Abruzzo Escape to the Continent

Welcome to Escape To The Continent. Today, I'm in a place

that has been dubbed the greenest region in Europe.

But where might that be? Find out in just a moment.

After letting work schedules dominate their day-to-day lives,

today's buyers are seeking to slow things down.

Some properties don't quite fit that plan...

-The size is...

-Huge!

I'm thinking of cleaning now and thinking huge cleaning!

..but others really seem to hit the mark.

-Can you imagine living here?

-Oh, yes.

-Really?

-Yeah, just the whole thing, it's just lovely.

I'm in Abruzzo in the heart of Italy.

And even though we're only two-and-a-half hours' drive

from Rome here, this remote region is said to house

75% of all of the species of flora and fauna in Europe.

Creatures like the Marsican brown bear, wolves and eagles,

which used to be widespread in Italy,

have found refuge from extinction in the three massive national parks

which cover a third of this region.

But nature conservation is not the only thing that Abruzzo

is famous for.

A two-and-a-half hour flight from the UK,

the Abruzzo region of Italy is best known

for its dramatic mountain scenery.

Situated in the mid-eastern segment of the country,

Abruzzo may be just 50 miles from Rome,

but it is separated by the Apennine mountain range.

The region itself is split into four subdivisions -

Teramo, Pescara, Chieti and L'Aquila.

The Apennine Mountains, which run down the central spine of Italy,

are at their most dramatic in the Abruzzo region.

The range's highest peak, at 2,900 metres, is Gran Sasso,

whose summit is often lost in the clouds above.

The rocky slopes are home to historic mediaeval towns,

where tightly packed limestone houses

cling to the sides of mountains.

It's a region of romantic ruins

and one of the most breathtaking castles is at Roccascalegna.

Dating back to the 11th century,

the magical fortress rises dramatically from the rock below.

As well as mountains, Abruzzo also has an enviable coastline,

with sands that stretch along the Adriatic Sea.

Its relatively uncharted territory for many tourists,

who bypass it for more well-known Italian destinations.

But as a place to live,

Abruzzo offers a pretty unbeatable way of life.

The remote and rural quality of the landscape here

reflects on the house prices.

The average price for a detached property here is £125,000,

which is half the figure back at home.

But be warned if you want to go to the popular coastal resorts,

particularly in the north, you might pay double that.

The general rule of thumb is that the further off the beaten track

you're prepared to venture, the more property prices tumbled.

And is this a factor that has persuaded our couple

to come and buy here in Abruzzo?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

Looking to relocate to la bella Italia are husband and wife duo

Anita and Mark from Yorkshire.

They met in their early 20s, when Mark, in particular,

looked somewhat different.

I worked for The Variety Club in Keighley,

and one night this handsome guy walked in with a mohican

and nine earrings. Yours truly.

And...it was... To be honest, it was a bit of a dare

because someone said, "Who's going to kiss that punk rocker?"

And I said, "I will."

And we've been together ever since, 35 years.

Surprising love because I didn't think anything

like that'd happen to me, but it actually did.

We have a daughter, Rachel.

We have three wonderful grandchildren,

and yet to have another one,

and we're really excited about it.

Mark works as a manager in the meat industry

and Anita runs a busy beauty salon.

Both have non-stop professional lives that have long skewed

the work-life balance.

I get up in the morning, usually about half past five.

Mark's already left for work at four.

Sometimes I get home maybe seven, eight o'clock at night.

By that time, Mark's fallen asleep in the chair,

and next day it's the same again.

And we now think that the best thing to do would be to sell up,

go and live in a different country, with a better climate,

and do the things we want to do in the time that we want to do them in.

This new leisurely lifestyle is set to be in Italy,

a place they've been to many times,

but the region they hope to settle in is actually new to them.

Never been to Abruzzo. It was highly recommended.

We've researched it, we've looked through books

and it's just got so much to offer -

it's got the sea, it's got the mountains,

it's got this amazing food and the culture.

I just want to engross all that.

Within this wonderful setting,

they would in many ways like a home from home.

We would like something that's probably like our farmhouse,

a little bit rustic, a bit of character.

I'd love to take my wonderful kitchen, which is where we

can sit at least 6-8 people round for dinner...

Where we can feel as home in Italy as we felt here in Yorkshire.

The move doesn't just involve the two of them,

there's also their three-year-old French mastiff Ariel,

as well as some feathered friends to consider.

Currently we have six hens, two cockerels.

Fresh eggs are brilliant...

People don't believe you, but they are so completely different to the

eggs you buy from the supermarket - they taste much better.

Once we move to Abruzzo, we're looking at getting some more hens,

maybe a couple of pigs and some sheep, just having a field.

And this rock-solid couple want to make the most of this

next stage of their lives.

The strength in our relationship is the one thing that will

carry us through, whatever happens out there.

We'll help each other all the way through things.

I'm not worried about moving there at all -

you've got to take that risk in life.

I want to get there, I want to enjoy life and take...

Every day is a new day and take it as it comes.

Having never been here before, Anita and Mark are taking a bit of a punt

on Abruzzo but I think they've been well advised.

We're concentrating our search on the central area

between the mountains and the sea

that could offer the lifestyle they're looking for.

It's just half an hour from Pescara Airport.

I'm meeting our couple to find out more about their Italian plans.

-Benvenuti.

-Grazie.

-Welcome to Italia.

-Thank you.

-Do you speak Italian?

-A little bit.

-Piccolo.

-Piccolo.

That's great. What about you, Mark?

Just a few words at the moment.

Because you've been here a lot, you've been on lots of holidays here.

-We have, yes.

-We've had a lot of fun as well with the phrasebook,

especially in the south and if there aren't many people who

speak English, the book comes out. If we can't get the pronunciation

right, we get the book out and let them have a look.

-That's such a good way of meeting people, isn't it? That's such a nice way of...

-Absolutely.

-You've been all over because you've been in Sardinia, you've been down south, Tuscany.

-Yeah, love it.

-But not in Abruzzo?

-No, this is our first time.

-No, our first time.

Yeah, so how are you feeling about that? Because, obviously, you're

-leaving your family, your grandchildren.

