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A Place In The Sun - Season 2026 Episode 17 - Tuscany, Italy
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00:00Today I'm in Italy, house hunting around the charming medieval villages of Northern Tuscany.
00:09I'm Laura Hamilton and for over 20 years I've had a passion for buying, renovating and selling
00:15property. Today I'm going to be using all my skills to help foodies Ali and Jo. And from the
00:21start it's a recipe for success. Is this what you were thinking? I think yeah because it's quirky
00:28isn't it? And the views are beautiful. And we certainly give them food for thought.
00:33It's so different to what we were thinking but it's so workable. Eye-dying out on the views in a
00:40prestigious townhouse. That if you can see every window is like a postcard isn't it? But will we
00:47finally serve them up their dream holiday home? I can see your eyebrows wiggling already. What's the
00:52eyebrows? Oh it's like oh I like it. Italy holds a special place in Jo and Ali's hearts. Ali used
01:00to work here and it's where the couple enjoyed their first holiday together over 20 years ago.
01:05They've been coming back ever since and now they're in a position to buy their very own
01:09bolt hole here to visit whenever they fancy. Jo and Ali from Lancashire met 25 years ago when they
01:19worked at the same travel agency. They decided their relationship was worth exploring,
01:24went out on a date and they've been together ever since. They've just celebrated their first wedding
01:29anniversary. Jo likes that I'm really funny. I like that I'm funnier. You're joking. I just love that Ali's
01:41really kind and caring. She puts others first and things and she's just got a heart of gold really.
01:47I love everything about you don't I really? Apart from when you're eating a packet of crisps.
01:54That's not just me, that's in general shape of anyone eating a packet of crisps.
01:58With a shared passion for Italian food and culture our couple are now in a position to pursue their dream
02:03of owning a home in northern Tuscany and have a maximum budget of £100,000 to spend.
02:15Just over a two-hour flight brings you to the town of Pisa and the gateway to northern Tuscany.
02:21Known as the Italian Riviera, this region sits along a crescent of picture-perfect coastline
02:27dotted with seaside towns and marinas full of chic bustling bars and restaurants serving delicious
02:32local cuisine. Head inland and its mountainous terrain offers a slower more laid-back pace of life
02:40with many medieval villages tucked away amongst pine-clad forests with breathtaking views.
02:48Northern Tuscany is a hidden gem. Buyers here tend to be Italians from neighbouring cities
02:54and properties here can be around 75% cheaper compared to other parts of Tuscany like Luca
02:59or on the coast. But now with international buyers discovering this area, I'm still hoping
03:04to find a property that combines the gorgeous Tuscan countryside with easy access to the coast.
03:10Before we get started, I want to catch up with Ali and Jo in the stunning town of La Ritchie
03:15to find out what they're looking for in a holiday home.
03:20Ali and Jo, welcome to Italy. Thank you. Fantastic.
03:23How good does it feel being stood here? Amazing. Really good. Yeah, fab.
03:29So how has this all come about then? Whose idea is it?
03:32It came from my passion for Italy, I think it's fair to say, isn't it?
03:35Yeah. So why Italy? Because you've travelled a lot. Yeah, we love travelling.
03:40We both worked in the travel industry for years, but before that, many, many years ago,
03:46I packed up my job in England and I did two summers working in the Emilia-Romagna coast.
03:52You've been on the other side of Italy, but not here.
03:55No, this is the first time to this part. Yeah.
03:58How exciting, though, that you've not been to this particular part. Yeah.
04:02What will you enjoy doing here?
04:04We love the culture and the buildings, the sightseeing. Yeah.
04:08Just the vibe. And I can imagine myself going round sort of like little flea markets and,
04:13you know, crafty things to decorate, hopefully, something that we find.
04:17So what's the plan then, Jo? What are you looking for, property-wise?
04:20We just want something that is authentic, loads of character.
04:25Size-wise, ideally, we'd like a minimum of two bedrooms.
04:29Three. Two bathrooms.
04:31Two, three. Three.
04:32Three.
04:33Give them more and we're not scared of it. We're not scared of going bigger.
04:37That's better for me. I say, go big, go home.
04:40Well, look, you know, is it a holiday home? Is it a permanent relocation?
04:44It's three things, I guess. So it's a holiday home. We love to holiday in Italy.
04:48An investment as well for kind of now. So we'd like to be able to rent it out as well.
04:53Right. And also something for our retirement as well, like a second home where we can come to.
04:59Are you prepared for, like, do a wrapper or...?
05:02We don't want it too structurally, you know, invested that we need to do a lot of work from that point of view.
05:09But if we can see the potential in it, but we don't really want to put a new roof on it.
05:13No, no, no.
05:13Well, we're kind of thinking, like, more decor, updating the kitchen, updating the blocks.
05:16Exactly. Yeah.
05:17So what about being close to the amenities, for example?
05:20Yeah, we're going to be about 15 minutes, aren't we, hopefully, for, say, a drive to a town
05:25or somewhere where there's restaurants or something like that, what we can get to.
05:28Budget then. £100,000 to spend. Any wiggle room at all in that?
05:33Yep, about £10,000. Yep. And wiggle room down.
05:37Yeah, you lack a budget, so ideally you want to spend less.
05:41Because if we're at the top end and, you know, it does need work doing inside,
05:45renovating and things like that, then we may be a bit stretched.
05:49Sure. Right, should we get on with our property search?
05:51Let's do this. Come on. Thank you.
