When it comes to numerology and the spiritual meaning of numbers, no number seems to cause quite the same excitement as the number 5. Numerologists hail it as the most energetic and dynamic of all the single digit numbers, while the spiritual meaning deals with motion, travel and adventure. 5 is the number that draws attention to the wonder of life.

• 5 is the number of energy, travel and adventure
• 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom Casa Leopardi attracting attention in Le Marche
•  5-strong family team undertake stunning farmhouse renovation

It is perhaps no coincidence then that when Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, husband Michael Hobbs and their family left England in order to renovate a collection of tumbledown farm buildings in Le Marche, Italy, and turn them into two delightful fractional ownership properties, the number 5 began cropping up with noticeable regularity.

The spot that Dawn and her family settled on (“It called to me instantly, the moment I set eyes on it,” recalls Dawn), was the 5 acre Estate Giacomo Leopardi, located 5 minutes from the medieval hilltop town of Montefiore dell’Aso. 5 family members have been involved in the renovation – Dawn, Michael, their daughter India, her husband Charlie and 5 year old grandson Lucas.

Having formed their fractional ownership company, Appassionata, Dawn and family began the lengthy process of restoring the ruined farm buildings, salvaging original materials wherever possible. It was during the restoration of Casa Leopardi – the second of the two properties to be completed – that 5 tiny puppies were discovered abandoned on the estate. Dawn took a break from planting the estate’s 5 varieties of lavender in order to ensure each puppy was relocated to a loving home.

Casa Leopardi is a 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom luxury holiday home with its own 5 x 5 meter private swimming pool. Each owner’s fraction allows them 5 weeks’ exclusive use of the property per year, in addition to a share of the wine, truffles, lavender oil and olive oil produced from the estate. The property has 5 parking spaces and is perfect for large, extended family breaks or holidaying with friends. Dawn comments,

“We designed Casa Leopardi with both relaxation and luxury in mind, capturing the charm of rural Italy and creating a home away from home for our owners. We want the owners to begin enjoying the property the moment they arrive and we’ve planned it accordingly, with an emphasis on light and space throughout, plus plentiful terraces for outdoor entertaining. It’s not surprising the number 5 keeps cropping up, given the focus on enjoying the wonders of life that have been built into the property!”

5 of Casa Leopardi’s 10 shares have sold, leaving 5 for sale at the current special price of £185,000 (the other house on the estate, Casa Giacomo, is now fully sold). Those in search of dynamism, travel and adventure need look no further – Casa Leopardi has it all.

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

Italy has unquestionably experienced painful economic times during the last few years, suffering the longest recession that the country has known since World War II. However, a range of signs have recently pointed to the first tentative steps towards recovery, against a backdrop of the wider Eurozone finally edging out of recession with growth of 0.3% in the three months to June.

• Industrial orders from abroad jump 9.4% in May (Industry Week)
• Consumer confidence races ahead of expectations to 97.3 in July (ISTAT)
• Business confidence leading Europe at 2.9 points in July (Economic Sentiment Indicator)

Although the Italian economy continued to contract during the second quarter of 2013, it shrank less than analysts were expecting, with gross domestic product falling just 0.2% from the previous quarter. Industrial production has seen growing upward momentum, with Industry Week reporting that orders have risen three months in a row, including an impressive 3.2% jump in May compared with the previous month. Industrial orders from abroad have risen most sharply, up 9.4% in May when compared with the previous year and 4% month-to-month. The shift backs EU data from June, when the Eurozone survey on manufacturing purchasing manager sentiment signalled a more positive outlook for Italian manufacturing.

Italy’s financial sector is also looking up, with chief executive of the country’s largest bank – UniCredit – observing that Italy is seeing some positive signs. UniCredit’s large corporate clients have begun to look for acquisitions, foreign companies are investing in Italy exports are holding up and deposits are rising, all of which points to the troubled Italian economy beginning to turn around. Ignazio Visco, governor of the Bank of Italy, has also shown cautious optimism.

Politically, the fledgling government is also making progress. In July Premier Enrico Letta’s coalition government won the confidence vote it needed in the Lower House to proceed with its ‘To Do’ decree – a raft of measures to be urgently put into action in order to help revive the economy.

Consumer confidence is increasing as well, and at a faster rate than expected. The headline consumer confidence index from national statistics bureau ISTAT rose to 97.3 in July, well above the 96.0 median forecast in a Reuters survey of analysts. In particular, sentiment regarding the current economic conditions improved significantly.