-Well, I suppose it does have a bit of pull,

but the other thing is, we're only two and a half hours away and,

so when the kids are on holiday

they can always spend most of the time over here, if they want to.

-So have a proper catch up.

-Quality time. We don't get the quality time

at home like we would get if we moved away.

-That's what we want.

-Yeah, it is.

-People say that, that you really get to see people.

-Yeah, definitely.

Do you have any anxieties? Because you've not lived abroad before.

-No, no.

-No, not really.

I suppose integrating, really, making sure that we're

-mixing with everybody, that would be nice.

-So what are you looking for

in terms of the house? Talk me through the details.

A nice farm kitchen would be good, so that everybody could

sit round the table, similar to what we have at home now.

Then, probably, four or five bedrooms, if we can get that, so then everybody can come over,

grandchildren, Rachel and her husband and Matt as well.

I just want enough land but not to kill ourselves at it,

you know, to enjoy it.

What are you going to be doing here? Because, you know, you both work extremely hard.

Enjoy time together, really.

Have the good life and grow some vegetables, have a little bit

of livestock, potter about in the morning,

do you work until lunchtime, have a lazy lunch and then have

a lazy afternoon, if you want to, or do a little bit more and go out and see friends, when we make them.

You're selling it to me, that sounds fantastic.

So will there be any differences between the two of you?

-The size of the land.

-Ah, yeah, tell me about that.

Not too much. I mean, we want to keep cattle and sheep

-and for growing our vegetables.

-Cattle?

Does that mean you want more and you want less?

Yes, that's probably how it'll end up, yes.

-And remind me again of your budget.

-It's up to 300,000.

-£300,000 sterling?

-Yes.

-OK.

I've never been to Abruzzo before, so thank you for bringing me here

and there are actually some beautiful properties that I'm hoping

-you'll like, or indeed, fall in love with one of them.

-Oh, yeah.

-Let's go.

-Exciting.

-Follow me.

For a maximum budget of £300,000, they want

a pretty big rural setup...

We've lined up four varied properties that should give Anita

and Mark everything they're dreaming of.

But I'll be keeping them on their toes, as they'll have

absolutely no idea how much each house costs

until the very end of the tour.

What's more, we're here off-season,

giving them a chance to experience everyday Abruzzo life.

Finally, we've lined up a timber-inspired Mystery Property,

offering the ultimate Italian good life.

Our first house sits at the midpoint between the Gran Sasso Mountains

and the Adriatic Coast in the town of Bisenti.

The parish church of Santa Maria degli Angeli

is in the centre of the town, overlooking the main piazza.

Legend suggests that Bisenti is the birthplace of Pontius Pilate

and, although other villages contest the lineage,

the town radiates an ancient charm befitting Roman legend.

For today's population there are a few shops,

a couple of bars and a regular market.

Walking distance from the centre is our first Abruzzo offering.

-Here we have the first house.

-Wow, quite impressive.

It dates back to the 1900s. It was entirely agricultural,

so the bottom half of the property was all for animals.

-It's essentially two properties.

-Two parts to it, right.

It would require a bit of work on your behalf

-to join the two together.

-Right, OK.

I don't know whether I like it or I don't like it, to be honest.

Whether I do or don't.

-I suppose it's better getting inside and having a look.

-Let's go in.

A lukewarm response for the outside of this property,

but hopefully we're just warming up.

The house sits on a sizeable two-and-a-half acre plot,

good for raising livestock.

It even includes an olive grove that can produce up

to 50 litres of olive oil every year.

The house itself is currently split into two,

so it might take a bit of vision to see the bigger picture.

-Come on in.

-Thank you.

-So this whole bottom part is rented out as separate holiday...

-As a let.

I like the fact it's wide. It's got a nice feel to it when you walk in.

-It's cool, yes.

-I like to have an entrance hall,

-rather than walking straight into your front room.

-Yeah.

This bottom floor has been finished to a good spec,

with two very spacious bedrooms that both share a family bathroom.

But we're heading into the living/dining room,

which has several noteworthy architectural features.

-Yeah, wow. Look at the ceilings.

-The fire as well.

Yeah, very typical to this area, you see it a lot,

these wonderful vaulted brick ceilings.

It would have been the original place where the animals lived,

-so all of this brickwork is original.

-Super.

-They're all right, aren't they?

-Yeah, space-wise.

-Similar size to back home, actually.

-It is, isn't it?

I think the orange stone doesn't do it justice with this beautiful

-stone, this brickwork.

-Do you mean the brickwork of the fire?

-It just seems to be...

-Too new.

It takes that lovely old feeling away from it,

but I love all of this, it's amazing.

-Let's look in the kitchen.

-Super.

-I know this is an important room.

-Oh, yes.

-So.

-Wow, hmm, yeah.

It's a bit bright.

It's just suddenly gone from old, lovely and rustic

to this bright modern kitchen. It's just a bit modern.

In one sense as well, I think it's a little bit on the small side

because it's nice to sit down

-and eat your meals in the kitchen...

-Mhm.

-Mhm.

..which is what we have at home and, so...

I'm not overkeen on the colour scheme, to be honest.

I think the size of the kitchen's a problem for me

because I like space. I have pots and pans everywhere when I'm cooking.

Are you looking to just move into a house and do nothing to it?

-Oh, no, no, no.

-Because changing the kitchen is not such a big job.

Not really, no.

-There are things you can do, aren't there?

-Shall we look upstairs?

-That would be lovely.

-Brace yourself because this is more of a project.

Right.

How do we get upstairs?

Ah, you might not like the answer to that, Anita.

With no internal staircase to go up, first we need to go out.

This is another unique feature of this property

-is that there's this external staircase.

-Uh-huh.

-Right.

It's quite common in Italy, but not everybody's cup of tea.

So up the outside steps and this is the upstairs apartment,

which, as you can see, it needs a bit of an uplift.

-Yes.

-Very much so, yeah, yeah.

I'm trying to work out...

-I'm trying to work out, Alistair...

-Boggling your brain.

-Yeah.

-How it would work. How we would get it to work.

-Yes.

-It is a bit of a puzzle...

-It is.