05:55As Jo and Ali have never visited northern Tuscany, before we head off,
05:59I want to take them on a 20-minute drive up the coast to La Spezia.
06:03This port city boasts a blend of historic buildings, wide walkways full of shops and cafes,
06:09and a palm-tree promenade along the marina, the ideal place to stop off and soak up the local vibe.
06:16Welcome, then, our first stop, La Spezia. Beautiful.
06:20I like it a lot. Absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? Yeah, I love it.
06:22Yeah. This area is known as the Gulf of Poets. In the late 19th century,
06:27a lot of poets called this place home and they were very inspired by what they saw.
06:32How can you not be? It's beautiful, isn't it?
06:35How would you feel if I told you our first property is a 40-minute drive away?
06:39Good. Yeah, I think that's fine. Yeah, really good.
06:40Yeah. Let's go. Thank you.
06:44To find our first property, we're heading inland to the charming medieval village of Malazzo.
06:49Perched on a hillside, the average price of a two-bedroom property here is £100,000,
06:54which is great news for Ali and Jo's budget and why I'm able to find them a two-bedroom house
07:01with the most incredible views. Let's start off in the garden because I think it's a great place
07:08to get a good view of the house. It's gorgeous. This is a two-bed property and the living accommodation
07:14is on one level. Okay. This property's been on the market now for three months and it's currently
07:20priced just under £82,000. Okay. Yeah. It does need a bit of updating. I think it's quirky.
07:27It's got shutters, not like the wooden shuttery vision I had, but it's got shutters. There are
07:33actually two restaurants that are within less than 10 minutes walk from the property and there's
07:39also a town that's less than, it's around five minute drive as well, where you'd have more amenities
07:44and as you know, the coast is around 40 minutes. Yeah. And it was just 10 minutes off the motorway,
07:50so that's good. Yeah, that was good. What are your thoughts on the garden? I think this has got
07:55potential. Yeah. You know, it's already done, isn't it? It just needs tidying up and redoing.
07:59Vegetables. Vegetables, tomatoes, that kind of thing. Isn't it? Isn't it? The tree is fantastic.
08:04Ready to head inside then? Yes. Go. Thank you.
08:09Well, first impressions seem good for this stone house with its beautiful garden and I can't wait
08:15to hear what they think of its large covered veranda with incredible far-reaching views.
08:21Inside, all on one level, there's a kitchen, a large lounge, two double bedrooms,
08:30and a family bathroom. And it comes with a handy additional space down in the basement.
08:37Okay. This doorway and then obviously into your kitchen. We've got two doorways,
08:40the one downstairs which takes you up into the living room and then this one straight into your
08:44kitchen. Okay. You both said you're foodies. Yes. Does that mean foodies to go out to eat or to cook
08:51at home? Both. A bit of both. Yeah, definitely both. I could work with that. Yeah, it's actually
08:57structurally, it's really good inside, isn't it? Yeah. Well, it's, you know, it's an old house. Yeah,
09:02exactly. It feels like it's, it's kind of got like 70s, 60s, 70s decor. Yeah. And actually,
09:08before we sort of look further into the property, I want to talk about rental because that is something
09:12that you've mentioned you might want to do. Sure. This is a, um, quite a popular area for people to
09:17come to rent in. Mm-hmm. We have spoken to the agent and peak season you'd get around 600 a week.
09:22Wow. Okay. That's good to know. Cool. Yeah. So, it's a bit hot in here. Ooh. Wow. But...
09:31Let's check that view. That view is amazing. Is this kind of along the lines of what you were thinking?
09:37I think it's great. I think, yeah, because it's quirky, isn't it? It's definitely quirky.
09:41The views are beautiful. It's, yeah. When you found your house, your current home back in the UK,
09:46did it take you long to find it? Yeah. It sort of found us though, didn't it? Yeah. To be honest, so,
09:51yeah. Well, you'd found it and I said no. And then somebody who, well, my sister-in-law said,
09:56check, check this out. And I was like, oh, okay. And she's like, I told you about that months ago.
10:02So then we, yeah, then when you agreed to come and view it and then we fell in love with it,
10:05didn't we? Yeah, I think it was, yeah. Yeah. So, living room then. Good space, right? Yeah. Yeah.
10:13That is a good size. Good space. Look at the floor. I love the floor, actually. That's really nice,
10:18isn't it? Yeah. So, layout-wise, you've obviously got your living area here, bedroom there, bedroom there,
10:24bathroom up the stairs, there. Go and explore. Go and look. And then I will see you afterwards.
10:30Okay. Thank you. Off you go. Thank you. Thank you.
10:33Well, I think, by the sounds of it, it's a pretty good start. They seem to be liking lots. And fingers
10:44crossed, the more they see, the more they like. It's nice and light in here, isn't it? The two windows.
10:50Yeah. The floor's all right? Yeah, the floor's nice again. I like it. It's another good size. Yeah. Oh,
10:57it's got a balcony. Oh, my goodness. Look at the view. Yeah. This would be the master. Yeah,
11:03definitely. Without view. Yeah. Ali and Jo seem really enthusiastic about this stone house on the
11:09market for just under £82,000. So, I'm keen to hear what they think now they've looked around.
11:15Hiya. Hi. How did you get on? Yeah. We like it. Enjoy that? Yeah. Yeah. It was good. It was nice,
11:23wasn't it? Anything you didn't like? Where the bathroom is, is a little bit for us. We're not,
11:28you know, because it's right off the living room. Off the living room, yeah. And just the access,
11:33kind of, you know, coming in this way and that way are both pretty steep. Yeah. Lots of good stuff,
11:39just a couple of things. That sounds like there's enough good stuff for it to be content. Yeah. Yeah.
