I have been lucky enough to live in some of the world’s better cities. New York and London have both been home for me. I have visited many others: Melbourne, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, to name a few. It’s always difficult to know what to expect the first time you visit a ‘great city’. What makes them so special? Why do they deserve to be listed as timezones or on the bottom of a fancy fashion label.
One, however, made instant sense, and that was Rome. It is a great city, not least because it once conquered most of Europe, but because you can immediately feel that history. The buildings radiate culture, every turn down a side street a reminder of a civilisation that spanned centuries thousands of years ago. It is profoundly wonderful.
You would hope that the property in such a place would be of a similar standard; layers upon layers of history, from the Romans to the corrupt and powerful families of the Renaissance and beyond. Looking at this property on the Via Nomentana — for sale with Savills for €5.1 million — it is hard to argue otherwise.
First impressions count, as we know, and it’s hard not to be immediately impressed by this entrance hall and staircase. All that classic Italian flair is here: the trompe l’oeil, the rich columns, the red carpet and fine ironwork of the railings, the marble.
These grand spaces are littered throughout the ground and first floors, boasting high ceilings and plenty of period features. It is perhaps not surprising that this property has been used in film and television.
On the second floor, you will find a more casual living space, with a large living area, a dining room, kitchen and bathroom. Furthermore, the property offers a plethora of balconies, giving great views of this rich city from all angles.
Outside, a grand garden provides the entrance to the property, which is itself set back from the main street. Providing plenty of space to entertain, or just a barrier from the noise, it offers plenty of potential. As does the property as a whole, which would benefit from a bit of TLC throughout.
But Rome’s great trick is that not everything need be new. There is charm and elegance and excitement in rich history and tradition. And of being a part of it.
-
Athena: We need to get serious about saving our museumsThe government announced that museums ‘can now apply for £20 million of funding to invest in their future’ last week. But will this be enough?
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
-
Schreiber House, 'the most significant London townhouse of the second half of the 20th century', is up for saleThe five-bedroom Modernist masterpiece sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
