Just minutes from the centre of Chippenham—but hidden behind high gates and four acres of private gardens—The Ivy offers a rare blend of town access and country calm.

Steen Valetje was built in 1851 to celebrate the wedding of Franklin Hughes DelanoI and Laura Eugenia Astor on land that was gifted from her father, William Backhouse Astor, who owned the neighboring estate of Rokeby.

Considered a gem of the Champagne-Ardennes region, this Renaissance castle was once described by Victor Hugo as “a delightful pandemonium of turrets, weathervanes, gables, dormers and chimneys”.

Set near Padua and Venice, Villa Emo Capodilista can sleep up to 10 in 7 bedrooms. With a commanding position within the La Montecchia wine estate, the villa is surrounded by vineyards and offers panoramic views over the Colli Euganei hills.

On the market with Romolini, Villa Mansi is a stunning 17th century villa located in the countryside of Lucca, one of the most beloved cities in Tuscany, Italy.

On the market with Belles demeures de France, L'Hotel de Jarnac is a neoclassical mansion designed in 1784 by renowned architect Étienne-François Legrand, listed as a Monument Historique.

The real estate market in Italy has its uniqueness, and slow, Italian charm. It can be very different to what foreign buyers are used to. We sat down with with Cameron Avery of Prestige Properties Italy to discuss what the process is actually like, and the unique opportunities that exist right now in Italy’s “buyers market”.