..because it's designed as two apartments

-and you probably wouldn't want it as two apartments.

-No.

I can't even work out in my head how I'd want to plan it. I'd have to...

Because the kitchen's here and the kitchen downstairs, I can't...

I wouldn't want another kitchen upstairs at all.

Yeah, it's a bit of a mishmash.

-It's not fitting for me at all.

-Mark?

-You need a bit of time to, probably, think and try and work things out.

-Yeah.

-Let's look at the balcony because that's a real...

-Thank you.

This house might be testing their powers of imagination,

but it could give them two options -

uniting and reconfiguring the building

or keeping the property in two -

as much of the space needed is just for visiting guests.

This level has the three further bedrooms they're after,

so there's plenty of room across the property.

-I think this is the clincher of the property...

-Wow.

-..as far as I'm concerned.

-Yeah, it's really good.

-This is a west-facing terrace

and you've got this incredible view of the Gran Sasso Mountain,

which is the highest mountain in the Apennines.

The whole valley is, sort of, laid out.

You can imagine in the summer, it's just a mass of leaves

and blossom and green.

-The land is about a hector, which is about two and a half acres.

-Mhm.

-And then you've got the olive grove behind as well.

-Right.

-Fabulous.

It'd be quite nice, sitting out in the evening, having a meal out here and having a look around.

It's nice and peaceful and quiet as well.

Are the views enough to make you take on the property?

I'm not sure, to be perfectly honest.

I think there might be too much to move around.

So how much do you think it's on the market for in pounds?

I would think it's somewhere near the top of our budget,

295, somewhere around there.

Hmm. I'd probably go in at

-265-to-270 on something like this.

-OK.

OK, so this is actually on the market for £214,000.

-Right.

-Right. Hmm.

-That's interesting.

-So you would have a lot of money to play with.

-Surplus, yes.

-Yes, yes.

It's a question of whether that's something you'd be interested in or...

You don't have to decide right now, I'll let you off that one.

Thank God for that!

So why don't you have a look inside and I'll see you out the front?

-Right, thanks.

-Thank you.

I think it all comes down to this because this...

I mean, in the summer this would be so beautiful and, you know,

all properties are a bit of a puzzle,

it's whether it's a financially viable one.

With its unique layout and coming in £85,000 under budget,

this first property is hard to ignore.

It's currently...

-Beautiful.

-I want to see you picking olives.

-Me picking olives?

-Thank you.

-Well, why not?

If you picked get 50 litres, you could probably sell half of it

-and keep the other half for yourself.

-You're thinking about making money again.

-Why not?

No, we're relaxing.

The land and everything is absolutely super.

An olive grove already done and established and the land

at the back, which you could put hens on and a bit of livestock.

You can't wish for anything more, really.

The views, the views are to die for, they're super.

Because it is two separate properties, I can't get my head together.

I wanted to, sort of, put the stairs inside the house rather than outside

the house and I can't figure a way in my head how to do it.

I think this might be a tale of two apartments,

a bit too much for them to mend them together.

-Hello.

-Hello, again.

-Did you have a good old look around?

-We did, thank you, yes.

-Super.

-Yes, super.

Well, I know it's a bit of a challenge this one.

But it's not the only one, we've got more lined up.

-Yay!

-Very good.

-So come with me.

-Super, thank you.

Our next offering takes us into the Pescara region,

as we travel up to the remote town of Penne.

It lies 20 miles from Pescara City Centre and is home to 15,000 people.

It's an ancient town.

In 300BC, it was the seat of government for the Vestini people

and is now a maze of steep alleys surrounded by 15th century walls.

Built across the tops of four hills,

Penne is also a point of access to the Gran Sasso National Park

and ten minutes from the centre of the town,

we've got a suitably breathtaking property lined up.

It's a beautifully restored farmhouse set in a verdant valley,

surrounded by unspoilt countryside.

LAUGHTER

-Amazing.

-It's lovely.

-Fabulous.

This is an interesting property because this is actually not as old...

It dates from the 1940s and then it was sold to an English couple,

and they've completely remodelled it at great expense.

-Wow.

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

-It's the wow factor for me.

-Can you imagine living here?

-Oh, yes.

-Really?

-I've not seen inside but,

yeah, the whole thing, it's just lovely.

-Super.

-Mark, what do you think?

-I didn't think we'd get anything like this, it's lovely.

-It's lovely.

And it's nice, it's in a nice surrounding area as well.

-But not overlooked.

-No.

-We're not, no.

-Wow.

-Shall we look inside?

-Oh, absolutely.

-Please, yeah.

That's more like it.

This picturesque rural estate is really striking a chord

and Anita can't hide her emotions.

Let's just hope the inside matches up

to some very heightened expectations.

Look at that fire!

Look at that view!

-Love it, love the stonework.

-What do you think to the space?

-Amazing.

-It's nice, it's a good space.

-Super and a good use of space as well.

It's just gorgeous.

-I'm looking and trying to take it all in.

-Yeah.

-Just amazing.

-Most of the...

-You're going to be out there.

-Outside.

Wow, looking at that view day in, day out would just be amazing.

-So this is getting the thumbs up?

-Yeah.

-Very much so.

-Well, let's go and look at the kitchen.

-Oh, yes.

The good vibes are continuing for now.

But, with Anita's desire for a big kitchen,

I'm not sure what she'll make of this one.

It's not a huge kitchen.

-As I say, they don't really do huge kitchens in most parts of Italy.

-No.

It's big enough.

The cooker's just made it, the cooker's amazing.

It's nice. It's because you like the house.

-It's actually much smaller than the other one we saw.

-It works.

It works, everything works. They've even got, you know...

The thing is though, if you come to this end,

this is what you've got to think about because most of your eating,

-and indeed your cooking, is going to be outside.

-Yeah.

Amazing, lovely.

This is drenched in quite hot sunlight because it's south-facing.

Well, you can take your English head off and put the Italian one on,

and eat outside more than inside,

so the kitchen's perfect for that scenario.

I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. It's so beautiful.

You ain't seen nothing yet. Follow me.

'Also on the ground floor are two spacious double bedrooms,

'one with an en suite.

