A small bolthole nestled in the hills above the Medieval town of Pigna. With the sunny terraces in the garden, the bars and restaurants of Pigna a 10 minute walk down the hill, and natural pools 15 minutes walk the other way, there is no need to leave! This house is the holiday home of a family and is full of personal trinkets, it’s not a permanent Airbnb rental so if you want something empty and pristine this isn’t right, if you want a place full of character that’s well loved, please come! The space This small cottage sits just above the town of Pigna, however feels completely enclosed due to the private positioning, and the the garden works across two long terraces that catch the sun throughout the day. There are two bedrooms - one master bedroom and a twin room, with an additional sleeping area in the corridor. There is a pull out bed underneath one of the twin beds if guests wanted to squeeze in 6, however it would be tight! The house is compact but cosy and full of character, downstairs there is a working fire in the living room and a small but functional little galley kitchen. Come summer however, you may find yourself doing all meal prep around the big wooden table on the patio, where meals will usually take place between April and October. Also on the patio is a comfy seating area if guests want some respite from the summer sun. Pigna itself is a gem of a town, steeped in character and full of life, whilst feeling firmly off the tourist trail. A 5 minute wander from the house down into the Piazza will bring you to Daniele's bar - a Pignaschi hotspot with stunning views over the valley and one of the strongest Spritzes you'll try! After you've had your aperitivo you have plenty of options to eat - opposite Daniele's is Isabella's "Dalle Ciuette" a delightful restaurant which serves delicious Ligurian cuisine in the evening and lighter fare for lunch - don't miss her takeaway slices of Torta Verde, the best we've tried locally. For something simpler the Pizzeria at the base of the town "Sul Ponte" serves a wide range of fantastic pizzas, and for a special evening you have both historic "Ristorante Trattoria Terme" on the way up towards Castelvitorrio, which has been in the family for decades and serves exemplary Ligurian food - the Spinach Linguine and Rabbit Ragu is not to be missed, nor the Lamb cooked in Milk, whilst the new addition of "Osteria Martini" serves a more modern cuisine, using the basics of Ligurian cooking but updating them with unexpected and delicious twists. During the daytime, the hub of the village is the pasticceria "Desir de Roy", which is always buzzing with locals and weary cyclists alike, and a perfect spot for people watching - Monica and Fabio make all the pastries and Ice creams on site and it shows, everything's delicious. It's hard not to eat well in Pigna! Pigna is a wonderful spot for those with an active nature, due to the plethora of well marked hiking trails, the natural bathing pools scattered over the town, and the challenging cycle routes up to Baijardo, Perinaldo, Rochetta Nervina and other hilltop towns. For those keener on relaxing, the terraces at the house provide wonderful sunbathing spots, as do the bathing pools, and the nearby villages of Dolceaqua and Isolabona are lovely places to explore or to have an evening drink in. Further afield, the daily food market of Ventimiglia is not to be missed, it being renowned for its produce across Europe and the swanky beach spots of the French Riviera such as Eze and Cap D'Ail are only a 40 minute drive away, whilst there perhaps stop in at the Hanbury Gardens or the modernist masterpieces that are Eileen Gray's Villa E-1027, and Le Corbusier Cabin. In Winter the small but charming ski resort of Limone el Piedmonte is a 1hr30 min drive away ( alternatively drive to Ventimiglia and get the scenic train up ) and a perfect day trip from the house. Pigna is a 1hr10 drive from Nice airport, or 2hr20 from Genoa. Whilst it can be helpful to have a car in Pigna, it's by no mean necessary. From both Nice and Genoa there are frequent trains to Ventimiglia, and then from Ventimiglia there are around 5 buses a day up to Pigna. Once at the house, there is a small shop in the village that sells hams/cheese/bread/milk/basics and a small selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, however for a bigger supermarket it would be wise to stop in Ventimiglia en route. The house is just a 5-10 minute walk above the bars restaurants of Pigna itself. The ascent to the house is very steep so those with mobility issues sadly should probably avoid it. Guest access The path up to Le Teppie is fairly steep and not completely flat so sadly we wouldn't advise those with mobility issues to stay. There are car parking spaces about a 5 minute walk from the house, however these cannot be relied on to be available as they are communal so occasionally you'll have to park in the free car park in Pigna itself and then walk back up to the house which takes 10-15 minutes. Other things to note The terraces of the garden have a drop of around 2 metres or so between them , which might make the garden unsuitable for small children Registration Details IT008043C2658V8VLE