Business confidence has mirrored consumer confidence, with the Economic Sentiment Indicator showing a rise of 2.9 points in optimism among Italian business from June to July – more than double the Eurozone average (of 1.2 points) and the highest level of the nations surveyed.

These increasingly positive factors are combining to lead foreign investors to look very closely at Italy’s housing market. With the country on the brink of turning around its economic situation, many foreigners are looking to snap up holiday home bargains before Italy emerges from its recession and prices begin to rise again.

After such a long recession, there are certainly some incredible bargains to be had in Italy at the moment. Casa Leopardi, a five bedroom/five bathroom luxury property set in a five acre estate is an excellent example. With its own private pool and grounds that include olive groves, vineyards, a lavender plantation and a truffle orchard, the fractional ownership holiday home is attracting considerable attention, with each fraction costing just £185,000 for five weeks’ exclusive use of the property per year. Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, founder of family-run Appassionata which has renovated the property, comments:

“Many people are viewing now as the perfect time to buy in Italy. With economic recovery on the horizon, house prices are sure to rise, so we are seeing a considerable surge in interest as foreigners look to buy a holiday home here before that happens.”

Returning to a growth state may still be some way off, but with so many positive indications present, it is hard to dispute the fact that Italy seems to be on the brink of a turnaround in its fortunes, causing savvy buyers to act fast while they still have time.

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs and her family moved from the UK to Italy in 2007, to found their luxury fractional ownership business, Appassionata. They chose to settle in the central region of Le Marche, within easy reach of both the magnificent Sibillini Mountains and the glittering Adriatic Sea.

With ancient buildings, world-class cuisine and soaring summer temperatures, Le Marche is fast becoming a popular Italian holiday destination, with the Guardian recently describing it as ‘a gorgeous and affordable region to explore.’ As someone who is familiar with the hidden gems of the area, as well as its obvious treasures, Dawn shares her top ten tips for getting the most out of the region.

        1.       A trip into the mountains is a must. In the summer months the views are incredible and in the winter, skiing and snowboarding are available in the Sibillini National Park for those of a more active nature.

        2.       The medieval hilltop town of Montefiore dell’Aso is a key place to visit for anyone wanting to experience the true essence of ancient Italy. The Portale Della Pinnova and the Church of St Francis, with its 14th century frescoes and beautiful cloisters, are essential viewing.

        3.       Food festivals abound in Le Marche throughout the summer months and it would be a crime to visit the area without participating in one. The Cupramontana grape festival in the heart of Verdicchio wine country in September is always good fun.

        4.       Tracking down and visiting the local artisans in whichever part of Le Marche you are in should definitely be a priority. One of my favourite local artisan’s makes beautiful woven leather handbags, working from a tiny workshop alongside his elderly parents. Seeking out local artisans ensures you will source some beautiful and unique products and see the best that Italian craftsmanship has to offer.

        5.       Horse riding in Le Marche is a great way to enjoy the stunning countryside. I’m lucky enough to have my own horses, but for those just visiting the area there are a number of ranches and riding schools where horses can be hired. For those who prefer an engine power, quad biking is also very popular.

        6.       If the weather is unkind, a trip to the Grotte di Frasassi is the perfect rainy day activity. It’s Italy’s largest cave complex and features Europe’s biggest single cavern – the Grotta Grande del Vento. The tour prices are very reasonable and there are some amazing stalagmites and stalactites to be seen.

        7.       For those looking to enjoy some of Italy’s famous tastes, wine and olive oil tours and tasting sessions are held regularly. The Azienda Agricola Mognon winery tour in Castel Colonna includes a generous number of tastings, as well as a trip to the nearby olive oil producer Frantoio Montedoro. Of course at Appassionata our fractional owners are able to share in the wine and olive oil produced on our own estate!

       8.       Attending the Macerata open-air festival during the summer months is essential for all opera lovers. The amphitheatre is spectacular and listening to the famous arias surrounded by candlelight, with the stars overhead, is a truly magical experience.

       9.       Of course no trip to Le Marche would be complete without sampling the traditional dishes of Le Marche. The nearby town of Pedaso is the mussel capital of Italy, locally made salami’s and cheese’s, organic fruit and vegetables are the highlight of Le Marche’s cuisine. I love long evening meals spent at Re Squarchiò in Petritoli, with views of the town’s 15^th century arches.