'As we head up to the first floor, there's a kind of

'kitchenette/living room, two guest bedrooms for visiting family

'and a bathroom.

'Then there's one final suite.'

OK, so we have four, well, five bedrooms in total in the house.

This one could be the master, could be just a guest.

Then all the grandkids could have a bedroom of their own, can't they?

-Sure.

-Which is good.

A big en suite with a shower through there.

And every room, particularly upstairs, has these incredible

views because the windows just frame these squares of green mountain.

-It looks like a painting on a wall.

-Yeah.

You haven't stopped smiling for the last half hour.

No, I haven't. I can't stop smiling.

In fact, I haven't said as much as I want to because I'm speechless.

I've just got this great feeling about this house,

just everything about it.

So there's one more feature which I think you'll really like.

We're heading back downstairs, where there are a few surprises. Ah!

Wow.

-We've got a pool.

-Wow, unbelievable.

It's just wow, it's just absolute wow.

-The other factor of this property is that you wanted a bit of land.

-Yeah.

And this comes with...

How much do you think it comes with?

-Three acres.

-20.

-Eh?!

-20!

-20 acres.

-Hallelujah.

Basically, this whole hill, this great big, kind of,

spur of land,

right the way down to the gorge at the bottom.

So there's a steep olive grove.

I could just see myself and the grandchildren in that pool.

It's just everything coming into one.

It's just amazing, totally amazing.

-It's a lovely property.

-Yeah.

-Can you afford it though?

-Ah, well, that's the question.

-What do you think it's on at?

I would say, probably, 325.

I'm going to have a stab and I'm going to go 295.

-Actually it is a little bit over budget. It's on at £312,000.

-Right.

But the owners, I mean, they've dropped it quite a lot,

but they would be willing to go down to about your price

but no lower.

-Mhm.

-Right.

-Well, that's worth knowing.

-Yep.

Amazing.

Speechless is the word I'd use, looking at this.

It's absolutely super.

So that's it. I've brought you here, I've given you the price.

Now, you have to wander round and see whether it's worth the money.

Wow.

-Maybe you could get our voice back, that would be great.

-Yeah!

If you step back inside and I'll meet you at the front.

"Wow, amazing, wow."

This house has distilled Anita's vocabulary down to just a few gasps

and a couple of adjectives, which seems to be a good sign.

This restored farmhouse gives them...

The price is the only sticking point,

but it is within a negotiable distance of their £300,000 budget.

Wow, how amazing. I'm sorry if I'm using that word too often, "Wow,"

because that's what it gives you the feeling of a wow factor.

You look around, you've got the Apennines,

you've got the beautiful greenery around you.

It's just amazing.

-Oh, wow, look at that view for a view.

-Master bedroom.

Imagine waking up to that every morning.

-It'd be quite good, sat in bed with a drink of tea.

-Yes.

Downsides? I'm trying to think of one, to be honest and to be fair,

but I can't.

I can't give you a downside on this property, I'm afraid.

Grandkids and the rest of the family that can come over,

there's plenty of room for them to stop. They can have their own bedrooms. There's two downstairs,

two upstairs and two rooms that you could turn into bedrooms,

so you could actually have six.

-Great doors.

-Yeah, lovely.

-They could be yours. Look at you, like in a zone.

-I'm feeling like...

Bring me round, beam me up.

Let's close up behind you and then we're going to take a little break.

-OK, thank you.

-So you can get your feet back on the ground.

That's where they need to be.

Mark and Anita are heading to a nearby restaurant,

where they can reflect on their Italian plans.

Buonasera.

-Prego. Ecco il menu.

-Grazie mille.

Intanto, volete ordinare qualcosa da bere?

Eh... un vino rosso - mezzo, please. Grazie.

Si. Un mezzo di vino rosso.

-Si, grazie.

-OK, apposto.

-Grazie mille.

Well done.

I'm trying but I wish I had my phrasebook though.

It's back in the UK, I'm afraid.

I know, I'm just trying to remember things.

I've been thinking quite deeply about this, Mark, thinking about all

the things that I'm looking forward to about coming here, spending more time with you...

-Right.

-..which we don't do, cooking our own produce.

To get into the garden together

and get everything how we want it.

Having the grandchildren over. Oh, fantastic.

Spend a bit of time, a bit of quality time with them

and enjoy their company as well.

We'll get them working as well, they're not stopping for free.

It'll be nice, it'll be good.

-It'll be great.

-Chin-chin.

Chin-chin and here's to many more.

It's the beginning of our second day house-hunting in the stunning

Abruzzo region of Italy.

Our Yorkshire couple have a budget of £300,000 to give themselves

a rustic property with land for their animals and vegetable needs.

This morning, Anita and Mark are off to check out a local market

and it doesn't take long before Anita spots something useful.

There are some socks there. Do you want me to get you some for work?

-You can do.

-They're the right size.

-That's it.

-What size are they?

-42...

-Eight.

-So they'll be all right.

-So they're perfect.

-Scusi.

-Size?

-42.

How do you say in Italian, "42?"

-Quarantadue.

-Quarantadue.

-Bravo.

LAUGHTER

Having learnt a few more Italian words, there's no better way to

suck up the local atmosphere than in

the central piazza with a cappuccino.

-What's sugar? Is it zucchero?

-Zucchero, yeah.

-I think I'll have some zucchero in my cappuccino, darling.

-You go ahead.

There's a long day of house-hunting ahead of us,

so it's time to whisk them away.

This couldn't be a more Italian place to meet them.

-Ciao, Belli. Come stai?

-Come stai?

THEY KISS

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello.

How was your morning? What did you get up to?

It's been really interesting. Walking around the square's been nice.

-Have you practised Italian?

-I have, indeed.

I've been practising very well.

I've been speaking to some Italian stallholders.

So, how've you found the Abruzzi, the people of Abruzzo?

Really nice. Whenever you're walking round, there's a nice

-smile from everybody, which is reassuring as well.

-So good morning?

Oh, fabulous, can't beat it.

So I'm going to see if I can top it by showing you another lovely house.

-This is close to the sea.

-Yay!

-That's different.