11:44We're not ruling it out yet. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's good. So, it does sound like those two
11:48little bits that you're picking up on, bathroom and access, they're the things that I want to
11:52improve on going forward. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's pretty much as simple as that. Yeah.
11:55Shall we head to our next property? Yeah, please. Let's go. Thank you.
12:00Next, we're heading a half-hour drive south, stopping off en route in Aula. This large,
12:05traditional town sits in the shadows of a 16th-century fortress and offers our couple all the
12:11amenities they could need, as well as plenty of restaurants I think our foodies will enjoy.
12:17So, welcome to Aula. Have you had this place? Yes, I have. Yeah. Yeah. I've got a little map
12:23and, kind of, I've marked off for little towns and cities, um, off, kind of, the motorway area,
12:28up from La Spezia. Yeah. So, yeah. That might be a possibility that you would bring. Yeah, absolutely.
12:32Why did you circle Aula, then? I think it's got quite a lot going on and, as you know,
12:37we want to be in a driving distance to towns and stuff where there's stuff going on. Yeah,
12:41and not too far from the coast as well. Yeah. I can, kind of, visit just on a Saturday morning,
12:46coming down to the market, get me tomatoes. So, Aula is actually a part of Via Francigena,
12:53and that's a, a famous walk pilgrims used to take from Canterbury in Kent. They'd make their way
13:00through France, Switzerland, they were heading to Rome, and they would walk through here. Wow.
13:06Brilliant. Fabulous. Not sure I fancy that. It might be a bit of far. It's a farewell walk, isn't it?
13:11So, our next property is less than a 15-minute drive away. Shall we go? Brilliant.
13:15That would be brilliant. Fab, thank you.
13:21Coming up, I'm hoping to impress Ali and Jo with my next property, a semi-detached house
13:26with better access and these stunning views.
13:36Today, I'm in Italy, house hunting around beautiful northern Tuscany with Ali and Jo,
13:41who are looking for their dream holiday home with tons of character. We've got off to a really
13:45strong start, but I've got some great options and I can't wait to show them. Together for 25 years and
13:51recently married, our couple Ali and Jo have long dreamt of owning a property in northern Italy,
13:57and with their maximum budget of £110,000, they hope to find somewhere they can escape to for
14:03holidays and rent out when they're back home. So far, I've shown them a two-bedroom property with a
14:09lovely garden and stunning views, which they liked, but they're keen to see somewhere with a better
14:14layout and with easier access. So to find it, we're heading a 15-minute drive south of the town of
14:22Aula to the hamlet of Canova. Framed by the Apennine Mountains, it's packed with traditional houses
14:29and has local shops and restaurants just a short drive away. Whilst prices here have remained stable,
14:35we're going to have to push our couple a bit above their wiggle room, but I think it's worth it because
14:40our next property is a real gem and it could make a good rental option too. The agents told me we can
14:46negotiate on the price. Well, we have arrived to our next property, which is a semi-detached house.
14:52Oh, wow. Just up there. And the reason I brought you here is because I feel like this one has better
14:58access. Yeah, yeah. There's two doors again to the house. It's two beds, listed two beds, two baths.
15:04However, there's a potential here to make it a three-bed house. What do you think of this setting?
15:10It's beautiful. It is really lovely. It's gone up another level again. The view's beautiful, yeah.
15:17So location-wise, well, you know how far we are. Yeah, that wasn't far at all, was it?
15:22No, it was good. It was great. From the town you circled, Aula. Also, we're around 40 minutes from
15:28La Spezia here. Okay. My car. This is currently on the market for just over £112,000, so it is
15:34pushing you ever so slightly. Now, there is room to negotiate on the price, not a huge amount because
15:40she does want as close to the asking price as possible. Okay. Shall I get inside? Yes, please.
15:44Yeah, come on, let's go.
15:45I can't wait to shame them around this property, with its lovely garden overlooking the valley,
15:53and balcony with incredible views. Inside, on the ground floor, there's a traditional kitchen,
15:59a cosy lounge, and a shower room. Whilst upstairs, there's a second living area,
16:06two good-sized double bedrooms, and a modern family bathroom.
16:11Step this way, past a downstairs shower room, into your downstairs living room. It's small,
16:22but it's cute, isn't it? Like you say, it's got really nice features. There is actually another
16:26living room upstairs. Right. Okay. That's what I was saying, it could potentially be your third bedroom,
16:32if you like that kind of living room, kitchen, and then your bedroom's upstairs. Yeah.
16:37Would this be big enough, though, if this was your only living space? It is small. Yeah.
16:43Very cute, but maybe... Hmm. You're not shy of renovating. Obviously,
16:48this doesn't need any renovation, but how does that work with you as a team?
16:54Well, I sort of say what I want, and Ali does it. What do we make of this, then?
17:00It's more traditional, but quirky, isn't it? The tiles are really nice. I love the window,
17:07and the marble top's lovely. Out you go, then. How nice is it stood here?
17:14Beautiful. Feeling that heat. It's lovely, isn't it? And size-wise of the garden?
17:20It's good. I think that's great. I can't believe it's got an ace, so that's my...
17:24I know. They're my favourite plants. Yeah. And the view again. Incredible. So, look,
17:30why don't you have a wander round the rest of the property, see what you think,
17:34and then we will have a good catch-up after. Brilliant. Off you go. Good luck. Thank you.