      10.   Finally, visiting one of Le Marche’s 29 Blue Flag beaches is a great way to relax and bask in the sun. Pedaso, Cupra Marittima and Grottamare are three of my particular favourites.

For the owners of Appassionata’s Casa Giacomo and Casa Leopardi, all this and more is opened up to them for five weeks of every year, when they stay in their luxurious Italian second home near Montefiore dell’Aso. Although Casa Giacomo is fully sold, a couple of fractions of Casa Leopardi are still available, for the special price of £185,000. Those looking to explore Le Marche in the near future can also take advantage of Appassionata’s offer of two years of free maintenance fees (worth over £7,500) for purchases completed before September 2013.

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

Across the globe, multi-generational living is on the increase. Classed as more than two generations of a family living in the same household, multi-generational living is a common practice in many countries but in the western it saw a steep decline after the end of World War II, when newly affluent youngsters began to take advantage of mortgages and fly the nest earlier. Now, however, the tough economic climate is leading to a swift return to the traditional, multi-generational home.

• 30% increase in UK multi-generational households in past decade (ONS)
• 10.5% increase in US multi-generational households from 2007-2009 (Pew Research Center)
• 73% of Italian men aged 18-34 lived in their parents´ home in 2007 (K Newman)

In the US, according to the Pew Research Center, some 28 million Americans (12% of the population) lived in multi-generational households in 1980. By 2008 the figure had risen to 49 million, or 16% of the population. 2009 saw it jump further – to 51 million – a staggering increase of 10.5% from the 2007 figure.

The UK figures mirror those in the US. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of multi-generational UK households has risen 30% in the last decade. Research from the Intergenerational Foundation think tank has found that 500,000 households in the UK now contain three or more generations of family, with the figure expected to rise to 556,000 by 2019.

Across Europe, particularly in countries with less strong welfare state systems, families are stepping in to act as a buffer between their children and the forces of the global market. Katherine Newman, dean of the school of arts and sciences at Johns Hopkins University and author of “The Accordian Family: Boomerang Kids, Anxious Parents and the Private Toll of Global Competition,” observed a recent surge in the number of young adults staying with their family well into their late 20s and early 30s. Using Italy as an example, Newman found that 73% of Italian males aged 18-34 lived in their parent’s home in 2007. Of those, 37% were aged 30-34.

Having lived in the US, UK and Italy during the past two decades, Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs and husband Michael Hobbs have observed the benefits multi-generational living in all three countries. Now settled in Italy’s Le Marche region, Dawn and Michael live with their son Sebastian, while their daughter India, son-in-law Charlie and grandson Lucas live just around the corner. Dawn comments,

“The global economic situation has led to many more families choosing to live together to support each other. The social benefits are wonderful as well. While we don’t live in the same household as our grandson, we are only a few doors away, meaning we get to spend a wonderful amount of quality time with him. It’s also great for India and Charlie, as we can babysit Lucas whenever they need.”

Although they no longer live in the same household, Dawn and Michael have founded a multi-generational business with their family. Their company – Appassionata – runs two fractional ownership properties on the idyllic Estate Giacomo Leopardi in Le Marche. India and Charlie help Dawn and Michael manage the business, while grandson Lucas loves nothing more than to help with harvesting the produce from the estate’s vineyards, olive groves, lavender plantation and truffle orchard. India explains,

“Running a family business with three generations involved is a wonderful endeavour. It’s great to work together with the people you love to build something for the future. For Appassionata, it’s also lovely to see several generations of our owners’ family coming out to Italy to enjoy their holidays together.”

Casa Leopardi – the only one of Appassionata’s two houses with fractions still available – is a five bedroom/five bathroom renovated farmhouse set across three floors and with its own pool. Owners enjoy five weeks’ exclusive use of the house every year, along with a share in the estate’s produce. Five-year-old grandson Lucas has his own thoughts on the family’s multi-generational Italian enterprise,

“I like the sun and the flowers and the olives, but the olives are my best!”

A few fractions of Casa Leopardi are still available for purchase, for the special price of £185,000. Any purchases completed before September 2013 will also benefit from the promotional offer of two years’ free maintenance fees, worth over £7,500.