Not shown you anything on the coast, so let's see what you

get for your money by the coast. And we're going to follow me.

Heading towards the eastern coast

takes us to the village of Mutignano,

which is just three miles from the beaches of the Adriatic Sea,

whilst remaining up in the hills.

With no real amenities of its own,

it is served by the bigger town of Atri, five miles up the road.

Atri has the customary Abruzzo mix of mediaeval charm

and Mediterranean colour, with narrow streets and classic

Italian architecture, leading to the

13th-century cathedral of Santa Maria.

There are also plenty of shops and restaurants here,

where Mark and Anita can enjoy the authentic Italian lifestyle.

The village of Mutignano is where our next, rather impressive

property can be found.

-Gosh, big.

-The size.

-It's huge.

I'm thinking of cleaning now and I'm thinking, "Huge cleaning."

Well, actually, we wanted to show you something by the sea.

-The sea is just there.

-Fabulous. I love the beach...I do,

so that would be great. We could go for walks with the dog in the morning, fantastic.

The thing about this property is that it's as far away from a,

-kind of, country cottage in Yorkshire that you could probably get.

-OK.

-You've got to think big Italian families.

-Think out the box.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Are you thinking that?

-Starting to.

-OK, let's look inside.

The closer we get, the more we appear dwarfed by this

considerable home, which covers 400 square metres.

It's a new build, spread over three floors

and we're starting with a bit of an unusual space.

Brace yourself.

Oh.

Oh!

LAUGHTER

Now, before you completely freak out, this is the basement.

-So remember we're coming from the bottom up.

-That's it, bottoms up.

This is an Italian family party room.

Right.

You have a pizza oven, you've even got a ham carving machine.

Yeah, enormous parties.

LAUGHTER

I'm a bit stuck for words. Yeah, yeah.

-It's a big play area for children as well.

-Yeah.

It's really designed to be filled with people.

-Well, we shouldn't have a problem doing that, should we?

-No.

-The next floor that we go to is not finished...

-Right.

-..so you'll need to put your decorating hats on.

-Right.

The basement also has a wine cellar and a bathroom.

On the next floor up, there are several large

rooms in need of some final touches.

-So it's a bit uneven here, so mind the stairs.

-Indeed.

So how are you at, sort of, dealing with this unfinished interior?

Unfinished interior doesn't faze me, we've done it before in our cottages.

However, I don't know if I've got the

feeling that I'd want to in this property.

In all honesty, I think it might be a bit too big for us.

However, we can't rule it out until we've seen the rest of it.

-That's true.

-So, you know, open-minded still.

Let's just step out and admire the view.

It's quite a view, isn't it?

-It is, stunning view.

-I'm not winning you over, am I?!

-No!

-I'm trying my hardest here.

-You are, there's just something missing.

-It's just...

-Is it the period thing, because it's modern?

Possibly because, for the last 20-some years, we've lived in a

property of 1826.

It's a new start, new life, it could be a new building,

instead of an old building.

It's a good attempt, Mark,

-but I don't think it's going to win her over.

-No.

Good try.

But we haven't seen the actual living quarters yet,

-so let's go... These are finished to a very beautiful standard.

-Fabulous.

'The top floor of this property is where the current owners live

'and, thankfully, it is completely finished.

'There are three bedrooms, a bathroom...'

This is really their living area.

You've got the big log burner in the corner,

kitchen and dining area looking out onto the balcony, which faces west.

I think it's beautiful in some aspects.

I don't know what I'd do with this space because you've got

a lounge downstairs...

You couldn't turn it into a bedroom because the staircase

comes straight up into here.

It would have to be small lounge or an escape area.

Yeah, for you.

This floor has another terrace, which looks out over the generous

7.5-acre plot, that already includes some cultivation.

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

I'd go about 285.

I would say on budget, 300.

You're absolutely spot-on.

-It's actually on at £286,000.

-Oh, eh!

-Oh, eh!

-That's not a bad guess.

-It's probably because...

So, yeah. It's a lot of house for that money, when you think about it.

It is and I think it would suit someone who's prepared

to put a bit of work in.

Once you've done all the work and the work that's needed,

it would take you over budget.

Why don't you lot go inside and have a look around

and I'll meet you at the front?

Super, thank you.

This modern offering is, in a word, huge

and, once complete, will be an impressive home.

It offers...

This property is too concrety for me, personally, a little bit bricky,

I know it sounds a bit bizarre, but too much brickwork for me

and too much going on.

The house is nice, nice for the right person,

not particularly for us.

I do think it would take us quite a bit over budget once

we decided to start doing the middle floor

because you'd have to change upstairs round as well.

It's just not our cup of tea, I'm afraid.

Ah, there you are.

-Well, that's our houses done for the day.

-Thank you.

-It's been a nice sunny day for you.

-Beautiful.

Time to do some reflection and get ready for our last house tomorrow.

Super. Can't wait.

As Anita and Mark have never visited Abruzzo,

their local knowledge is patchy at best.

Thankfully, we have a plan.

So we're heading to Farindola to meet two British expats.

With seven years experience living here, they should be able to shed

some light on the realities of Italian life,

with one culinary delight high on the agenda.

We found out that one of the famous things about this

-village is the cheese.

-That's right, yes, pecorino di Farindola.

I thought to increase maximum coverage, it would be quite

good if we split up.

-So, Helen, if you could show Anita the cheese.

-Of course.

-And, Paul, if we could visit your house.

-OK.

-That would be lovely.

-OK.

-Thank you.

'As we head off to their home, which is in the very heart

'of Farindola's old town...' It's a big house, isn't it?

'..the ladies are off to a cheese shop, where a very special resident

'has opened up for us today.'

Ilario...is the mayor.

-Wow, Ilario!

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, whoo!

Welcome in Farindola.

Well, if he's here everyday for cheese, I'll be here too.

Mayor Ilario Lacchetta is keen to show off one of the region's

most celebrated exports - pecorino di Farindola -

a cheese made with raw milk from the sheep in the nearby mountains.

Depending on how dry or how young you want your cheese,

you select on age, 12 months, maybe 36 months, maybe 48 months.

I thought cheese was cheese.

