OUR PHILOSOPHY On the property of our ancestral home "La Collina" are several old farmhouses, long since abandoned as tractors and technology have transformed the way we use the land. One by one, my husband and I are changing them to holiday homes, with the expert help of my sister, Bettina, an architect whose speciality has been restoring the historical buildings of Florence. We have taken every care to preserve the original appearance of the buildings, renewing the roofs with classic terracotta tiles, with new windows and shutters from our own chestnut woods, and repairing walls with the local stone. Also inside the houses, the original character has been retained. But we have ensured that there is every comfort and convenience for the way we live today: gas-fired central heating, adequate power points, fully-equipped kitchens with dishwashers, utility rooms with washing machines, satellite television. New floors and kitchen and bathroom walls are clad in tiles made in nearby Faenza, famous for its ceramics since the 14th century. Each house has a pool, and is equipped for outdoor living. We have furnished with things we ourselves love, expecting that our guests will appreciate and respect the quality of living such surroundings offer. You will find detailed descriptions of these homes on the following pages. A quality they all share is extraordinary views. The "La Collina" estate is some 650 mt. above sea level on the Appenine ridge. In the valley to the north is the tiny Tuscan village of Lutirano, on the other side 3kms down the hill in Romagna, is Tredozio, our hometown, one kilometre from end to end. It has butchers, bakers, general stores, bars and banks. A local family owns "Henry's", the pizzeria that is a favourite eating place. At the other end of town, is the Restaurant "Il Mulino" which boasts a Star in the famous Michelin guide. On summer evenings, in the ancient courtyard of the" Palazzo Fantini", in Tredozio, there are concerts ranging from jazz to chamber music organised by the province's cultural department. There are public tennis courts in Tredozio, golf courses at Forlì, and Milano Marittima on the Adriatic, and trails for mountain biking, horse-riding and trekking. A pleasant walk through the woods from La Collina leads to the Urrai family farm, where flocks of sheep and goats supply milk to make cheeses in the traditional Sardinian way. On a pretty drive towards Portico di Romagna you pass a farm of beehives where the Rocchi family produce honey flavoured by the local products such as sunflowers, chestnuts and peaches. This is not the Chiantishire of souvenir shops and Leaning Tower T-shirts; this is the" real, rural and peaceful" Italy. Ravenna and the Adriatic coast are 45 minutes away: Florence and the other historical Tuscan cities are within easy reach; the beautiful, bustling city of Bologna, often overlooked on the tourist trail, is just over an hour away. As a break from driving, we advise use of the excellent train services from Faenza. Alitalia and British Airways fly to Bologna; Ryanair has a twice- daily service from Stansted to Forlì, just 40 minutes drive from Tredozio. Now, let me tell you about the accommodations. Included in the basic prices, each house is cleaned twice a week, bed linen is changed once a week. Options include more frequent services, and cooking of local dishes for you by arrangement. And, by special request, Signor Gentilini, owner of the Restaurant Il Mulino, the one with a Michelin star, will cook a typical 19th century dinner for you to be served at La Collina. The family name in stone set in the wall of our house tells of associations with the distant past, and we invite you to share the memories from our long history. There is also a Consecrated Chapel where my parents and my father's ancestors have been buried since the 16th century and where we still hear mass on special occasions today.