Living in Liguria - ITALIA! Magazine

John and Sally Stenning from Hereford own two adjacent properties in the leafy hills of Liguria, about ten miles from the coast. One is an old olive mill, complete with its original grinding stone and pressing equipment, and the other is the old mill house.

“They’re right next to a small river,” John says, “and there’s a pond to swim in. There’s a long garden that goes right down by the riverside. It’s very peaceful. The houses sit in a valley on their own.” Having restored both properties, the Stennings now enjoy several visits every year, and rent the homes to holidaymakers from May to October.

What drew them to Liguria? “We have friends who live in the region,” John says, “and they introduced us to it. We just love Italy. We used to make lots of little trips across into France next door, but we don’t bother now. It’s wonderful where we are. It’s off the tourist trail and ideal for walking. You go out the front door and there are walking trails climbing the mountains behind us. We’re extremely fond of the excellent food in the area and there are plenty of restaurants to go to – none costing a fortune. The local olive oil is fabulous.

“We bought the mill six years ago. It didn’t need a lot of work and we restored it in six months. Then we bought the mill house, which was just a shell really, and that took a year and a half to fix up. All the local people were very helpful. The builders were good and we were generally very pleased with the timing and the quality of the work.

“The rentals are very successful. In the summer period we don’t have any difficulty at all with rentals, and let both properties very easily. It helps having a name like The Old Olive Mill – that appeals to people. I would say that about 60 per cent of our clients are British and 40 per cent continentals plus people from further afield like New Zealand. We get a very good hit rate – several thousand hits a year. The houses are ideal for people who want something that isn’t in a busy area. It’s so quiet and relaxing. When we’re out there we enjoy walking and visiting the sea. Some of the beaches are reasonably crowded but it’s all Italians.

“It’s not a difficult area if you don’t speak much Italian. There are always people who speak English and there’s always someone to help you. Most of the restaurateurs speak English. It’s such a lovely place. If you want clubs and pubs then it’s not the best area, but it’s ideal as far as I’m concerned!”
www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412735

See also:
Region-by-region guide to Liguria
Liguria property buying guide