That's fantastic.

Could I ask how much it would be for...? To buy a cheese like that?

50 or 60 Euros.

For a mid-range one. If you go for the older one, it would be more.

It's a specialist product. It's not made anywhere else in the world.

I think I could be certainly looking to buy a piece today at that...

-Yeah, I think I really could.

-No, no, no, no.

I'd like to give you this as present.

Oh, grazie mille, that's very kind.

Thank you very much indeed, that's lovely.

Back at the house, we're getting a tour of their five-storey property,

a striking Italian residence, which traditionally would have

housed several generations of the same family.

Oh, my goodness. This is the most incredible view.

Pescara is behind that hill.

It feels a bit like we're in a UFO, hovering above the city

because there's nothing below us.

-Apart from the fantastic texture of all the roof tiles.

-Yeah.

So you moved here seven years ago. Is this all your creation, up here?

It's our alteration to open it up.

The town hall said we couldn't expand the windows more than 50%,

so we put in a glass wall.

Is there lots of planning and regulation, red tape?

Yes, everything has to be done with paperwork and everything.

And just to increase this by 20cm, to give us a bigger terrace,

it was a delay of a couple of months.

So dare I ask how much you paid for it seven years ago?

Guess.

It's 467 square meters.

I'd say about 250.

-Eh, no, 90.

-290.

No, 90,000 euros.

-That's about £69,000.

-Wow!

Don't give him ideas!

You're not getting anything near that.

As we take in the views, and recover from that round of guess the

price, Mark takes the opportunity to ask some practical questions.

One question, or a couple, I've got is how to register with a dentist,

doctors or what happens if you're not registered and have an accident?

-The health service has been superb here.

-Private health care or...?

-National, I think.

-National.

You have so pay so much for the first five years, but once you've

got your residency, after the five years, you're just fitting in.

How is the fitting in? Have you fitted in with the community here?

It's a small community and it's so impossible to escape.

You're rude if you don't say, "Buongiorno."

You become part of the community by that.

But, at the same time, you've got to be a bit careful

because everybody, somehow, is related.

You can't complain about an electrician or something

because it happens to be the husband of the owner of the house.

You say, "Oh, yeah, very good."

-And how are the...? How have the workmen been?

-Oh, super.

-You're just saying that because...

-No!

-I'm not related to any of them.

-Yeah, yeah.

They seem to have cracked the code for happy integration into

Italian life and, with cheese and wine at the ready,

Anita is keen to get stuck in with her own questions

for our expat couple.

Does the tax depend on how old the house is to the amount of tax

-you would pay?

-The buying tax, as far as I know, there's no difference.

I think if you build a new house, there's VAT to pay on it.

-Ah.

-Restoration is 10%. If you've got an old house and you're

restoring it, then VAT is 10%. If it's a new one, then it's full VAT.

What about the cost of living?

Have you been pleasantly surprised or shocked about

the cost of certain things?

Not about the cost of wine.

Wine is very reasonable, isn't it?

-And going out...

-Let's get it in perspective.

And going out to eat is really reasonable as well.

Things... Petrol, or diesel or fuel, that's very expensive here.

And you need it because you're out in the country here.

If you want to go anywhere, you need transport.

If I want to have a grump about something...

-A grump! The Post Office...

-Right.

..it's atrocious. It works, but...

-It's not reliable.

-It's not reliable.

-It's not all bad, is it?

-Oh, no, no.

What are the good points of living here?

Being in a place where everything is new.

I feel like a child in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory because

it's good just going shopping.

I don't know what I'm going to get...

The cheese and you come out with this type...

You don't get that in England and it's yummy.

LAUGHTER

And yummy's the word, as we continue to sample the local fare.

If, and when, Anita and Mark take the plunge and move to Abruzzo,

there are a few more considerations they'll need to bear in mind.

In terms of property, on average, buyers should

factor in an extra 10% of the purchase price for buying costs.

Registration tax is payable upon completion of the sale

and is charged at 3%.

However, the rate increases to 7% for those not becoming

a full-time resident, so make sure your status is clear.

On a practical level, if you do take on an older property,

get the travel adaptors ready, as you may be faced with up to

three different types of electrical sockets.

It's our final day searching for a rustic Italian house in this

glorious region of Abruzzo.

Yorkshire couple Anita and Mark have a good £300,000 budget

to make the dream a reality.

It's the first time they've been to this beguiling area but,

thankfully, it seems like it's been love at first sight.

-Ah, just look at that.

-I know. It's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-All the snow-capped mountains everywhere.

-It's just amazing.

-Nice views.

-Do you know what? It can't come soon enough, can it?

-Not now, no. Not now we've been here, no, definitely not.

-No.

I think you're going to find I'm going to be very tearful when we leave.

In fact, I'm filling up now thinking about it.

-It's the first time we've been, it's lovely, isn't it?

-It's magical.

-It's just... Everything about it is just magical.

-Yeah, it's nice.

You know, you just... Amazing.

-Hmm.

-Absolutely beautiful.

We'll move into a house tomorrow then.

Don't bother going back.

It won't be long. We've got to hold on to that, it won't be long.

We had some unseasonably heavy snowfall here in Abruzzo last week,

but it does point out the fact that, up here in the mountains,

we're about 500 metres above sea level,

it can get very cold in the winter.

Today is about five degrees, but in the summer, unusually, it's hotter

up here than it is down on the coast, getting up to 42/45 degrees.

So the Mystery House offers a very good ecological

solution to those extremes of temperature.

We've travelled back inland to the mouthful that is

Castiglione Messer Raimondo,

a hilltop town just eight miles shy of the Gran Sasso Mountains.

The town is perched 306 metres above sea level

and, whilst it's small, it does offer basic amenities.

With origins back to medieval times,

the sandstone houses cluster around the parish church of

San Nicola di Bari.

A few miles up the mountain road is our final and Mystery Property.

-Take a look. This is a very unusual property in Abruzzo.

-Wow.

-Different.

Different. Wow!

It's a completely eco house, so it's incredibly well-insulated.

Fabulous.

-So actually it's just log burners that heat it inside.

-Oh, lovely.

