Italy’s secret ski and sun region revealed as property buyers find the price is right

Property in the Italian region of Abruzzo is proving popular with buyers who want to have the benefits of skiing in the winter and sailing and summer sun, according to a property expert.

The region, which lies in the centre of Italy between Rome and the Adriatic coast, is a bit of a skier’s secret, according to Linda Travella of Casa Travella who has been selling properties in Italy for 24 years.

‘When thinking of skiing in Italy, most clients think of two specific regions, namely The Dolomites on the borders with Austria and the Val d’Aosta bordering on France, but there are a number of alternatives,’ she said.

She points out that Abruzzo provides very good skiing facilities and many miles of pistes with good access from the areas around Pescara, thus enabling people to enjoy both winter skiing and summer sun from a single location, at a more affordable price.

The Passo Lanciano, which has very good pistes, is located in the Maiella Park and only 40 kilometres from Pescara and even less from Citta Sant’Angelo where you can buy a new three-bedroom apartment for just €165.000.

Other locations include Prati di Tivo and Monte Piselli, in the montagne dei fuori close to the Le Marche Abruzzo border. At only 30 kilometres from the piste you can buy a two-bedroom apartment for as little as €60.000. She points out that owners can fly into Pescara with budget airlines or fly to Rome and using the motorway go through the Gran Sasso tunnel.

Travella added that buyers are often surprised at the sort of value for money property they can find in this part of Italy.

The lakes of Como and Maggiore also provide access to skiing, says Linda, with the possibility of using your property throughout the year for sailing, shopping and sunbathing. The mountain of Monte Rosa at 4,000 metres is about an hour and a quarter from Lake Maggiore, with San Domenico and Macugnaga some 70 kilometres from Stresa. In mid winter you can ski at Mottarone taking a 15-minute ride from a cable car in Stresa.

Lake Como offers similar opportunities with Madesimo and Aprica less than an hour away and for those who want to travel a little further St Moritz, which provides top class, skiing for all levels and night skiing that starts at 10pm and finishes at 2am.

About an hour from Lake Como is the less well know facility at Aprica, with properties available right by the ski lifts. It is also very good for snowboarding with a new section of terrain at the Baradello especially for snowboarders. Aprica offers summer activities as well, such as mountain biking and mountain walks. Day trips can be taken for skiing to Bormio, St Moritz and Livigno. Milan’s airports of Linate and Bergamo are only 75 minutes away.

Jackie and Paul Cavalli from Orpington bought a property at Nobiallo, close to Menaggio on Lake Como seven years ago. ‘Our home at Nobiallo allows us to enjoy the water sports and lake in the summer and go skiing in the winter. It was a cold rainy October day when we went to view intending to buy a ski chalet, but we never go further than Como,’ explained Jackie.

They ski in Madesimo, just over an hour from Nobiallo. Over the year this resort has grown, as has Aprica, with a number of faster lifts to a wide variety of pistes. ‘When returning down the mountain from a great day’s skiing what could be better than the lake surrounded by snow covered mountains, you could not wish for a better way to get away from it all,’ added Jackie.