing exactly where you want to be...

-You're still trying to figure that out.

-We are.

We don't want to be too far from Rome airport because we've got two

daughters in England and they would fly in and out of Rome.

I don't know what the links are like.

The links... Um...

Let's get one thing...

-Never try to come from Rome to here by train.

-Oh, really?

The connections are awful. It takes... At least five hours.

There's a fantastic coach service from central Rome to

a town near here which takes three hours.

As long as my children can come and see us,

yeah, that's the only focus for me.

To make sure that my children can come and see us.

Me and Claire will get along fine.

-Well, you've got along fine for 20 years, so!

-We should be all right!

As long as I've got a little space to go and play records...

An hour away from her!

Listen, you know that if you come here, you'll have two friends

here already, which will be two more than we had when WE arrived!

-Exactly! You know what? Cheers to that!

-Cheers, here's to friendship!

-Salute!

-ALL: Salute!

Some useful tips from David

and Pauline on living in what is a relatively remote part of Italy.

But before committing to a property purchase in any part of the

country, there are a few practical considerations to bear in mind.

In Italy, you need to put 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 notoriously complicated bureaucracy

means there's likely to be piles of official documents

to absorb and even taxes to pay before starting up.

Finally, as with any legal transaction,

be sure to seek sound professional advice.

And so to work off our tasty al fresco lunch,

it's back to the property hunt.

Our mystery house is located just outside the town of Arielli,

a ten-minute drive from the Adriatic coast.

The ancient hillside village was badly damaged

by bombing during the Second World War, but many older

buildings survived, including a now deconsecrated church.

Octave and Claire's budget is £210,000, but they do have

some extra cash they can dip into for the right property.

Our mystery house, with its water-related heritage,

might be the one they'll have to push the boat out for.

-Oh, wow! This is lovely!

-Isn't that something?

-It's beautiful!

-Yes.

Here we are, an original 17th-century water mill.

It's absolutely gorgeous, I'm almost speechless.

It's just beautiful, really beautiful.

-I'll just move straight in!

-Ah!

And the river. The sound of the river. And the house looks...

Looks nice from the outside.

Well, I'm not going to keep you out here for much longer.

Let's go inside and have a look.

Follow me.

Hidden away within an atmospheric forest valley,

the property lacks the mountain view that Octave and Claire wanted,

but that doesn't seem to be a problem at the moment.

-And in you come.

-Oh, look at that! Look at the fireplace!

Wow, this is huge!

-I've never seen a fireplace like that!

-And the river!

-And you can...

-He's not often lost for words!

-Yeah!

It's just so...

unexpected and so unusual. I haven't got a bad word to say about it.

-So for you, this is great?

-Lovely, yes. Absolutely lovely.

Yeah, I haven't got a bad word to say about it.

Our buyers seem a little stunned by our mystery property

and it is a lot to take in, not least the four-metre-long fireplace.

The spacious theme continues in the kitchen.

-This is sweet.

-A stone kitchen.

-It is, yes, it's brick.

A really decent size, lots of light,

-doors straight outside for your alfresco dining.

-I love it.

I love the combination of traditional and modern,

because it's a very traditional Italian style,

but beautifully newly done out with a modern twist.

The cooker and sink are fine, but the rest I'm not sure about.

Maybe it's just because I'm used to having work surfaces.

So you don't agree on everything?

Oh, no! Very few things!

No! That wouldn't be life if we did!

Perhaps Octave is already thinking about what this house might cost.

But Claire is clearly enchanted

and he'll have a job convincing her otherwise.

There are three bathrooms in this property - one downstairs

and two on the first floor.

There are also four bedrooms, all on the first floor,

offering a more conventional layout than our other properties.

But I want to show Octave and Claire the master bedroom.

I think it's beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

-Does the bed come with the house?

-It does.

It's original early 1900s antique bed.

You could have the windows open in the summer

and go to sleep to the sound of the river.