I wasn't expecting this type of house, this far up.

I was probably thinking more stone or rendered,

-like the previous ones we've looked at.

-Yeah.

-An old shack/farmhouse.

-Possibly, yeah.

So this is a real turn-up for the books.

Also, rather excitingly, the locals call this

-"The House of the Wolves."

-Oh, great.

Because when they moved in,

they saw a pack of wolves walk through the garden.

-BOTH: Wow.

-Shall we look inside?

-Oh, yes, please.

Built by an English couple in 2009,

this eco house is a high standard, energy-saving dwelling.

As Anita and Mark want to get back to some form of the good life,

perhaps this will appeal.

Inside, Anita's biggest bugbear is quickly dealt with.

Oh, big kitchen!

-Big kitchen, yeah. This is the biggest kitchen to date.

-Fabulous.

I like it, I like the lovely space.

I love the layout here. I think it's a fabulous layout.

-It's almost as big as the kitchen back home in Yorkshire, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Lots of unit space, which I love.

-It's as good, the kitchen, I think.

-Yeah.

-Even though it's modern, it's nice.

-But a different way.

-It's very different...

-We've got these lovely, kind of, pine beams throughout.

-Wonderful.

-So you notice the temperature difference.

-God, indeed.

And it's very clever because the insulation keeps it very cool.

-I love that smell of the wood.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

That smell, it's gorgeous.

If you come through here...

-This sort of space... It's pretty open-plan.

-Wow!

This is, obviously, the dining area, I would say.

Yeah, I can see how it works. I'm just like, yeah.

You need to have a look at the dining room table.

Have a look at the table and where it looks out on to.

Amazing, isn't it? Yeah, I know. LAUGHTER

-It's been positioned in a perfect place, hasn't it?

-Ideal place, isn't it?

-Yeah, perfect.

You see the log burners... You've got three big log burners.

This one has a back heater, so this does your hot water as well.

Downstairs, there's a great big cellar space that has,

what they call a, sort of, summer bedroom, because that's very cool

and, you know, built down into the ground.

And so in the summer that's the, kind of, coolest place in the house.

-Right.

-So you, kind of, move in accordance to the temperature.

-To the temperature...

-To the seasons, yes. That's interesting.

Could you imagine living here?

50... Maybe 70%.

I'm just not quite there with the 100%, but 70% so far, yeah.

On this ground floor, there is a separate sitting room

with its own wood-burning stove.

There's also a downstairs bathroom.

The first floor is accessed by an internal wooden staircase,

or an external one that makes the upper area self-contained,

if necessary.

There is a master bedroom on that side and this is, well,

it's sort of a little suite as you've got an entrance here

-and a door that comes up from the outside staircase.

-Right.

And then two very nice-sized bedrooms with amazing views

and then a family bathroom.

So we thought this would be ideal for when you have people to stay.

Compact and, yeah, there is a clever use of space.

I just don't know whether there's enough space.

I know that sounds bizarre.

I like to have family evenings, like the family round. It's just not...

I don't know if I could get everybody in comfortably.

Most of the time, I imagine, it would just be the two of you.

It would be, yes, yeah. It would only be...

Summer, if we're here in summer, and you've those sort of

temperatures, everybody's going to be outside, aren't they?

-That's very true.

-That's true.

Yeah, I'm just having a look at the view.

You're in love with the views. They are magnificent.

-The views are great, aren't they?

-Absolutely magnificent.

-Very good.

There's lots of lovely outside space to explore.

-So, even though it's cold, shall we go and do that?

-Yes, please.

Sounds good to me.

It's a great sign that Anita is picturing her big family

coming to visit.

But in this imaginary holiday,

space seems to be the issue, as there are just four bedrooms.

But, being set over 12 spectacular acres,

there's so much outside that works in this property's favour.

Oh, it's such a great view.

-Fabulous.

-Pretty much 360, isn't it?

-It's fabulous.

And the land, it's quite a big plot of land.

The whole of this hill is yours and this big field here and then,

sort of, just down again and around the bottom of this spur of land.

-Well, it's more than you expected, isn't it?

-Much more.

-So, yeah.

I'm having a look round, thinking what type of livestock could you

have on here. You'd have to have hill sheep...

Yes, you definitely would.

..with it being so steep everywhere.

-But this is the real feature, this amazing natural pond.

-Fabulous.

So no chemicals, water is cleaned by the plants on the edges.

But it's deep. It's two metres deep in the centre.

You could swim in there as well, then, that's good.

Oh, yeah, natural swimming pool.

And a very lovely sauna there as well.

Oh, just what I could do with right now.

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

-That's a tricky one, isn't it?

-Mmm.

-Er...275.

-249.

-You're very good, you're almost spot-on again,

-it's actually on the market for £247,000.

-OK, wow.

Which I think is a lot of house and property for just shy of £250,000.

-It is.

-It is.

-Yeah.

So you'd still have a chunk of change to do whatever you

-needed to or just to, kind of, live off.

-Certainly would.

It's food for thought. I...

It's got all the things that we love about it, the eco-life

-and everything, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

Why don't you have those conversations as you

walk round and I'll see you later?

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Coming in at around £50,000 under budget,

this hilltop haven boasts impressive eco-credentials,

from the insulation to the solar panels and the plants that

clean the pool.

There are...

-Look at that, a sauna.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

What does it say?

'Please keep door shut to stop the lizards going in.'

-Oh, right, OK.

-Summertime.

Lizards in the summertime, yeah, when it's warm.

Wow! That is just amazing.

-It's good, isn't it? It's big.

-Cor blimey. It's fabulous.

-How well done is this?!

-It's good.

About 90% of me liked the house.

There's plenty of land outside

and the idea of having your own bit of a forest to have a

rummage around in and get your own wood is quite appealing.

I don't know about if there's a lot of snow having to do that, though.

The house itself is beautiful. Everything about it is fabulous.

It's got a sauna, it's got the fantastic eco-pool.

I've got the kitchen, I'd have fabulous views.

Amazing design, apart from the family room,

that's the only thing that lets it down.

Ah, I was just admiring the view from up there -

-it's a great view too.

-Oh!

