Country Estate for sale

Borgo Rosemary lies in the most beautiful and unspoilt area of Cortona known as the Golden Bowl. It consists of an entire hamlet situated on the south facing side of a gentle hillside in the Pergo and Montanare valley. Its origins go back centuries and the perfect location is defined by a south facing position protected from the cold north winds, a good source of water and rich farmland where corn, grain, vines and olives would flourish. There are two communal bread ovens in the hamlet. Rosemary, wisteria, olives, vines and oak woodland enrich and surround the property which is currently run as a high end agriturismo. There are about 700 olive trees and the vineyard is about 1,600 sqmts. The current owners make their own organic wine and olive oil. There is a total of circa 10 surrounding hectares.

Of the seven buildings, four have been comfortably and elegantly restored for living accommodation. The ex-limonaia has been converted into a fully equipped professional kitchen and restaurant. Of the remaining two buildings one is used for wine making and the other as a storage facility. This property would lend itself equally well to being a Relais or Charme Hotel. Wonderful views are to be enjoyed from all the houses, each one with its own patio and terrace.  In all there are 10 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms and 5 living rooms with antique stone fireplaces and 5 kitchens.

The divisions in those houses which have been converted into two separate apartments can easily be reversed.  All of the accommodations have independent meters for electricity and gas. In three of them air conditioning has been installed. There are 5 wells, wi-fi, covered parking, English lawns and a swimming pool. The restaurant, beautifully interior designed and with a fully equipped professional kitchen has seating for about 30 people both inside and outside. There is also a covered terrace from which one can enjoy spectacular sunsets.

 THE UNIQUENESS OF CORTONA 

Each year, visitors arrive in Cortona and are enchanted by its beauty, its vibrancy and its eclectic mix of both Italian and international residents. It sits on a hillside dominating the vast expanse of the Valdichiana and enjoys spectacular views over the plains towards Montepulciano and Lake Trasimeno. It has an excellent infrastructure with two main line rail stations (Rome-Florence-Milan) and access to all major motorways. Perugia airport is 40 minutes away, Florence 1hr 30 minutes, Pisa, Bologna and Rome approx. 2 hrs. Cortona has a very high percentage of return visitors, many of whom have bought property and all of whom cite the same mantra – ‘Cortona has something special’. Maybe this is because of its rich cultural season of theatre, literary recitals, art shows, photographic exhibitions and music festivals, with many events based on the culture of ‘slow food’ gastronomy combined with fine wines. Or maybe its because of its vicinity to Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, Val d’Orcia, Florence, Gubbio, Perugia, Assisi, etc, all within a radius of 90 minutes or less. The Maremma and its beautiful coastal towns are less than a two hour drive. More probably it is because Cortona has intelligently embraced the challenge of modern times. Unlike so many ancient Italian towns destroyed by mass tourism and/or unchecked building regulations, Cortona has not compromised its authenticity, even in the aftermath of Under the Tuscan Sun, the famous book made into a film by the writer Frances Mayes. As any visitor will attest, it has a vitality and sense of purpose that sweeps you off your feet. Cortona International looks forward to introducing you to the area: to the town itself, but also its surrounding countryside which ranges from rural and peaceful mountainside, to classic hillside and to cultivated farmland areas, all of which abounds with olive groves, vineyards and spellbinding views. By specialising in this small niche of Tuscany, not only does Cortona International ensure a trouble-free purchase, but we are also able to offer a host of post purchase services which allow us to take care of your interests from the day you buy until the day you may choose to sell.  

About Cortona International

In a unique collaboration, Cortona International offers its clients a team of English speaking professionals whose individual strengths provide specialist knowledge in all aspects of buying or selling a property. We also offer a post-purchase property and rental management service for international buyers who may be absent for part of the year.

SURVEYS

• We do our UTMOST to do pre-marketing checks on our properties in order to ascertain their compliance status.
• This does not necessarily mean they are compliant (many owners are resistant to regularising their properties until they have a firm offer), but it does mean we have a complete picture for you, know what the owner must do in order to obtain compliance and the timelines in which this can be done. 
• A survey of your own should confirm our findings.

CONVEYANCING

• We work together with the registered Italian notary regarding the preparation and drawing up of all and any contracts. 
• English translations and/or an interpreter are provided.
• All money deposits are held in escrow by the notary until completion.

VIEWINGS

• We collaborate with international and local agencies in the area and can organise and accompany you on viewings of properties also listed by them.  This is done on a split commission basis and at no extra cost to you.

DOCUMENTATION

• We will supply you with all paperwork pertaining to a property when you view it. 
• We will also calculate all costs relative to the purchase (notary fees, purchase taxes etc…), future council taxes and overheads and, in advance of any commitment to a purchase, complete estimates for any works you might wish to do. 

POST-PURCHASE SERVICES

• We offer, together with our partners, a full range of post-acquisition services:  General caretaking & maintenance; organisation of projects & permissions, renovations & small building works and a rental management service for people wishing to rent out their properties.

The agency is registered at the Chamber of Commerce in Arezzo and has been a member of FIAIP (Federation of Professional Italian Estate Agents) since 1997.