This beautiful Italian villa is located in stunning countryside in the heart of the Monferrato wine region in south Piedmont. Many vacation rentals boast of being away unspoilt or away-from-it-all but Casa Collina really is in a beautiful part of Italy that is completely untouched by mass tourism. Whilst the Italians have long recognised the beauty of this region, you really will be hard pressed to find foreign holiday makers in this part of Piedmont. It is that part of Italy that you dream about when you think of long hot summer evenings and quiet country living.

The area is hilly and covered in vineyards punctured by small hilltop villages that seem untouched since the middle ages. It truly is magical and makes for some amazing holiday photos. The landscape goes on for mile and on certain days, the Alps including Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa are clearly visible along most of the horizon.

Calstelnuovo Calcea is one such medieval village located across the valley from Casa Collina. Although very small, the locals are extremely friendly and you will find a butchers, bakers, pharmacist, convenient store, post office, church (of course), restaurant and bar (including sky sports and a pool table).

The main local town is Nizza Monferrato about 6km's (4 miles) away. Whilst its a small market town it is the centre of the local wine trade and as such has an abundance of restaurants, bars, shops and a weekly market.

A little further a field are the larger regional roman towns of Asti, Alessandria, Alba and Acqui Terme. They are all of similar size and are certainly worth visiting if only to explore the old narrow passageways and buy some of the locally produced food and handicrafts.

Located in the centre of a triangle formed by Genoa, Turin and Milan, there are many other attractions to keep visitors entertained. Shopping in Milan, the cafes in Turin or the old port in Genoa offer many opportunities to diversify your visit to north-west Italy. Click here for a map of the region.

By using this Italian villa as a base, you can explore everything that northwest Italy has to offer. The beaches of the Italian Riviera, the Alps and so much more in between are all within an hours drive of the house.