Agriturismo La Contessa

The Agriturismo La Contessa is not in Finale Ligure as the name is usually understood, that is on the seafront: it is on via Don Mario Scarrone, in the hamlet of Perti Alto, on the inland heights behind Finalborgo, among centuries-old olive trees. It is a difference worth understanding before booking, because it changes the holiday: here you sleep in the silence of the Ligurian countryside and drive down to the sea, instead of having the beach below the window. For anyone coming to Finale to climb or to cycle, it is exactly the right position.

Eleven rooms, and the tub on the patio

The villa has eleven rooms, each with its own name and character: Barone, Conte, Contessa, Marchesa and Marchese in the historic body, and then the citrus series, Arancio, Cedro, Chinotto, Lime, Limone and Mandarino. The feature that sets them apart is the whirlpool tub, facing the private patio that each room has, with seating and a small library to draw on. Inside there are adjustable air conditioning and heating, satellite TV with Italian and foreign channels, a hairdryer and house linen; the WiFi covers the shared areas.

Anyone travelling in a van or with a tent will find six equipped pitches on the estate's land, a formula that here coexists with the rooms instead of excluding them.

What there is and what there is not

La Contessa is reserved for adults, throughout the property. It has no pool, no sauna and no wellness centre: relaxation is found in the whirlpool tub on your own patio, in the garden with the terrace and in the shade of the olive trees. Said plainly, because anyone looking for a spa will not find one here.

Breakfast is the chapter the house bets on: genuine produce, artisan jams made with local citrus fruit, home-baked cakes, with continental, Italian, vegetarian and vegan versions. Dinner is available only by prior booking, and it is worth asking for it on the evening of arrival, when driving down to the valley is the last thing you feel like doing. Parking is on site, and it is needed: without a car, from Perti Alto, you do not get far.