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

British tourists have long been fans of beach holidays, whether at home or abroad. The second edition of TravelSupermarket´s Travel Trends Tracker confirmed the fact, with survey respondents classing the beach as their top holiday destination for 2013 (27% of votes). The months of June, July and August were the most popular for holidays planned in 2013, with 42% of respondents intending to take their holidays then – presumably due to the combination of better weather and school summer holidays.

• Almost 38 million tourists visited Italy in 2011 (World Tourism Organization)
• Italy has over 6% of the world’s Blue Flag beaches (FEE)
• Chinese visitors to Italy nearly doubled in just 3 years (World Tourism Organization)

For those holidaying outside of the UK, Italy remains high on the list of popular countries, receiving just under 38 million visitors in 2011, according to World Tourism Organization’s latest Yearbook of Tourism Statistics. The World Bank has confirmed the country’s popularity, ranking it the world’s fifth most popular tourist destination.

So what is it that Italy has that enables it to capture the hearts of so many? It is perhaps easier to ask what it doesn’t have! Gourmet cuisine and world-class wines, incredible scenery and breath-taking buildings loaded with history, hot weather and safe, clean beaches – Italy has it all!

Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, British founder of fractional ownership company Appassionata, who moved to Italy with her family in 2007, explains the country’s draw,

“There’s just something about Italy that delights the senses. The sights, the sounds, the scents… this country has so much to offer. My family and I have settled in Le Marche, nestled between the Sibillini Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. The beaches near us are incredible – within just 10 km we have Pedaso, Cupra Marittima and Grottamare, all of which are Blue Flag beaches, so perfect for days out with the family.”

The Blue Flag is awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to beaches which meet strict criteria in relation to safety, water quality, environmental management and other factors. The Le Marche region has an impressive total of 29 Blue Flags, out of 248 in total across Italy. But, as Dawn comments, it’s not just the beach that attracts visitors to Italy,

“Spending time outdoors in the sunshine, engaging in healthy and fulfilling activities, is such a key part of Italian life. At Appassionata we have built this traditional lifestyle into the design of properties, to enable our owners to get the most out of their holidays here.”

Casa Giacomo and Casa Leopardi, the two dream homes that Dawn’s family have renovated, are set in five acres of land, which features olive groves, a lavender plantation, a truffle orchard and a 48 row vineyard. Owners – who have exclusive use of their chosen property for five weeks of every year – share in the estate’s organic produce and are welcomed to join in the seasonal activities related to nurturing and harvesting the crops. The vineyard, once mature, should produce around 5,000 bottles of wine per year, which will be shared between just 20 owners.

It is the availability of properties with vineyards – and the produce thereof – which has led to an interesting trend in Italy’s tourism figures. Based on the World Tourism Organization’s latest Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Chinese visitors to Italy have increased dramatically in recent years, from just under 700,000 in 2009 to almost 1.3 million in 2011.

The steep rise may well be linked to the growing fondness across China and Hong Kong for overseas homes with vineyards, which has this year led auction house Christie’s to launch Vineyards by Christie’s International Real Estate specifically for the Asian market. The service combines Christie’s real estate and fine wines divisions in the first offering of its kind.

So from Chinese tycoons investing in vineyards to British families snatching a few weeks in the sun, it seems as if Italy has something for everyone – it is a country truly deserving of its reputation as one of the most popular places on the planet.

Appassionata currently has a few fractions available for purchase in the five bedroom/five bathroom Casa Leopardi, for the special price of just £185,000. Any purchases completed before September 2013 will benefit from the additional offer of two years’ free maintenance fees – a discount of over £7,500.

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

Italy has long been the favourite holiday destination for many nations. With beautiful beaches, stunning scenery and gourmet gastronomy, it is a country with something for everyone.

• Italy ranked 2^nd top European country for tourism (Eurostat)
• And 5^th most popular destination globally (The World Bank)
• 14% increase in foreign property buyers in 2012 worth €2.1 billion (Scenari Immobiliari)

Indeed its position as a top-ranking holiday location has been doubly confirmed of late. First, data from The World Bank, which examined almost every country across the globe, placed Italy as the fifth most popular world tourist destination. New figures from Eurostat then placed Italy as the joint second (tied with France) European country for tourism.

The figures are further supported by the latest residential research report from Knight Frank, which state that sales volumes in 2012/13 have strengthened, as international buyers look for long-term lifestyle purchases rather than short-term investment gains. International Residential Researcher Kate Everett-Allen comments,

“Despite the economic malaise, Knight Frank’s Italian team agreed a record number of sales in 2012/13, up by 50% year-on-year.”

