Abruzzo holiday farmhouse: Appignano

Casa di Colli is a tastefully restored, well-equipped house with a lovely pool in a gorgeous location. The caretakers and all involved in maintaining the house, pool & extensive garden are friendly and helpful. This is a great location for the independent traveller to explore the picturesque Abruzzesi hill towns, lakes and mountains. There is plenty of info at the property to guide guests to local places of cultural, artistic and culinary interest whilst the panoramic terrace and excellent local produce makes dining at home a real pleasure (especially using the owner's delicious home-grown olive oil).

For a perfect balance between exploration and relaxation, it is an idyllic spot but you must have a good map (try Standfords website) and be prepared to tackle the gorgeous, serpentine back roads to fully appreciate this lovely province at its best. Some basic Italian is advantageous as this is not a major foreign tourist destination, which is a large part of the attraction and charm of the region.

We travelled with boys aged 9 and 11, one of whom is partially disabled. They had a fantastic time and loved the space, freedom and especially, the pool at this property. If you want to experience the 'real' Italy, this is the ideal base to do it from.