17:42Well, again, another positive response. This property has great space upstairs,
17:50but it sounds like they feel it might be too small downstairs. Only time will tell.
17:56Well, this is a nice space. So light, isn't it? Yeah. Two windows. Really nice.
18:01It's got a nice balcony. Oh, my goodness, look at them views.
18:05This is a good space. It really is. It's very you. I know. And me. But very you.
18:10I don't know. It's fab. It is beautiful.
18:13This semi-detached two-bedroom house on the market for just over £112,000
18:21seemed to impress Ali and Jo, so I can't wait to hear what they've made of the rest of it.
18:26It was really nice, wasn't it? We really liked it. Yeah.
18:29We did. Better space up there, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:32What did you think about the living room or the potential third bedroom?
18:35We're thinking a really decent sofa bed in there. Yeah.
18:38We could then advertise that it's sleep six, but be honest, you know, it's a sofa bed.
18:41Mm-hm. Yeah. And that would work, because we just love the light in there.
18:44Yeah, that would definitely be more of a nicer space for living area, wouldn't it,
18:49for us when we would come to stay. OK. Yeah.
18:52So it improved the more you saw? Yes. Yeah.
18:54Fantastic. So how is that leaving us with the first property we looked at?
19:01I think the first property is out now. I think it's out.
19:03Is it? Yeah. Yeah.
19:04Does that mean this is a contender, then? Yeah. I think the price...
19:08Yes. That sounds like quite a hesitant yes.
19:11It just seems we're not getting as much for our money. Yeah.
19:15But it's got all the features that we do love. Probably more or less.
19:18So maybe, say, the living space of the previous one for here,
19:23in a way, size-wise, would be good, but...
19:25So you want somewhere with larger living space?
19:27Ideally. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:29Pushing the third bedroom, if we can. Yeah, another bedroom would be good.
19:33I've got an idea. Do you trust me? OK. Yes, we do.
19:35No pressure. Right, let's go. OK.
19:38OK. As Joe and Ali seem to love these hilltop locations,
19:42next we're heading a 30-minute drive back north and further inland to the quaint town of Felatiera.
19:49Off the beaten track, this is where Joe and Ali can really indulge in their love of authentic Italian culture,
19:55and where we're meeting up with expat Cornelia to give us the lowdown on the area and its delicious local cuisine.
20:02Hi, Cornelia. Nice to see you. How are you doing?
20:05Nice to see you. So I want to introduce you to Ali and Joe.
20:08Lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you.
20:09Hi, nice to meet you.
20:10I brought you to Felatiera. Yeah.
20:12To meet Cornelia, who's lived here for over 17 years.
20:15Yes. Incredible.
20:17Yeah, we arrived here in 2007.
20:19Cornelia, what's great about this part of Italy?
20:22This northern tip of Tuscany is kind of in an area that they call in Italian the terra di confine,
20:31which means area of borders, because it's on the border of three different regions,
20:34and that means that we can get the best, basically, out of all three, especially in terms of food.
20:38Yeah. Yes. And we love food.
20:40And you're foodies.
20:41Yeah, we love our food.
20:42So that's the other reason why I wanted to introduce you, because Cornelia has a boutique hotel,
20:48and you do cookery courses.
20:50And a restaurant, yeah.
20:51Yeah, so tell us what you offer there.
20:53We have a team of chefs, professional chefs, that do the cookery classes,
20:57and yes, it's an activity for guests to be able to do when they stay with us.
21:02Fantastic. That sounds like heaven.
21:05We've got to head to our next property, which isn't too far away at all.
21:11Brilliant. You might just have some people that want to sign up to the cookery course.
21:14Great.
21:15Brilliant.
21:16Thank you so much.
21:17Thank you so much.
21:18Lovely to have met you.
21:18Yeah, me too.
21:19All right.
21:20Bye.
21:21Bye.
21:22Bye.
21:22Coming up, if Ali and Jo are looking for more bang for their buck,
21:28and a property with an abundance of character, I think I might be onto something with this next place,
21:33a three-bedroom house that used to be part of a monastery.
21:42Today, I'm house hunting around the charming medieval villages of Northern Tuscany with Ali
21:47and Jo, who are looking for their dream holiday home.
21:51Having recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary,
21:54Ali and Jo are hoping to fulfill their dream of owning a property in Italy,
21:59and now have a maximum budget of £110,000 to find somewhere they can enjoy holidays together,
22:05as well as rent out when they're back home.
22:07So far, we have one contender in the running.
22:10This semi-detached two-bedroom property with its lovely garden and stunning views.
22:16But they're hoping to see somewhere with more living space for their budget.
22:19So, to find it, we've travelled to the small town of Felatiera.
22:26Being further inland and more remote, prices can be up to 70% cheaper than neighbouring towns,
22:33which is why I'm excited to have found our next option that gives them lots more space for their money,
22:38as well as some history, too.
22:40So, we've come inland, a bit inland, to our next property,
22:45which forms part of a monastery.
22:49Oh, wow.
22:50Of the 17th century.
22:52And the reason why we're here is because there's a lot more space.
22:56OK.
22:57Getting a lot more bang for your buck here.
22:58It's on the market for just over £99,000.
23:00OK.
23:02Three bedrooms, an abundance of character, a huge living room,
23:07and this is your garden.
23:09Yes, decent outdoor space.
23:11Yeah, garden.
23:12It looks interesting, doesn't it?
23:14Yeah.
23:14From the outside, but it was probably just the getting here.