To those familiar with Italy, the data will come as no surprise. It is a country of many faces, from the bustle of the big cities with their ancient architecture, to the refreshing simplicity of rural life in an idyllic setting. Of course the balmy climate – a key factor in many visitors’ choice of holiday destination – also adds to Italy’s charms.

Buying a second home in Italy has become increasingly attractive to foreign buyers. According to data from the Scenari Immobiliari research institute, 2012 saw an increase of 14% in second home sales to overseas buyers, with sales totalling €2.1 billion. The majority of buyers (almost 40%) were German, while 18% were British and 13% Russian.

This mix of foreign buyers is supported by new flights to many of Italy’s airports, with Russia’s Sheremetyevo International Airport recently announcing its summer flight schedule, which includes flights to a range of Italian airports. Italy’s Ancona airport is attracting particular interest, with Montenegro Airlines operating charters there during the summer months and Darwin Airline beginning four daily flights from Ancona to Rome from June 2013 in a code share with Alitalia. Flights to Ancona also operate from Albania, Germany, Belgium, Egypt, England and Sweden, as well as numerous internal Italian destinations.

Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, founder of family-run company Appassionata, which offers fractional ownership of its two luxury properties in Italy’s beautiful Le Marche region (accessed by Ancona airport), has noticed this interesting mix of nationalities amongst her properties’ owners. Dawn comments,

“The owners of the fractions in our two houses – Casa Giacomo and Casa Leopardi – are from a variety of countries. We have Swiss, Italian, Scottish, Irish, English, American and French owners at present. The fact that Le Marche can be accessed from so many places is an important factor for those looking to buy here. Of course, the idyllic Italian rural lifestyle and endless summer sunshine also play their part!”

Casa Leopardi (the only property with fractions still available) is a five bedroom, five bathroom ‘home away from home’ that has been sympathetically restored from the land’s original tumbledown farmhouse. It shares the five acre estate, which comes complete with vineyards, a lavender plantation, olive groves and a truffle orchard, with Casa Giacomo and nothing more, allowing room for plenty of spectacular panoramic views of the nearby Adriatic Sea and the distant Sibillini Mountains.

In addition to a private swimming pool and use of the estate’s all-weather tennis and basketballs courts, Casa Leopardi’s owners benefit from access to some of Italy’s prettiest stretches of sand, with three blue flag beaches within 10 km on the property. An abundance of restaurants and shops selling fresh, local produce, both at the beaches and in the nearby town of Montefiore dell´Aso, provide the perfect setting for a range of relaxed dining options.

Casa Leopardi itself is a delightful mix of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary, luxury living. The spacious, open plan rooms feature brick archways, beamed and vaulted ceilings and terracotta tiled floors, in authentic Italian style, while interior designer Dawn has maximised the balance of light and space in every room and filled the house with unique touches.

Only a couple of fractions in Casa Leopardi remain available. Appassionata is currently offering them for the special price of just £185,000, which includes five weeks’ exclusive use of the house every year, as well as a share in the organic produce from the estate. For sales completed before September, Appassionata is also offering two years of free maintenance fees (a discount worth around £7,600).

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

The modern world can be a hectic place. Demanding jobs, social engagements and household chores all erode the amount of quality time that families are able to spend together. The Disney Time Survey, conducted by leading research firm Kelton in February 2013, found that 71% of US parents would like to spend more time with their children and almost 50% of them felt that only half of the time they do spend with their children could be classed as ‘quality time.’ On holiday, however, this figure jumps to 82%.

• 71% of parents would like to spend more time with their children (Disney Time)
• 94% of parents feel that a regular schedule of family vacations is important
• Sales of Italian second homes to foreign buyers soar 14% in 2012 (Scenari Immobiliari)

The survey emphasised the importance of taking time out as a family, a finding echoed in the UK by insurance giant AVIVA’s own findings, released in April this year. The AVIVA survey found that half of UK holidaymakers travel with extended family and friends in order to grab some of the much-needed quality time that modern living denies them.

The conclusions drawn from the Disney Time Survey were the same, with 94% of respondents believing that a regular schedule of family vacations is important. Furthermore, AVIVA found that by far the most popular choice was a relaxing beach holiday.

