Mandrioli, immersed in the woods, overlooking the sea

Mandrioli, immersed in the woods, overlooking the sea

Porto Ercole, Tuscany 4

Travelling along the road that climbs the slopes of Monte Argentario, we discover, almost by chance, a beautiful villa with an ancient tile roof and low walls clad in brown stone. It is nestled in a flower garden and blends well into the colours of the oak forest that surrounds it on three sides. When we arrive through the forest road, are amazed and almost speechless at the breathtaking view of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the sky: below us, a spectacular picture, with the endless white sandy tombolo of Feniglia and that of Giannella, and then Orbetello, and still far away the whole arc of the Tuscan and Lazio coasts. This place is truly a paradise of nature, beauty and peace, just a stone’s throw from fashionable Port’Ercole. Far from all the noise and summer crowds, here you can only breathe in the sky, the sea and the forest; you follow the flight of swallows and peregrine falcons, you get drunk on the colours of flowers, foliage and butterflies, and by day and night you listen to the song of the leaves. Upon entering, one is greeted by the aristocratic elegance of a beautiful country house, comfortable, cosy, full of the owners’ travel stories.

There is a rustic kitchen, typical of a very hospitable home, so equipped with everything. A large, comfortable living room, beautiful paintings, books, elegant rooms and large bathrooms, rustic antique furniture and beautiful handmade terracotta floors. We are by the sea, but in a beautiful country house. The property is all fenced in, and the house, cool and protected, is equipped for both summer and winter, with a stone table and bench outside on the brick pavement, a grape pergola, deckchairs and fresh grass, and, in cold weather, heating and a fireplace.
Relaxation for all tastes, sun, air and views of the blue sea and sky, and for trekking and mountain-biking enthusiasts, many paths from the house (or down by the sea) climb amidst the lush Mediterranean maquis up to 635 metres (Punta Telegrafo) offering views and glimpses of rare beauty. For golf enthusiasts, there is the Argentario Golf Club, a 77-hectare park with an 18-hole championship course in a natural amphitheatre of olive trees and Mediterranean scrub. For the more mundane, down below, the glittering Port’Ercole, and just ahead Porto Santo Stefano with its ferries to the beautiful islands of Giglio and Giannutri.