23:18I just feel it was very, very windy.
23:21I'm just thinking night-time travelling when we've landed, you know, from Pisa,
23:25and then we're driving here.
23:27But, you know, for character, then this is sometimes what you've got to do, isn't it?
23:31You know, to be off the beaten track a bit.
23:33Yeah.
23:34Well, look, it is a bit of a project, but now I know that you're quite handy, she told me.
23:38Yeah.
23:39Yeah.
23:39I think it would be quite intriguing to hear how you'd put your own stamp on this place.
23:44OK.
23:45OK.
23:45Ready to look?
23:46Yeah.
23:46Come on, then.
23:47Let's do it.
23:48I can't wait to show them around this unique property with its mature garden and terrace with
23:54far-reaching views.
23:55Inside, it's all on one level, with an enormous lounge and huge fireplace, a large fitted kitchen
24:02diner, three spacious bedrooms with vaulted ceilings, and two large bathrooms, with two
24:11additional cellars in the basement of the house.
24:16Step into this huge living room.
24:18Wow.
24:19Wow.
24:21How's that for you?
24:22LAUGHTER
24:23That is big.
24:24I love it.
24:25You've definitely delivered on that.
24:27Ceiling's great, right?
24:28The ceiling is beautiful.
24:29Absolutely stunning.
24:31It is.
24:32I mean, it's massive.
24:33I like it a lot.
24:34I do.
24:34I think it's got quite a lot of work it needs doing, which is probably reflected in the
24:41price.
24:42I mean, this room is actually quite good, though.
24:44I mean, it's not falling apart.
24:48It's just massive.
24:49It is massive.
24:52Right, so, the bedrooms here are all, I think, all great sizes.
24:58It's unbelievable.
24:59It's got a lot of character.
25:01Yeah.
25:01So, this room here, it could be another bedroom.
25:04Right.
25:05You could have it as a walk-in wardrobe.
25:06Yeah.
25:07You could create sort of two ensuite bathrooms to the bedroom.
25:09There's so much potential, and that's what you get when you obviously have all the space.
25:13Yeah.
25:14Yeah.
25:16OK.
25:17I know you've got a lot of friends and family, haven't you?
25:20Yeah.
25:21They're keen to come and visit.
25:22So, who's going to be coming to see you?
25:24Everyone.
25:25Everyone.
25:26We said we'd have a list.
25:26We'd struggle to get time on our own.
25:28So, space-wise, from that point of view, it would...
25:31It would be brilliant.
25:32It could all come at once.
25:33They could.
25:34They could.
25:34Yeah.
25:35Going back to the access, because I don't want to ignore that.
25:37Yeah.
25:38How do you think they would cope, then, with the access?
25:40My concern is that road, that journey.
25:43I know it's only 15 minutes, but we couldn't be picking everybody up all the time.
25:48Yeah, people would probably be getting a car and driving, and I think it would be a bit...
25:52A bit too much.
25:53Yeah.
25:53If this property was in the previous property's location, we'd probably be having a domestic tonight.
26:02Because I'd be like, I'm in.
26:04And I'd be like, too much work.
26:06Right.
26:07Yeah.
26:08I think you're right.
26:10So, do you want to look at any more, or are you thinking you would rule it out based on the accessibility?
26:16I think I'd rule it out, isn't I?
26:19Sadly, we're going to rule it out.
26:20Probably, yeah.
26:20OK, well, shall we call it a day here, then, and head on to the next property?
26:25OK, well, you can do it.
26:28Well, it's a shame they don't like this old monastery property on the market for just over £99,000.
26:35Because it offers them so much space and loads of authentic character I know they were after.
26:41But it's clearly not for them.
26:43So, onwards and upwards we go, and I think I have just the trick with my next option.
26:49But before we get there, as I know our couple love their Italian food,
26:53I want to take them a ten-minute drive away to the town of Pontrimoli.
26:58Steeped in history and nestled amongst its cobbled streets are plenty of restaurants serving local cuisine,
27:05as well as a weekly food market where we just had to take a quick stop off for a spot of lunch.
27:10So, was this somewhere on your list?
27:14Absolutely.
27:14On your little map?
27:15Yeah.
27:15It was, yeah.
27:16We're doing good, aren't we?
27:17Yeah, you are.
27:17I love the fact that I now know about this map and the little searching of it.
27:20So, market day.
27:21Fantastic.
27:22Couldn't not bring you to Pontrimoli on market day, every Wednesday.
27:26Amazing.
27:27Great vibe.
27:28That's lit.
27:28Yeah.
27:29It's so lovely.
27:29You might be wondering what I have in my hand here.
27:31Yeah.
27:32This is torta derbi, which is a traditional dish, which is basically herb tart,
27:41like herbs and veggies from the local area.
27:43Would you like to give it a try?
27:45Yes, please.
27:47Oh, look at that.
27:48Do you want to try some?
27:49Ooh, it looks like spinach in there.
27:54How does it taste?
27:55Um, spinach, onions, herbs. It's gorgeous. Really fresh, isn't it fab?
28:02And the pastry is so thin.
28:04See, we'll take this for lunch.
28:05Yeah, absolutely.
28:06Head to our next property, which is around a 10-15 minute drive away.
28:10Fab, okay.
28:11Let's do it.
28:14Our fourth option is in Luciolo.
28:17Stretched along the crest of a hill, this village sits in the shadows of a 12th century castle.
28:22It's also on an ancient pilgrim route to Rome, making it popular with visiting tourists
28:28and a great rental option for Ali and Jo.