The outside of the house is pretty special

and I'm dying to show it to you.

-I think I've saved the best bit till last.

-OK.

-Off you go.

The garden extends to 2½ acres

and is entirely surrounded by trees.

There's an outside bread oven, a large pond

and plenty of room to build a swimming pool.

And of course, the river that would have once powered the mill.

The lower-ground floor of the mill with its classic arched

entrances is now divided into a garage and store rooms.

This is a unique property,

but there's still the small matter of cost to consider.

-What do you think?

-About 300,000?

-And Claire?

How much has this house been valued for?

I'd go a little bit higher, 320,000.

OK. The actual price is...

You're good at this! 320, goes to Claire. 320,000.

That's another Amaretto you owe me!

-That is a lot.

-It is a lot.

It's over your budget, it is.

But you have that pool that you've got, to potentially

tap into, of £100,000.

We thought it's the mystery. It's got so much to offer,

it's got land, the river, rustic charm, it's been modernised,

it's got all of those things.

But, yes, the price reflects it.

Now that you've seen it all, Octave, what do you think of it?

-I can see that Claire likes it!

-What do YOU think of it?

-What do

-I

-think of it? Um...

It's got potential.

What do you NOT like about it? What's the question mark, then?

It's how much work I'd have to do.

You would have to clear some of the trees out,

-just to make it a bit more light.

-Easily done. Yes.

I mean, it would all be yours to do whatever you wanted to.

You could have your donkeys, chickens and whatnot.

Why are you looking at Claire so much, Octave?

Are you worried?

Because...

We have to come to an agreement about it,

that's why I have to keep looking at her!

Maybe a little bit of reassurance that she's not goading me

into doing something! No, it's a nice property.

I want you to go off and have a think, really take your time.

Go and look at the property, enjoy the fire and I'll see you in a bit.

-All right, then.

-Thanks.

Over budget by a significant sum,

our converted water mill would mean Claire and Octave

spending all of their extra savings.

The accommodation includes a spacious open-plan living area

with a stone fireplace and four bedrooms

and all in a secluded forest location.

There's a lot to think about, ie,

OK, if we were to buy this property, then...

..we would definitely have to consider the weather.

I know the property is not too far from the village, which is good.

If it snows, do we get trapped in?

This is the other thing.

The pros...

I've got a river!

The curious thing is that having seen the other houses, I really thought

I wanted a view of the mountains, because they're so spectacular here.

Some of the houses we've seen have had fantastic views.

But quite honestly, all that has gone, looking at this house.

I'm sure there's all sorts of other things

I should be thinking about, that are negatives with the house,

but I'm so completely in love with it, I don't really care!

I feel like a pixie of the woods down here. I'm in a fairy tale!

-Hello!

-Hi, Anita!

-That's it, that's all the properties, seen.

Are you ready to go and sit down and powwow

and dissect what you're thinking?

-Yes.

-Yep.

-Let's go.

CLASSICAL WALTZ

In the centre of the Abruzzo region,

the ancient city of Sulmona is famous as the birthplace of

Latin poet Ovid, whose presence is still felt in its historic squares.

But it's also well known throughout the world for its confectionery,

specifically sugared almonds, known as confetti

and traditionally given out at weddings and baptisms.

The British adopted the concept at the end of the 19th century,

using shreds of coloured paper rather than real sweets,

but for Italians, confetti are both an art and a tradition.

I've come to one of the oldest confetti factories,

dating back to the 18th century,

to find out more about the city's links with the sugared almond.

I'm meeting factory owner Mario Pelino.

-Anita, good morning!

-Pleased to meet you, what a fantastic building!

And it's your family business?

It's a family business with no discontinuity from father to son,

started in a small village not too far from here, Introdacqua,

and then they moved to Sulmona centre and then here.

And how do you feel,

carrying on your family tradition after all these years?