Given this preference, and the Sunday Times’ recent description of Le Marche as, “everything you want from an Italian summer stay,” it is easy to see why family-run company Appassionata has chosen the delightful Estate Giacomo Leopardi as the site for its two luxurious fractional ownership holiday homes. Nestled in the heart of Le Marche and only ten minutes from the Adriatic coast, Casa Giacomo and Casa Leopardi offer the perfect location for a family holiday.

The fractional nature of the properties, which come complete with swimming pools, tennis court, basketball court and landscaped gardens, means that owners can enjoy exclusive use of the house they purchase a fraction in for five full weeks every year. The arrangement ensures that all-important, quality family time is enjoyed, as Boston-based owner Jill Karp observes,

“I returned to Italy again with my family last July. They were all so pleased and loved the property so much it was hard to get them to go elsewhere! We enjoyed relaxing in the pool, playing a game of tennis or just reading in the beautiful countryside. We had wonderful lunches on the patio and savoured all that the property had to offer.”

Appassionata’s founder, Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, also emphasised the properties’ suitability for family vacations,

“Most of our owners use their property to gather their family and friends together, often from all over the world. They all love sharing their Italian home and giving a tour of the area, taking their loved ones to the fabulous restaurants on the beach and in the medieval towns close to the mountains. The properties are very popular with grandchildren: they love the nearby sandy beaches, swimming pools and tennis court. Skiing and sledging in the Sibillini Mountains are big hits in the winter, while getting close to nature as a family, through grape and olive picking and lavender harvesting on the estate is really popular. Both adults and children learn a lot about the processes involved and these activities make a fabulous break from electronics!”

And indeed it seems that now is the ideal time to invest in Italian property. The recent Scenari Immobiliari research institute study showed sales of Italian second homes to foreign buyers increased by an impressive 14% in 2012, with investors taking advantage of lowered prices to snap up their dream holiday homes. Increasingly, according to the summer 2012 survey from Engel& Voelkers and HomeAway.com, such investments are being seen as a form of retirement savings (by 43% of respondents) and as a hedge against inflation (24%).

But for American owner Deb Gale the family element was the most important factor,

“You cannot help but love the food, the wine, the restaurants and the markets but images of our daughters and a recent fresh pasta making lesson in our farmhouse kitchen at Casa Leopardi lingers even longer.”

Although Casa Giacomo is fully sold, a few fractions of the five bedroom/five bathroom Casa Leopardi remain available, for the current special price of just £175,000. For sales completed before September, Appassionata is also offering two years of free maintenance fees (a discount worth around £7,600). For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

Although it is still very early days for Italy’s new government, it is refreshing to see the first signs of progress for the economically troubled country, after months of political deadlock. Prime Minister Enrico Letta has caused cautious optimism in global markets, with borrowing costs on Italy’s 10-year bonds dropping below 4% for the first time since 2010.

The recent commitment by Letta to reduce the burden on tax payers will have come as welcome news to Italy’s citizens. In particular, the commitment to halt the June instalment of the controversial IMU property tax will come as a relief to both existing home owners across the country and potential buyers.

Although Italian real estate prices have suffered in recent years – the Federation of Professional Estate Agents’ 2012 data showed total values had fallen by almost 12% – industry experts feel that they have begun to stabilise, going so far as to predict no change in prices over the course of 2013.

The luxury property market is looking even more hopeful, with one online high end property sales company reporting in April 2013 an increase in demand of 5% for luxury Italian properties in the last 12 months, further fuelled by the recent news that Italy will be leasing its disused castles, islands and fortresses to ambitious developers looking to bring in a further influx wealthy tourists.

While investors are becoming increasingly confident in the Italian property market, high end properties don’t have to cost the earth. Family-run company Appassionata is offering la dolce vita for just a fraction of the cost. Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, the company’s founder, explains,

“Appassionata’s Estate Giacomo Leopardi in Le Marche is host to two delightful fractional ownership properties – Casa Giacomo, which is now fully sold, and Casa Leopardi, of which a few fractions remain. Our ethos in renovating the properties was to offer the highest standards of indulgent Italian living at affordable prices, creating a ‘home away from home’ for our owners.”

Casa Leopardi is a five bedroom, five bathroom house laid out over three floors. Carefully positioned terraces provide idyllic spots for outdoor dining, while owners also benefit from the estate’s swimming pool, tennis courts and landscaped gardens. They also share in the produce from the estate’s extensive grounds, which include vineyards, a truffle plantation, a lavender plantation and olive groves. With fractions in Casa Leopardi costing just £175,000 for five weeks’ exclusive occupancy every year, the Italian dream is within reach once again.