28:32So, what do we think of this location?
28:34Beautiful.
28:35Really nice.
28:36Nice and quaint.
28:37Yeah.
28:38Really oldy-worldy.
28:39Lovely.
28:40That's lovely, doesn't it?
28:40The reason why we are here is because, well, first and foremost,
28:46this property is more letterable.
28:48Via Francigena, the pilgrims, the walk.
28:51Yeah, yeah.
28:52Passes through here.
28:53Okay.
28:53Oh, wow, okay.
28:54Which makes these properties around here extremely letterable.
28:58Ah, sure, yeah, yeah.
28:59So, there are two apartments in here that are all available for sale.
29:04One could be for you.
29:06Yeah.
29:06Two bed, one bath.
29:08You don't ever have to let it out if you don't want to.
29:10Yeah, yeah, yeah.
29:11It's got its own garden.
29:12That's the one downstairs.
29:13Wow.
29:14Mm-hmm.
29:14Then you've got another one upstairs, two bed, one bath.
29:18Doesn't have a garden.
29:19Okay.
29:20Yeah.
29:20The one downstairs that has the garden, its own outside space,
29:24is on the market for just under £69,000.
29:26Okay.
29:27The one upstairs without the outside space is on the market for just under 48 and a half.
29:31Okay.
29:31Okay.
29:32So, obviously, combining both of those together bring you in around £117,000.
29:36Okay.
29:36And you could negotiate on that price too.
29:40So, the one downstairs, if you were to let that out, the one downstairs with its own garden,
29:44the agent has said, you'd be getting around £480 a week rental.
29:47Yeah.
29:48And the one upstairs without the outside space, you get around £420 a week.
29:52Okay.
29:52Okay.
29:53So, I'd like you to take a look around both of them.
29:56Okay.
29:57Okay, fab.
29:57We'll see you afterwards.
29:58All right, fab.
29:59Head inside.
30:00Wow.
30:00Let's see.
30:01Okay.
30:03So, it's a little bit different, but I think this offers Ali and Jo a fantastic option,
30:10and I can't wait to hear what they think.
30:14On the ground floor, the first of the two apartments comes with a cavernous terrace
30:19overlooking the garden. Inside it has a fitted kitchen diner, two double bedrooms,
30:24one with a balcony, and a shower room. Whilst upstairs, the second apartment has a bright kitchen
30:30diner, a double bedroom, both with Juliet balconies, a second single room, and a shower room.
30:39They're starting in the ground floor apartment first.
30:42Nice little kitchen.
30:44Yeah.
30:45I think it's quite a decent space, do you?
30:47It is. The kitchen's a bit small for me.
30:50But you have got another hub.
30:51Got another hub.
30:52Yay.
30:57Wow. That is gorgeous, isn't it?
31:00I love it.
31:01Look at the stone.
31:02I do like it.
31:04So, should we go have a look at the second apartment?
31:08Yeah.
31:08Let's go see the second one.
31:11Wow.
31:12Wow, this is...
31:13Oh, my goodness.
31:13This is so much lighter, isn't it?
31:15Yeah.
31:16I love the little slanty roof.
31:17Yeah.
31:20Very nice.
31:21Yeah.
31:24This is nice again, isn't it?
31:26Yeah.
31:26I love the way the ceilings are high.
31:28Yeah.
31:28Great to rent out.
31:29Really good to rent out.
31:31Yeah.
31:32This two-bedroom, stone-built, ground-floor apartment on the market for just under £69,000
31:37has given Outcouple much to consider, along with a separate upstairs two-bedroom apartment,
31:42on for just under £48,500.
31:45So, I wonder what they think of this double option after looking around.
31:49I've been waiting patiently.
31:53Oh, my goodness.
31:54It is so different to what we were thinking, but it's...
31:58So workable.
31:59Yeah.
32:00You think you want one thing.
32:01Yeah.
32:02And just by showing you maybe some little ideas, some other options, makes you think outside the box.
32:07It really has.
32:09I'm blown away.
32:10We are a bit like, whoo!
32:12Our heads all over the place now, aren't we?
32:14Man are doing sums on all kinds of things.
32:16Oh, OK.
32:16So, what happened then as you walked round?
32:18Loved everything about the...
32:20Which one did you love?
32:21..the one with the terrace.
32:22Yeah.
32:23Jo's already got ideas about, we can do this, we can do that.
32:25And then we went to the other one, which was a lot brighter and really quirky and, yeah, absolutely.
32:32And where does that leave us with what you've seen so far?
32:36This has just took over.
32:37Yeah.
32:38You may have been sorry.
32:39No, no, no.
32:40This has taken over for me.
32:42Definitely, yeah.
32:42Definitely for me too.
32:44The ones we saw previously, yeah, this is...
32:47It's boom!
32:48Great!
32:48Yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:49Well, look, you came out here wanting one thing.
32:52I know we've made you think outside the box with this one, but I do have something in mind.
32:58Shall we just give it a shot and see what happens?
32:59Yeah, come on, let's do it.
33:02Coming up, can I beat the best with the grandest house so far?
33:07Wow.
33:08Oh, my goodness, that's huge, isn't it?
33:10Today I'm in Italy helping keen feedies Ali and Jo find the perfect holiday home in the stunning countryside of northern Tuscany.
33:24Having just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, our couple are now hoping to find a property for their maximum budget of £110,000, where they can go to enjoy holidays together and rent out when they're back home.
33:38So far, I'm pleased to say they've fallen for two adjoining apartments.
