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Stay and have fun in the beautiful hills of Oltrepo Pavese near Milan, Italy

  • Last activity : 18 Mar 2026

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    Last replied

    18 Mar 2026

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If you are not an EU Citizen and planning to visit Italy to work, volunteer or study, YOU WILL NEED THE CORRECT VISA. To find out more information please contact the embassy in your home country BEFORE travelling.

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Availability

  2026 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Italy! In the beautiful hills of Oltrepò Pavese, just south of Milan.

    Oltrepò Pavese is still relatively free from mass tourism – we like to call it “the real Italy.”

    My husband and I live in a 150-year-old cascina (an old Italian farmhouse) surrounded by vineyards, rolling hills and nature. Our home is shared with our dogs and cats, and the local wildlife – deer, rabbits!

    Just to be clear: we are not a working farm or vineyard. This is simply our family home.

    I am British and my husband Andrea is Italian. We have three children – although they are not really children anymore!

    Oltrepò Pavese is Italy’s largest wine-producing area, second only to California globally. If you don’t enjoy wine, this may not be the best place for you! The surrounding hills and vineyards face south and the region is often described as a hidden jewel. In some ways it resembles Tuscany, but without the large tourist crowds.

    Our life here revolves around home, family, food, wine and local culture. We have a small wine cellar and enjoy sharing good food and local wines. During the spring and summer we often dine al fresco under the cascina, enjoying the beautiful Italian evenings – la vita bella.
    Our location is also perfect for exploring northern Italy. Nearby you’ll find the Liguria coast, the famous Cinque Terre, the city of Genoa, and of course Milan. Venice is also reachable by train for an overnight visit. There are many charming local villages and vineyards waiting to be discovered.

    Our home is large and there is always something to do. In the summer months we have a swimming pool, bikes, and we spend a lot of time outdoors enjoying the countryside.
    Weekends are often spent exploring the hills with a bottle of wine, bread and local cheese, visiting vineyards, discovering new wines, going to the sea, or simply relaxing in the garden and by the pool.

    What we are looking for
    It is very important that anyone staying with us:
    Has experience with dogs and cats
    Enjoys experiencing different cultures
    Has a positive and easy-going attitude
    Tasks may include:
    Looking after the dogs and cats when we occasionally travel
    General garden work, including mowing the lawn
    Any DIY skills are very welcome
    General household help

    Most importantly, we appreciate people who are happy, positive and enjoy being part of a family environment.

    We always arrange a video or WhatsApp call before confirming anything, as it’s important for everyone to feel comfortable.
    A few important notes
    We are not a meditation or spiritual retreat. If that is what you are looking for, we may not be the right hosts.
    We are not a hotel or B&B. This is a family home, and we eat and socialize together.
    No smoking in the house or garden.
    Please try to communicate in English.

    Once we respond to your message, we expect a reply within one week, as we receive many requests.
    Please make sure you read our profile carefully before contacting us – we receive many generic messages that we cannot answer.
    Bonus!
    If you have sailing experience or qualifications, please let us know. In our spare time we love sailing and this could be a great help.

    Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. We look forward to hearing from you.
    Claire & Andrea

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
    House & pet sitting
  • Interests

    Interests

    Architecture
    Dancing
    Winter sports
    Sustainability
    Pets
    Events & social
    Culture
    Charity work
    Music
    History
    Books
    Languages
    Cooking & food
    Animals
    Sailing / Boating
    Beach
    Water sports
    Adventure sports
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    All visitors will be treated like friends and family , this is real Italy with a focus on local culture , food and wines, you will be part of our lives, enjoying and learning perhaps the many other sides of mainstream Italy .
    My husband is a gentleman with a expert knowledge of Italian history and wines - perhaps improve your Italian if you wish .
    You will meet many locals who are all our friends .
    Enjoy x

  • Help

    Help

    We have a large ish garden - mowing the lawn , hedges , lawn mower , painting, plastering small areas , renovation works . House and home help with cleaning .

    Family home , must like dogs, cats and have experiences with these .

    *** If you decide that you want to join us, consider that all the activities require manual and physical help. Gardening in a 1 to 1 acre it is not the same of gardening in the backyard.

    Please note we are always looking for workways who maybe interested in taking on a housekeeping role, please let me know and we can discuss.

    You will help 5 hours a day / 5 days a week and I will choose the best task for you according to your skills, experience and attitude.

    You will normally have your own bedroom,and bathroom, but sometimes you may have to share .

    We are always to share our experience and knowledge in Italian culture and cuisine.

    Please before you apply consider the following:

    - during the autumn / winter we have breakfast at 8 am and we start working at 9 pm

    - during the summer, temperatures can easily reach above 38°C degrees and for this reason we start working at 8 00 AM.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Italian: Fluent
    Latin: Fluent
    German: Intermediate

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Bed Breakfast all meals , we do not cater for Vegans.
    Wifi and Sat TV .
    Breakfast tea, coffee and continental style , no cooked breakfasts, light lunch , evening meals will mainly consist of local produce , pasta, vegetables, we have a relatively healthy diet, of course with local wines .
    You will help out with loading the dishwasher, getting stuck in .
    It is important you like Dogs/Cats.
    No smoking in any part of our home, we can cater for vegetarians, however, we can not cater for Vegan .
    All guests must be vaccinated against Covid .

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    During your free time, we recommend you explore the local area, we can take you to the nearby train station , only 40 minutes to Milano , bike rides in the hills, local markets and cultural events all throughout the year.
    Milan is nearby, so much to see, the beautiful areas of Liguria, Piemonte , Venice ,Switzerland are all nearby . If you sail or have experiences please do share this with us x
    Finally we are a family environment not a hotel theme , with check in on the days before please please if we have agreed to host you , keep in touch, communicate communicate with us , if we do not hear from you we will assume you are a No Show.
    Cant wait to meet you !

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • My animals / pets

    My animals / pets

    lots of Cats (4 years)

    5 cats currently on my farmhouse

    Indie

Host ref number: 568867858497

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