Interior designer Dawn’s passion for creating an authentic Italian luxury home is easy to see. Casa Leopardi is bursting with traditional touches, including bespoke work by local artisans and a fabulous collection of antiques. Dawn continues,

“I have scoured Italy for genuine antique pieces for the house, to ensure a traditional feel. Casa Leopardi features 400 year old stone lintels from a palace in Abruzza, and antique farmhouse door with original fittings and Liberty floor tiles dating back to the early 19^th century.”

Within the house, Dawn has carefully balanced modern convenience with antique touches. One bedroom is home to blue velvet chairs from Turin, still featuring their original paintwork from 150 years ago. A 100 year old crystal chandelier from Milan hangs from the living room’s vaulted ceiling. Antique chests of drawers, mirrors, wall lights and rugs also feature, along with three delightful ceramic jars from San Benedetto, which were handmade almost 200 years ago.

The overall result is spectacular – authentic, luxurious Italian living at a price that won’t break the bank. Thus while Italy takes its first baby steps towards economic recovery, smart investors can snap up Casa Leopardi’s fractions at the current special price to grab their own portion of the Italian dream.

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com

While the UK reels from more news of horsemeat posing as beef and ‘unidentifiable’ meat being served by an Indian restaurant, Italy is known around the world for its fabulous cuisine, which places an emphasis on high quality, natural ingredients. The Italian diet is an extremely healthy one. According to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, Italy ranks 10th in terms of life expectancy by country, way above the UK (30th), the European Union average (36th) and the US (51st). The World Factbook also reveals that Italy is one of the countries with the lowest level of obesity, coming in at 56th place out of the 70 countries included in the data.

A central reason behind the healthy Italian lifestyle is diet. Food is sourced locally wherever possible and fresh, natural produce is the order of the day. Massive regional diversity exists within the country, as dishes are made from local ingredients and thus vary from place to place.

In a country so devoted to food, Italy’s Le Marche region nonetheless stands out from the crowd for its joyful celebration of all things edible. The area’s dishes have evolved from hearty peasant food, taking ingredients like stale bread (in order to avoid waste) and turning them into spectacular gastronomic feats. Le Marche’s cuisine showcases the wonderful abundance of products available in this region nestled between over 100 km of sandy coastline and the Sibillini Mountains. Truffles are the particular speciality, but mushrooms, game, fish and nuts all feature strongly in the area’s dishes. Local cheeses, olive oils and wines also abound. The food of Le Marche is in fact so acclaimed that it was the subject of a six-part bilingual television series, Cookucina, in 2012.

For Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs, founder of family-run company Appassionata, Le Marche’s heavenly foodie reputation was a big factor in her decision to settle in that area of Italy.

“Le Marche is alive with festivals and outdoor celebrations from spring through to Christmas. Many of these are gastronomy and wine events, dedicated to a particular product, such as the Festa del Vino Cotto (cooked wine festival), while others celebrate a wide variety of the region’s food, such as La Castagnata at Montemonaco with seemingly endless stalls of local food and wine.”

Over the summer months, Le Marche will hold literally dozens of food festivals. June is the month for the pecorino cheese festival, July celebrates pizza, trout, pasta and stuffed flatbreads, while August features quails, wild boar, chickpeas, rabbit, mussels, veal and much, much more – and this is just a small proportion of the total number of festivals that will be held in the region during 2013.

Dawn was keen to ensure that her properties – Casa Giacomo and Casa Leopardi, on the delightful Estate Giacomo Leopardi – were as committed to gastronomy as the rest of the region. Both properties have been sympathetically restored from rustic farmhouses by interior designer Dawn and her family. Appassionata is now offering them as fractional holiday homes, with the final few shares in Casa Leopardi available for £175,000 for five weeks’ exclusive use and a share in the produce from the estate’s truffle orchard, lavender plantation, olive groves and vineyard large enough to produce 5,000 bottles of wine per year. Dawn continues,

“Everything about the food here is delightfully local. Fruit and vegetables are grown on an allotment at the end of the road from the estate. Fish is available early each morning from the fishermen on Pedaso beach, just 10 minutes away, and handmade pasta, local meat and fresh bread can all be purchased in the neighbouring medieval town of Montefiore dell´Aso.