33:44This two-bedroom ground floor property with its impressive terrace and garden, ideal for them as a holiday home,
33:51and this upstairs two-bedroom bright apartment, ideal as a holiday let.
33:56But with one property left, I'm pulling out all the stops to show them this elegant house full of authentic character.
34:05But before we head there, I'm taking a trip back to La Ricci to see an impressive townhouse
34:11and to meet estate agent Francesca, who's going to show me around.
34:15Hi, Francesca, lovely to meet you.
34:18How are you doing? Fine, Francesca.
34:21Wow, what a location. What are we going to look at?
34:24Now we go to see this pink townhouse. It's very unique.
34:29Can't wait to see it. It's fab.
34:31Recently renovated throughout, this four-storey property is packed with modern features
34:36and is all about the panoramic views from its four bedrooms and bathrooms
34:40and its beautifully tiered garden overlooking the bay.
34:43Welcome. Wow.
34:46The location is incredible, that view out the window.
34:50Yes, we have the very beautiful panoramic there.
34:54Yeah.
34:54For this reason, this house is very unique.
34:58I can tell it's obviously been recently renovated.
35:00I mean, some really interesting things, the lights, obviously the lift,
35:04and the floor is very cool as well.
35:06Yes. There is the mother of pearl inside of this floor.
35:10This is mother of pearl?
35:10Yes. Wow.
35:12And they do this design for this house in particular because it remembers the sea.
35:24Wow.
35:25This is incredible.
35:26Yes. This is my favourite room.
35:29The living accommodation is on the top floor?
35:31Yes, on the top floor, and the bedrooms are on the other two floors on down.
35:36And because I think... Look at that!
35:38That is just...
35:39If you can see, every window is like a postcard, isn't it?
35:43And if you can see, the roof is the old roof.
35:48It's come from the very old boat.
35:51Old boat?
35:52Yes. Yes.
35:53Amazing.
36:00Well, I wasn't expecting a garden of this size up here.
36:04Amazing.
36:05We have 700 metres of the garden.
36:09How much is it on the market for?
36:11Two and a half million pounds.
36:14Two and a half million pounds for that view, all of this space.
36:18Wow.
36:19Thank you so much for showing me the house.
36:20I've got to get back to the house.
36:21Thank you for all.
36:22Let me show you that.
36:25Well, I hate to head away from those views, but I have one very impressive option left that I can't
36:30wait to show Ali and Jo. To find it, we're heading a 15-minute drive north to the small hamlet of
36:36Govedo. This area is popular with Italian and foreign buyers looking for holiday homes, so our couple
36:42would be in good company would be in good company if they like our final property, which has recently
36:46come on the market with the authentic character I hope they'll adore.
36:51So, final house and it's this one.
36:55Semi-detached, which has three bedrooms but also an office, so that office could be a fourth bedroom.
37:01Right.
37:02The rooms are huge.
37:05It's got some great outside space.
37:08I actually do like the look of it. I think it's definitely got character.
37:12It looks big, which is good. It looks like it needs quite a lot of work doing from the outside,
37:16like I'm looking at the windows and stuff.
37:18It does need a bit of TLC, and it's been used as a holiday home from a family from Florence.
37:24It's currently listed at just over £120,000. However, the agent has said you would be able
37:30to negotiate that down to £100,000. Right.
37:33Well, OK.
37:34There's a couple of restaurants within walking distance from here, so there are things that
37:38are within easy access. That's nice.
37:40Yeah, that's good.
37:41Should we head inside and do what you think?
37:42Yeah, please.
37:44Well, it's a bit of a mixed response, so I can't wait to hear what they
37:48think of its private garden and elegant rooms.
37:52On the ground floor, there's a large lounge, a second reception dining area,
37:58a good-sized kitchen and a utility room.
38:02Whilst on the first floor, there are three grand double bedrooms,
38:07a study and a family bathroom.
38:11This is the first reception room, because there are two reception rooms.
38:14Look at that. That floor is amazing.
38:18That is lovely.
38:19Spacious.
38:20Yep.
38:21Bright.
38:21Bright.
38:22Yep.
38:22So this is far more, I guess, traditional in the way of when you think about what,
38:27look back at what we've seen.
38:28They've all been a little bit quirky.
38:29I think this is just a bit more straightforward.
38:31Yeah, the flow.
38:32Mm.
38:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.
38:33Yeah.
38:34Definitely.
38:35I don't like the cracks in the wall and the ceiling.
38:38It's all done, isn't it?
38:39Again, it's the work that it needs, isn't it?
38:41But it's quite high ceilings as well, isn't it?
38:43I can see your eyebrows wiggling already.
38:45What's the eyebrows?
38:46Oh, it's like, ooh, I like it.
38:47Really?
38:48Yeah, that's when the eyebrows wiggle, yeah.
38:50I like it.
38:52Here we go, then.
38:53Boom.
38:54Wow.
38:55It's massive.
38:56Oh, my goodness, that's huge, isn't it?
38:57Yeah.
38:58It's big.
38:59I think it needs quite a lot of work.
39:02It does, but in comparison to the space of the previous one...
39:06Yeah, it's...
39:07It's...
39:08Massive, isn't it?
39:10It's got me questioning the other apartment sizes are so small.
39:15Mm-hmm.
39:17When you see this now, you go, whoa.
39:19We have spoken to the agent and you could let it out for around £480 a week.
39:25They haven't let it out.
39:26Right, OK.
39:27Because it was their holiday home.
39:29Right.