Oh, don't blame me. You're the one who doesn't like it.

-I know.

-But we've seen all the houses.

-We have.

-I know, amazing.

-It's come to an end.

-Let's go and find somewhere to mull them over.

-Yes, thank you.

-Right.

Hidden along Abruzzo's southern Adriatic shores is an area called

the Trabocchi Coast -

named after the angular wooden platforms

that punctuate the seafront.

And, in order to learn more about these irregular structures,

I've come to meet Fabrizio Lucci,

who specialises in getting foreign travellers face time with

local people, so that they can soak up true Abruzzi culture.

And, hopefully, a spot of lunch is on the cards too.

-This is an amazing thing.

-It's quite amazing.

It's a slightly puzzling structure. I don't quite know what it is. What am I looking at?

Trabocco is a fishing machine that

was created by local farmers that

were afraid to go to the sea.

So they realised that using the rocks, they could build a platform to

put some nets to get some fish.

And is it specific just to this part of Abruzzo?

Yes, only in this part of Abruzzo,

there is a big concentration of trabocchi.

Nowadays, there are around 27 trabocchi that are still working.

-So you're not a traboccanti.

-No, I'm not a traboccanti,

but I'm happy to introduce you to a real traboccanti that

grew up in the area.

-Can I meet him?

-Yes, of course.

In their heyday, there were up to 100 trabocchi along these shores.

Loosely translated as deep traps, they were originally cobbled

together using driftwood and Aleppo pine from nearby forests.

The makeshift structures would fall and be rebuilt over and over

as storms swept them away.

This particular trabocco took two years to build, though, thankfully,

local traboccanti Ronaldo

used much more robust materials than his forebears.

How does it work? Can we fish?

I'm a bit dazzled by the, sort of, spiderweb of all these wires.

But these metal wires are just supporting the wooden arms

-and it's these ropes that pull up the...

-Exactly, yes.

So there are six ropes that are supporting the net

and they go all to this machine. This machine is called Argano.

In more bountiful eras, a single trobocco could land

nearly 100 kilos of fish per day. But nowadays, particularly in these

chillier months, it's a more hopeful venture.

Operating on manpower alone, a series of ropes

and pulleys gently lower the net to the seabed.

It's very stylish.

English fishermen are usually covered in dirt and wellies...

He's looking fantastically Italian.

On a clear day, Ronaldo simply looks overboard to see

whether he's caught anything.

When that's not possible,

it's just a case of waiting 10-to-15 minutes and hoping for the best.

Oh!

Missed my moment.

It's a very civilised form of exercise.

It's a little bit tougher, but still very pleasant

compared to the life of trawlerman.

Stop, stop!

What did we get?

-Nothing.

-Nothing.

I'm sorry, Ronaldo, but it was beautiful.

The net is very beautiful. I can see how it would work.

Fortunately, Ronaldo's wife Maria is ready to start on plan B, fish soup.

She first takes a large terracotta dish and pours in some oil,

adding garlic and chopped tomatoes.

And into here goes a rich medley of local fish - red mullet,

scorpion fish, muscles, skate, cuttlefish, sea bream and calamari -

more tomatoes and peppers and then it's left to simmer.

30 minutes later, it's time to tuck in.

-Ah, bravissimo.

-Thank you.

Oh, Maria, that looks amazing!

Normally we have six or seven different kind of fish

in a good brodetto, but it depends on what you find.

This kind of dish was born in the hilltop town

on the Adriatic Coast of Vasto.

The fishermen used to meet, on their way to come back home, the farmers,

so they started to exchange fish with some vegetables.

So their wives started to mix fish and vegetables

and so was born the fish soup, brodetto alla vastese.

It's famous all over Italy.

Mmm. The sauce is so tasty, it's delicious.

-Thank you.

-Benissimo.

Quite a long day up and down the mountains, here in Abruzzo,

and now the crunch moment,

where we find out what Mark and Anita thought about our properties.

It was quite obvious often what Anita thought about them,

but I'm interested about Mark's views,

particularly about the Mystery House because I think he had

quite a soft spot on that property. Let's go and find out.

-Buonasera.

-Buonasera.

How are you doing at the end of our long week in Abruzzo?

-Excellent, thank you.

-What's come into focus for you?

-So many things.

-We now know we want to be here.

-Really?

Yeah, really, this is where we'll settle and retire.

-Really?

-Definitely. The sooner the better.

It's great because you'd never been here, so what is it that's leapt out at you?

What's been the deciding factor?

A couple of things - the people we've met along the way have been amazing,

the beautiful scenery we've seen here.

In fact, I don't want to go home.

-So, there you go. It's been wonderful.

-Going to stay?

-Yes.

It's been a great week in terms of property as well.

We've seen a whole spread of different properties.

-Which one is the contender?

-Property number two - it stole my heart.

It's just an amazing property - the olive grove,

the fantastic open fire.

It didn't have quite the kitchen,

but it had that wonderful cooker in it.

Then I took myself out of the box and thought, "I've got all that lovely outside space."

Are you on board with number two as well?

Number two is good. I still like number four, the Mystery House.

It's different and it's in a nice location.

What happens next?

-I think we need a second visit.

-Yes, yes.

-I think that's imperative.

We'll go to the location again.

The place we drove through was Penne and it was amazing.

Well, we'd love to see you move here as soon as possible.

And then you could come for coffee.

-When we do, we'll send you an invite.

-Yeah.

-Grazie mille.

-Prego.

I'm always a bit suspicious

when people come to buy a property in an area they've never

actually visited before, but I think that Mark and Anita have

really fallen in love with Abruzzo and I might add, so have I.

I've not been here before, I mean, the show's been here,

but it really is the most exceptional place for landscape,

great food and also very reasonable property prices.

Whether or not they make the move from Yorkshire, we'll have

to wait and see, but I really hope that they do and I hope you join us

for more Escape To The Continent.

Anita and Mark have returned home to push ahead with

getting their cottage and business sold.

They have already planned another trip out to

revisit their favourite house in Penne and hopefully,

within the year, they'll be tending their land

and cooking in the kitchen of their very own Aburzzo home.

We wish them the very best of luck.