Well, I feel honoured, also it's a very heavy load on the shoulders!

But it's a pleasure, we love what we do.

The production process

and the recipes have changed little in 200 years.

The almonds rotate in huge copper drums

and the sugar solution ladled in.

Over time, layer upon layer is added.

A metal pipe pumps hot air into the drum to speed up the drying process.

The sugar coating process takes four days for one batch of almonds.

The factory's museum houses many of the original apparatus used

when it first opened.

How did they originally make the confetti,

before they had electricity, before they had steam?

Before the electricity, it was done by hand.

They had a big copper pan, they shake it by hand,

with some heat on the bottom

and that was the procedure.

It took six or seven days. Very hard work.

-Who would make the sugared almonds?

-The strong men.

-The men?

-Sure.

-Not your great-great-great-great grandmother?

-No, I don't think so.

Probably she made the sugar, but the movement was done by hand.

In Italian culture,

there are varying coloured almonds for different occasions.

Green for an engagement, white for a wedding and red for a graduation.

They're then sold in batches or made into flowers for gifts.

Such is the popularity of sugar-coated almonds from Sulmona

that this factory produces six to seven tonnes each week.

A centuries-old industry that is still going strong in this

historic city of sweets.

But now let's catch up with our buyers and see

whether any of the properties have given them a sugar rush.

-So, Claire, Octave - all the properties have been viewed.

-Mm-hm.

-Yep.

-So now, obviously, I want to know what you're thinking,

-because it's been a real roller coaster.

-Yes.

It's been ups and downs, emotions have been this way, that way.

What about your favourite? Octave, what's your favourite?

Why don't you ask Claire her favourite?!

I don't want ask Claire her favourite!

I would have to say yes, the last one we saw.

How much of you saying you like the water mill most is

because Claire loves it?

-And it's fine if that's the reason, but is that the reason?

-Um, no.

Basically, the river for me, the river is there.

Also, the option of having a swimming pool as well.

I think we're going to have to go back and have another look.

How interested are you in the water mill?

It's no good asking me because I'd go and sign the papers right now!

Really?

Yes, and I know that's probably far too impulsive, which is

why it's good that Octave is much more practical than me.

-That's so exciting!

-I know, but...

Tell me what's going through your mind.

I'm besotted with it. It's perfect.

So potentially, Claire,

-could we have found your dream home in Abruzzo?

-Possibly, yes.

But I know what I'm like and I'm inclined to jump before I think.

Which is where I need Octave to bring me down to earth a bit.

I'm sure there's all sorts of things we would need to think about,

not least of which is the price of it, because if we managed to

get the money together to pay for it, we'd have nothing left.

If we've got the finances to do it, then yes.

-It could be the one?

-It could be, yes.

As we'll be coming back in a week's time,

hopefully one of the girls will come with us

and we'll have a third eye...

-Whose side will she take, Mum's or Dad's?

-She won't, she's normally...

I know exactly what she'll say.

She thinks we're old and decrepit

and couldn't cope by ourselves in the forest.

She'll think it's far too remote!

But she's quite romantic, isn't she?

-I think she'd like it.

-That's really thrilling.

I think the two of you have got an amazing adventure ahead of you.

In six months' time, if I come to the South Downs, will I still

see you there?

Um, you can phone and it may be redirected to Italy!

-Let's drink to that.

-Cheers!

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Claire and Octave had only ever spent 24 hours in Abruzzo

before their time with us

and now they know for certain that this is the region

they want to spend the rest of their lives, and who could blame them?

It's got everything - mountains, the sun, the sea.

But in terms of properties, what a turnout!

From telling us they wanted to be on a hill with a view

of the mountains and olive groves in front of them, to falling in love

with that water mill at the bottom of a valley, surrounded by forest.

Do join me next time for another Escape To The Continent.

If you wish to escape to the continent

and would like our help,

please apply online

at bbc.co.uk/beonashow