39:29I feel like you need to maybe spend a bit of time here
39:33discussing things amongst yourself.
39:34Yeah.
39:35And then we can meet up afterwards and you can tell me what your thoughts are.
39:39OK.
39:39OK, off you go.
39:40Thanks, Laura.
39:45Ali and Joe would be getting so much house for their money here.
39:50But is it too much?
39:52Too much house?
39:53Too much of a project?
39:56Just me.
39:56Oh!
39:57Oh, ho, ho, ho!
39:59Wow!
40:01That is even bigger.
40:02Oh, my goodness.
40:04This is...
40:05Size-wise, it's pretty much the size of the previous property.
40:09I know.
40:09From my head now goes, is that too small?
40:12It's quite a nice space.
40:15Yeah.
40:16No, this could be nice.
40:18Again, a lot of work.
40:22This grand house on the market for just over a negotiable £120,500
40:27is oozing with character and full of potential.
40:30But will they think it's too much work for them to take on?
40:35Hello, hello.
40:36Hi.
40:37Hello.
40:38Do we still like each other?
40:40Yes.
40:40Yes.
40:41Yeah.
40:42But a differing of opinion?
40:44Yeah, without a doubt.
40:45I think it's lovely.
40:47I really do think it's got potential and it's bright
40:50and the room's a really good size.
40:53I agree.
40:53It's traditional and...
40:55I agree.
40:57And there's a lot of work to be done.
40:59I don't think there's that much work.
41:01Are you still feeling that the previous property is a contender?
41:04Yeah.
41:05The apartments?
41:05Oh.
41:06Do you or not?
41:07I'm just confused.
41:08Look, do you know what?
41:09I'm not going to push you for any more decisions.
41:10We know that you've ruled out the first three.
41:13Yeah.
41:13Yeah.
41:15You've got two to think about.
41:18Take some time to figure it all out.
41:20Yeah.
41:21We will sit down and chat.
41:22Yeah.
41:22Once you've moulded things over.
41:24Yeah.
41:24Okay.
41:24Yeah.
41:25Thanks, Laura.
41:31If you'd like more information on any of the properties featured on today's show,
41:35go to aplaceinthesun.com forward slash programme.
41:42We've shown Ali and Jo five properties in Northern Tuscany for their maximum budget of £110,000.
41:47They were on a mission to find a property they can use for holidays and rent out when they're back
41:53home. And I'm pleased to say we have two options in the running. The first is a couple of apartments,
41:59one on the ground floor with two bedrooms and a terrace, which they can use for themselves,
42:04and an upstairs apartment with two bright bedrooms, perfect for rental.
42:08And for their second option, this grand four-bedroom house full of character, also ideal for holidays
42:15and to rent out when they're not there. We've certainly given them lots to consider. So,
42:22after a night of discussion, I'm looking forward to hearing what they've decided to do next.
42:26Ali and Jo, that's it.
42:27Yeah.
42:28The end of the search. How have you found this experience?
42:33Amazing.
42:34Yeah. Fabulous. Really good experience, hasn't it?
42:37Yeah, I think. The journey's been brilliant.
42:39OK, so look, when I left you yesterday, it came down to two properties. You ruled out the first
42:45three, and I know I made you think massively outside of the box with the fourth property,
42:49which was the two apartments. And then the final property.
42:53Yeah. The semi-detached house.
42:54Yeah. Well, property four, we were really loving the idea of that. But then when we seen property five,
43:02that was sort of my vision, as in it was going to be a house, and it was going to be light,
43:07and there was going to be quite a lot of character to it. I mean, that last property was a lot of house.
43:13Yeah. For the money.
43:15I feel it would end up just being a money pit where it needs quite a lot of money, time and effort
43:23thrown at it.
43:24So that means that, well, by the sounds of it,
43:27you're not really going for any of them. No. Sadly, we're absolutely gutted.
43:35We really are. I feel like you're frustrated, actually.
43:38We're sad as well, I think, aren't we? We really hoped. But that said, you know, we've learned so much on this journey.
43:46Yeah. And I think we've learned a lot about, like, properties and windy roads, sizes.
43:53Yeah. Your house is out there. I have every confidence in that.
43:57Yeah. We're going to continue the search without a doubt. Now we've got a much better idea of the area.
44:01Yeah. I'm proud to come back out, definitely.
44:04I guess a little bit of clarity that maybe we didn't have before.
44:07Yeah. So, you know, you have been amazing. Thank you for your reassurance.
44:10Yeah. Please, please, please keep in touch. Thank you.
44:14Can't wait to hear what happened. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers.
44:24I have thoroughly enjoyed my property search with Ali and Jo in Northern Tuscany.
44:28And although we came so close to finding them what they wanted but didn't quite manage it,
44:33I'm confident that what they're looking for is out there and I know they'll find it very soon.
44:38We caught up with Ali and Jo since filming and having fallen for the towns and villages,
44:42we showed them in Northern Tuscany, they've been back out again looking at more properties
44:47and hope to find their dream home very soon. I wish them all the best.
44:51If you'd like help with your property search and want to be on a place in the sun,
44:56then go to channel4.com forward slash take part.
45:03We'll see you next time.
45:05Bye.
45:07Bye.
45:09Bye.
45:11Bye.
45:13Bye.
45:15Bye.
45:17Bye.
45:19Bye.
45:21Bye.
45:23Bye.
45:25Bye.
45:26Bye.
45:27Bye.
45:28Bye.
45:29Bye.
45:30Bye.
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