Posted: Mar 23, 2016
Close your eyes and dream a little. Imagine your perfect home. Now open your eyes, and gaze on these 10 enchanting properties for sale around the world for spring.
1. Gestelhof Castle, Belgium €20m (£15.84m).
Gestelhof Castle dates from the 16th century. Its style is unmistakeably Flemish, with red brick detail, broken up with horizontal stone banding and topped with attractive windows and turrets. Sitting in up to 48 acres of land, it is just half an hour from Antwerp. The castle is surrounded by a moat and a complex of estate buildings, all of which have been restored. The main living rooms are grand, yet comfortable, oozing period charm. The cellar is vast, and there is a rooftop terrace.
2. Siena, Italy £21.6m (€28m)
In a 1,500 acre estate, this historic fortress sits just outside the medieval city of Siena. It is fully restored with great attention to detail. With 115 bedrooms and 100 bathrooms, it might lend itself to being a hotel rather than a private home. The charming loggia and formal gardens lead on to 70 acres of pasture land, olive groves with 1,500 trees, 44 acres of vineyards and two fishing lakes. There are four large swimming pools and a tennis court.
3. Nazaret, Lanzarote POA
Casa Omar Sharif is said to have belonged to the famous actor and legend has it that he lost it in a card game. The Lawrence of Arabia star fell in love with the dazzlingly white mansion while he was filming on the island in 1973. He lost it, in a game of bridge, to the man who had built it. Sharif was an excellent bridge player, but he had not realised his challenger was the European bridge champion. Here’s your chance to snap it up.
4. County Cork, Ireland £212,900
On the foreshore at Belvelly, overlooking Fota Island, this medieval tower house has planning permission for a full restoration. It is 80ft tall, with a spiral stone staircase, mullioned windows, battlements and ancient recesses. There is a boatslip to the estuary and a quarter of an acre of land.
Vladi Private Islands; 0049 40 33 89 89; (www.vladi-private-islands.de)
5. Haapiti Rahi, Bora Bora, French Polynesia £4.2m
This really is a paradise island you can have all to yourself. With white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, it has a modular property linked by a large open deck and covered area. There is a second, guest property and a wharf to moor your boat. International flights go into Motu Mute, which is another island in the same lagoon.
Vladi Private Islands; 0049 40 33 89 89; (www.vladi-private-islands.de)
6. Todi, Umbria, Italy £3,709,240 (€ 4.7m)
Located in the Umbrian countryside, this 12th century castle dominates the surrounding countryside and has superb views to the mountains in the distance. There are 10 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms over three storeys, culminating in the Princess’s Chamber in the tall tower. Olive groves, vineyards and woodlands surround the restored building, stretching to 42 acres. There is also an inviting swimming pool surrounded by a stone-paved sun deck.
Casaitalia International; 0039 0743 220122; ( http://www.gate-away.com)
7. Perugia, Umbria, Italy POA
An ancient manor house dating back to the 13th century, this property was rebuilt in the Renaissance and now has been thoroughly modernised. With cannon on the battlements and a bronze knight perched atop a tower, this is no minor castle. There are 100 rooms, including 17 bedrooms, and it sits in two acres of grounds. The train station five minutes’ away and it’s 90 minutes from Rome.
8. Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy £773,400 (€980,000)
Surrounded by nearly three acres of woodland, these two villas enjoy an elevated position with views of the surrounding mountains. The main farmhouse has two double bedrooms and an attic room plus a huge living room opening on to a patio area. The other villa, about 50 yards away, has two further bedrooms. There is a large outbuilding, a swimming pool and a hot tub, as well as a tennis court and a small gym. The attractive town of Ascoli Piceno is a couple of miles away.
9. Tahanoute, near Marrakech £455,000
This atmospheric riad is set in landscaped grounds, just outside the picturesque town of Tahanoute. Its walls are the traditional pink and orange shades of the local clay. The walled gardens are fragrant with roses, and shaded by palms and olive trees. The large pool shimmers among lawns and flowering shrubs. Heavy, carved wooden doors set into Moorish arches lead into the main living space. There are four en-suite bedrooms and stunning views to the Atlas Mountains.
10. Oeiras, Lisbon, Portugal €5.5m
This five-bedroom villa is set among beautiful gardens with sea views. It comes with a porter’s lodge and a gardener’s house, as well as accommodation over the garage from a driver. The top floor has servants’ quarters and there is a large basement, plus an elevator to all floors. There are several attractive sandy beaches nearby and the city centre is easily accessible.
