Escape and and enjoy the 'dolce vita' at our place in rural Tuscany, Italy

Details

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  Description

  Hi there, thank you for checking this opportunity out. My profile had suffered because of my poor response to offers for a while due to being longterm ill, and then the Pandemic in between, however I am back to full fitness now and you can see from the feedback from other workawayers that anyone who has stayed here has given excellent feedback I am a very good cook and a generous host! I am a writer and storyteller born in Scotland and have spent a great deal of time in Italy and I am currently living my lifelong dream of restoring the family's lovely old Tuscan villa and I am looking for volunteers to help in exchange for full bed and board. We are hoping to be totally self sufficient here in this little homestead and to create an eco friendly, small, food garden. I hope in the future to be able to host workshops here and still enjoy visits from my very large and very busy family and group of friends. This is a rural and beautiful part of Tuscany, in the mountains, surrounded by chestnut forests and rivers but close enough to the beach and skiing resorts (45 mins) to offer the best of all worlds. 25 minutes from the fabulous medieval (and market) town of Pontremoli and just over an hour and a half from Pisa Airport or Cinque Terre, The famous Bay of Poets (look it up on Google well worth a visit). There is an excellent rail service and under 2 hours from Parma, Milan, Florence, Lucca, Modena, Bologna and many other beautiful cities. It has everything including cheap and frequent flights to and from Pisa from almost everywhere.
  The village is ancient dating back to the time of the MOORS after the CRUSADES, THE HISTORY IS INCREDIBLE and is the ideal get away which is why the people came here in the first place. It nestles in the middle of this incredible chestnut forest full of wild creatures, and the famous Porcini mushrooms and truffles. There is also Lago Verde a very spiritual place and a good stretch of the legs. In the villa there is the famous / nfamous Fountain of Youth many people in this village live into their hundreds. and all believe that the water in the fountain is the water of life, in this place, where there is absolutely, zero polution that is highly likely. Downside? There are no shops or bars however with Pontremoli only 25 mins away that has not been a problem for anyone and has in fact, been a bonus for some, who wanted that very special "get away from it all experience" however we also make our own entertainment which can be pretty lively at times. Travelling shops call twice a week but you need nothing here except the time to appreciate how the other half, the lucky half, really live. Both well behaved children and pets are very welcome.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Travellers can expect to be able to improve their language kills, English and or Italian. Learn quickly how to cook simple authentic, Italian meals. see "old Italy" and experience the culture of native Italians who have rarely left their village.
  See first hand the ancient building skills and craft skills of the local people which have, and are still, being handed down father to son, mother to daughter and sometimes nowadays, the other way round!
  Enjoy the company of an experienced writer and storyteller and gain excellent communication and cooking skills from an accredited skills tutor and at the same time, have great fun exploring this amazing, practically untouched, part of Italy.

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  Help

  I'm looking for a helper/s preferably over 25 yrs old, and must have experience of working outdoors, gardening or painting be able to help with general housework and cleaning and agree to do 5 hours work per day, 5 days a week. All of the conversion work, e.g . building, plumbing and electrical has already been done and now the work is purely general household management, c;eaning, gardening and with some painting. Outside painting and gardening maintenance, doors removed, rubbed down and repainted. Very small garden 6mtrs x 4 Mtrs cleared and planted eco friendly fashion (we are still learning). Nothing too taxing, even better if you can put up shelves and curtain poles but not essential.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Italian: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  Villa, in a beautiful old village, no shops but there are travelling shops that come to the village and we are only 25mins from Pontremoli, a fabulous Medieval, Market town the market is there Wednesdays and Saturdays every week. Beautiful clean bedrooms in a very old, very comfortable villa. There are 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms! To eat, there is an abundance of excellent produce, all food and wines from local growers. Along with free bed and full board, 3 meals per day. in exchange for the work. The house is very well equiped with a mix of rustic features like wood burning stoves and stone covered terrace for dining Al Fresco and mod cons, Wi Fi, TV, laundry facilities large library of books, games, cds and dvds.

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  What else ...

  Your hosts are easy going the area is great and the natives friendly. Lots of other bonuses too. In return for your work will be full bed and board including excellent food and a little wine or beer with evening meal. There will be plenty of free time to explore the magnificent rivers (fishing allowed with licence ) and chestnut forests surrounding the village. Or on weekends, take a hearty picnic, supplied free by your host, for a day trip to the magnificent Cinque Terre, The Bay of Poets, Florence, Pisa, Parma, Bologna and Lucca. A chance for a wonderful memorable Tuscan experience.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Happy to accommodate well behaved dogs and since there are quite a few dogs and cats in the village it is imperative that your dog is kept on a lead while out in the village, the small garden here is fenced in and is very secure.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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