Delightful four bed villa with mature garden just a short stroll from a marina with moorings and village with shops and waterfront restaurants. Independent one bed flat on the ground floor.

Set in a quiet location near the mouth of the river Magra this villa, with both front and back garden, offers comfortable accommodation in a beautiful area. Supermarket, shops, restaurants are all within a short walk and the golden sandy beaches are a bicycle ride away.

The villa has a self-contained flat on the ground floor and opening onto the front garden has a taverna kitchen with large open fireplace, bedroom and bathroom. Upstairs and with independent entrance there is a large living room with fireplace, kitchen, utility room, two bedrooms and bathroom. The living room opens onto a covered terrace overlooking and with steps to the garden. There is an attic area with two rooms of which one has been restored and is used as a bedroom. The property is complete with central heating. The mature garden has palm trees, cane, pergola with climber for 'al fresco' dining and lawns.

Bocca di Magra is in a stunning location at the edge of the Montemarcello National Park where Tuscany meets Liguria. The marina is along the Magre river and sailing boats make their way out to sail round to the islands of the Bay of Poets or down the Versilia coast. There are lots of local restaurants and the beaches are well tended and equipped. The Cinque Terre, Viareggio and Bay of Poets are all in the surrounding area.

The Gulf of the Poets is an enclave with a group of three islands at its tip, fishing villages with exceptional fish restaurants, as well as opportunities for sailing, canoeing, snorkelling or just relaxing on one of the beaches hidden in craggy bays around Fiascherino or Tellaro. The easiest way to get around the gulf is by boat which runs between Lerici, La Spezia and Portovenere or on to The Cinque Terre. The name Gulf of the Poets is from the literary connection as some famous poets and authors, including Shelley, Byron and D H Lawrence, lived here at some time.

Versilia is the stretch of golden sandy coast from the tip of Liguria to Viareggio. Viareggio is the southernmost Italian Riviera resort on Italy's Mediterranean coast and the largest beach town in Tuscany. Liberty style buildings housing fashionable shops, cafes, and seafood restaurants line its promenade. Viareggio is famous for the yearly Carnevale di Viareggio dating back to 1873 with large papier-mâché floats which parade along the promenade known as "Passeggiata al mare". The carnival takes place in the in the weeks preceding lent. In nearby Forte dei Marmi you can shop with the rich and famous in the upmarket designer shops in the avenues around the pretty central piazza with bars serving refreshing camparis.

The Cinque Terre are five picturesque villages strung along the narrow coastline north of the Gulf of the Poets and La Spezia with pretty coves, beaches and are accessed on foot, boat or with the local train that shuttles between the villages. Anyone visiting the Cinque Terre should take a walk along the cliff paths which link one village to the next, stop in one of the bars or restaurants and try the anchovies marinated in olive oil and garlic, served with bread and delicate white wine made from the grapes that grow up the steep terraces above the villages. The Cinque Terre are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

There are numerous farm restaurants to discover nearby, serving local specialties and excellent walking trails abound. The large port of La Spezia is just down the hill, with a new marina full of impressive yachts where it is easy to hire a boat for a day trip around the Gulf of the Poets. There are excellent shops and restaurants, schools, banks and a huge, bustling market every Saturday morning. Sarzana, too, is close by, a vibrant medieval market town with large elegant central piazzas and cobbled lanes meandering through the town flanked with coffee shops and antique stores. During the summer months Sarzana often hosts festivals from dining in the piazza to concerts to open air events along the lanes. There is a wonderful atmosphere on summer evenings when there are many street antique markets throughout the town, often with musicians playing and the castle is open. Sarzana also has a station with direct trains to Pisa, Florence and the Cinque Terre and a general market takes over the town each Thursday.

Both the coastal areas of Versilia and the Gulf of the Poets are easily accessible. The golden sandy beaches look out to the islands, to Portovenere and the castles of San Terenzo and Lerici. The Gulf of The Poets, a pearl of the Mediterranean, with character villages, craggy coves and sandy beaches, is enchanting. It has been home to many poets and writers over the years including Shelley, Byron and DH Lawrence. There is great sailing around this coastline, with the Cinque Terre, Elba and the Tuscan islands all within easy reach. Both Lerici and San Terenzo are dominated by the castle with the old villages of pastel coloured buildings huddled on the steep hills dropping down to the sea and the marina. There are many colourful shops and restaurants and it is an ideal place to relax and explore. The easiest way to get around the gulf is by boat which run between Lerici, La Spezia, Portovenere and on to The Cinque Terre. These five villages are strung along the terraced cliffs and form a UNESCO World Heritage site which, until recently, could only be reached by boat or by train. Anyone visiting the Cinque Terre should take a walk along the cliff paths which link one village to the next, stop in one of the bars or restaurants and try the anchovies marinated in olive oil and garlic, served with bread and delicate white wine made from the grapes which grow up the steep terraces above the villages. The airports of Pisa, Parma and Genova are each just over an hour away.

Distances: Baia Blu (beaches) 15 km, La Spezia 20 km, Sarzana 25 km, Monterosso (Cinque Terre) 30 km, Forte dei Marmi 45 km, Pietrasanta 50 km, Lucca 80 km, Pisa (airport) 90 km.