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Accommodation

Abetone is an exciting new development of one and two bedroom apartments currently underway in Tuscany’s premier ski resort, Val di Luce (Valley of Light), offering great value for money and all year round appeal. Take a few minutes to read what Abetone can offer and you may be on the verge of making an exciting life style decision.

Tuscany is without doubt the most alluring region of Italy. The landscape is instantly recognisable: Medieval hill-towns, rows of slender cypress trees, vineyards and olive groves together make Tuscany the quintessential Italian image, a place where we can feel at home. Yet despite it’s worldwide renown Tuscany still can take us by surprise and the excellent skiing to be had there is a case in point.

Abetone has always been popular with Italians since it first started welcoming skiers in 1935. It is a family resort and the extensive ski-lift facilities, 30 piste are served by 25 ski lifts, are among the most modern in Europe. With a total of 80 kilometres of ski-slopes, reaching altitudes of up to 1900 m, the skiing area extends over four wonderful valleys - Val di Luce, Valle della Scoltella, Sestaione and Lima valleys. The ski resort has also been recently equipped with artificial snow machines, guaranteeing 40 km of constantly snow-covered slopes. There are wide runs, ideal for all skiers, from beginners to experts. The most popular runs are on mount Gomito, which is reached by the Ovovia lift: they are named Zeno One, Two and Three, in tribute to the local Olympic gold winner Zeno Colo. Another popular feature is the new Abetone terrain park, a state-of-the-art facility, boasting half-pipe and 10-foot jumps for the pleasure and thrill of daring snowboarders. First-time skiers and boarders will find in the Campo Tennis and the Campo Scuola a good, smooth place to learn, best under the guidance of a trained teacher from one of the three local ski schools (Scuola Sci Abetone, Scuola Italiana Sci Monte Gomito and Scuola Sci Colo) that offer both individual lessons and group discounts. The season runs from December to April and unlike its more famous counterparts, such as Sestriere and Cortina in the Alps, prices are not prohibitive and much lower than anything you will find in the French Alps. The fact that Italians mostly use the resort on the weekend also means you will not spend valuable skiing in time in frustrating, long queues for the ski lifts.

The area has as much to offer in the summer as it does in the winter. A 90 minute drive will find you on one of the marvellous beaches of western Tuscany. The region abounds with golf course from the Poggio Dei Medici Golf Club near Florence to the courses around Lucca and the Garfagnana valley, in all there are 28 superb course to choose from and another planned in Lunigiana. If you are looking to pamper yourself, Tuscany has around thirty thermal spas which await you, all within easy reach of Abetone and all set in breathtaking locations. The spa in Bagni di Lucca is the closest but others are centred around Pisa, Siena and Florence. If you want to be more active the options are endless, horse riding, white water rafting, cycling in the steep hills of the Chianti Valley or a more leisurely tour to the soft hills of the Lucca valley. The Apuane Alps to the west are ideal for trekking or you could just spend time walking through centuries-old villages discovering fascinating medieval architecture with breath taking scenery as a back drop. Of course when you have immersed yourself in your chosen activity the delicious cuisine and wine of Tuscany will be the perfect compliment to another perfect day.

Abetone is perfectly placed to take advantage of all the famous centres of Renaissance culture the region can offer. The sumptuous art, beautiful buildings and unique atmosphere of Florence is just 90 minutes from Abetone, while Lucca is under an hour, the medieval towers of San Gimignano and the wine-producing Chianti area are easily accessible while you can be in Siena to witness its famous palio horse race in under 2 hours away. Going north the porticos of Bologna and delights of Modena await you. The airports of Pisa, Parma, Bologna and Forli plus an excellent road system means getting to Abetone is a stress free experience.
Read more about Abetone here

The development
Ten years in the planning, Abetone is being completed in three phases.

Phase 1 of the development, which will be completed for December 2007, will consist of 80 freehold apartments, ranging from studios to 2 bed properties. Prices start at £90,000 for a 41 square metre studio.

Phase 2 of the development, ready for winter 2008, will consist of 53 fractional ownership apartments on offer at a remarkable £60,000. In this phase the 50 room hotel, spa centre, restaurant, indoor pool, sports facilities and commercial outlets are planned to fully realise the potential of the area, providing an all round well being experience for residents.

Phase 3 will consist of a further 50 freehold apartments and will be completed by the winter of 2009.

The apartments are designed in traditional Alpine style with stunning views, balconies, log burning open fires and characteristic use of timber.

Investment
Apart from the wonderful opportunity to own a property in such a stunning location, the development is also an investment opportunity. Prices in Tuscany rose by 10% in 2005 so while you take full advantage of your investment you can watch its value grow year on year. With prices set to increase at the end of April 2006 as a result of extremely high demand, pre-construction properties in Val di Luce are already showing appreciation! The average price of a 2-bed apartment in Phase 1 was € 277,000 (incl. VAT) while the average price for a 2-bed apartment in the final phase was € 300,000 (incl. VAT), phase 1 buyers have already made a potential profit of over € 20,000! As Abetone has as much to offer in the summer as in the winter your apartment could provide you with all year round rental income. Further incentives are the tax break opportunities for first time Italian home buyers and as Italy has abolished capital gains tax the profit on any resale will not be diluted.

What the papers say about the Abetone development
"Land here is half the price of the rest of Tuscany" London Evening Standard 9th November 2005

"Tuscan beauty awaits skiers" Daily Express 16th November 2005

"Time to say ciao to skiing in Tuscany" Daily Mail 11th November 2005

"Combining access to skiing and culture in one property certainly looks like a way of getting more value for your money." Observer 6th November 2005

Click links below to view the plans for the property:
Apartment Distribution First Floor
Apartment Distribution Second Floor
Apartment Distribution Top Floor
Commercial Outlets Ground Floor
Layout. Apartment c9 (First Floor)
Layout. Apartment c3 (First Floor)
Layout. Apartment a8 (Second Floor)
Layout. Apartment b13 (Top Floor)
Layout. Apartment a17 (Top Floor)

Condition

No work required.

No. Bedrooms

2

No. Floors

4

Features

The apartments are designed in traditional Alpine style with stunning views, balconies, log burning open fires and characteristic use of timber.

50 room hotel, spa centre, restaurant, indoor pool, sports facilities and commercial outlets form part of the development.

Garage

Underground parking

Utilities

Connected?

Comments

Electric:

Yes

Heating:

Yes

Gas:

Yes

Sewage:

Yes

Water:

Yes

Telephone:

Yes

Price

Prices start from € 145,000  for a studio apartment
All prices in Euros - please use currency convertor on Italian Properties page.