“It has been horrible watching the unfolding of the UK’s disastrous meat-related news. The contrast with what we have here is just incredible – it makes me very glad to be in Le Marche!”

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775, visit www.appassionata.com or take a video tour of Casa Leopardi.

Everyone daydreams at some point of owning a home abroad – perhaps some run-down farmhouse in the middle of a vineyard that they can lovingly restore and turn into their perfect holiday home in the sunshine.

Indeed the latest research report from HomeAway.co.uk / Savills International has shown that for increasing numbers, the daydream has become a reality with the number of UK households owning overseas property rising from less than 200,000 to well over 450,000 in the decade from 2000 to 2010. In addition, it is estimated that 1.3 million British nationals could live overseas by 2025.

For interior designer Dawn Cavanagh-Hobbs and her husband Michael Hobbs, who together with their family run Appassionata, the dream became reality back in 2007 when they moved to Italy to renovate a ramshackle farmhouse in the pretty hilltop village of Montefiore dell´Aso. Situated in the Le Marche region, described recently by The Guardian as ‘a gorgeous and affordable region to explore,’ the Estate Giacomo Leopardi offered Dawn and Michael everything they were searching for.

Dawn explains,

“We wanted a serious project – something that would inspire us while allowing us to work closely with local Italian craftsmen. Estate Giacomo Leopardi was perfect. We have been able to turn the crumbling buildings into two stunning houses, while ensuring that original rustic features were retained.”

When Appassionata arrived, the farmhouse and outbuildings were derelict and unloved but Dawn recalls she instantly had ‘the feeling’ and knew that the estate was perfect. The first of the two houses (Casa Giacomo) was a new build on the site of a former pig sty, using traditional Italian building methods and materials, including old bricks, stone and terracotta roof and floor tiles.

Casa Leopardi was renovated from the dilapidated 150 year old farmhouse. The original house had a typical rural Italian property setup, with living accommodation upstairs and open plan animal quarters on the ground floor, which provided the perfect place for Dawn to stable her horses for the first year before Casa Leopardi’s renovation began.

The outer walls of the farmhouse remain and many of the original materials were rescued and used elsewhere in the house. Although the original windows and shutters were beyond saving, a local joiner was able to replicate them for the finished house. Dawn, who never throws anything away, has stored the remains and will one day turn them into cupboards.

Appassionata’s sympathetic restoration has ensured that an abundance of original features have been retained. Casa Leopardi showcases many traditional aspects of Italian design, including brick archways, Venetian plaster, beamed and vaulted ceilings and terracotta tiled floors. The kitchen was designed and hand-built specifically for the house and opens out onto a delightful shaded terrace, which is perfect for alfresco dining while gazing out towards the sea.

The upper floors of Casa Leopardi have been turned into five en-suite double bedrooms. Three have French doors leading onto spacious outdoor terraces, while one of the bathrooms features a corner fireplace and free-standing bath. Appassionata has been careful to ensure a balance of traditional and modern touches. Thus while Casa Leopardi reflects the very essence of rural Italian living, it also has a small gym, fully equipped utility room and its own private pool.

Now that the renovation work is complete, Appassionata is selling shares through fractional ownership, allowing others to be a part of the dream Italian lifestyle. All shares in Casa Giacomo have already been snapped up and only a few shares in Casa Leopardi remain available, such has been the popularity of the restoration work.

One of the most time-consuming and expensive tasks of the whole project was the landscaping. Sloping farmland and a neglected 35 year old vineyard were slowly transformed into gardens, rockeries, terraces, steps, swimming pools and a tennis court. The estate also now includes a lavender plantation, truffle orchard, replanted vineyards and olive groves, the produce of which is shared by the houses’ fractional owners.

Michael commented on the horticultural progress,

“The 2012/13 grape harvest has seen the first production from our newly planted vineyards result in 1,600 bottles of wine. As the vines mature we expect the production to rise to some 5,000 bottles per year – plenty to share between just 20 owners!”

By offering fractional ownership, Appassionata has allowed a lucky few families to experience rural Italian life in the most luxurious of settings. While a few fractions of Casa Leopardi remain for sale at the special offer price of £175,000, the increasing number of people owning a second home overseas means that those wanting to turn their Italian daydream into a reality will need to move fast indeed!

For more information contact Appassionata on 0039 073 465 8775 or visit http://www.appassionata.com