Inside the fairytale castles you could own in Italy ...
with 'great value' prices starting at £1.96million
- Luxury real estate company Lionard has over 70 different Italian castles among their property portfolio
- With listing prices that range from £780 to £6,650 per square metre, 37 castles are currently up for sale
- For the best value look to the northwest Piedmont region, though the Tuscan countryside remains most popular
For those who fancy a home fit for a king or queen, dozens of stunning residences are currently up for sale from the north to the south of Italy.
Private palaces from Piedmont to the Tuscan countryside have asking prices in the range of £2million to £14m.
Full of charm and many in mint condition, some of the castles are already being used as tourist accommodation while others are working farms.
Fancy a home fit for royalty? Look no further than this medieval castle in Piedmont in Italy's north west for just £5.5million
Costs for this 12 bedroom Piedmont property will total approximately £5.5m, or just over £780 per square metre
The castle's stunning private chapel is ornately decorated
The best value offerings are currently in Piedmont, particularly the eye-catching castles in the Monferrato area, such as .
Its tower, stone balconies and stunning boardroom all date back to the 18th century, with a renovated neo-Gothic dining room and theatre decorated with frescoes inspired by Don Quixote.
There are three apartments on the upper level, totalling 12 bedrooms in all, as well as a dance hall, music hall, library, courtyard and swimming pool.
For this magnificent 5,962 square metre property, the costs will run approximately £5.5m, or just over £780 per square metre.
The Castello di Sapia, near Monteriggioni, which is less than 4.5 miles from Siena, is nestled in the hilly Tuscan countryside - though the home itself needs complete restoration, which helps to explain its comparatively bargain price £1.96m price tag.
Dating back to the 1200s, Castello di Tavolese is close to both Florence and Siena and is listed at £14,455,800
The impressive residence is spread over five floors and also boasts a separate farmhouse that's been converted into apartments
Castello di Sapia in the Tuscany countryside is on the market for just £1.96m as the home itself needs a complete restoration
Castello di Tavolese is another impressive castle that dates back to the first half of the 1200s. Spread over five floors, which includes a watch tower, the house also boasts a separate farmhouse that has been transformed into six apartments.
A prime example would be the 19th-century Castello di Acquabella, located in the stunning setting of the Vallombrosa Nature Reserve. An Abbey of the same name is nearby, which has been restored to perfection.
The picture-perfect 19th-century Castello di Acquabella is located in the stunning setting of the Vallombrosa Nature Reserve
Also in Tuscany, on the coast, between Livorno and Castiglioncello, an early 20th-century castle with breathtaking sea views is for sale
The home showcases old terra cotta floors, as well as ornate ceilings and walls and refined, elegant antique furniture
The rooms - not to mention the home's impressive staircase - truly reflect the prestige of the castle and the fine detailing
Archways are another signature of the neo-Gothic architecture style, as well as tall, narrow windows
The home itself is also a work of art, totalling 4,000 square metres over five levels.
Also in Tuscany, on the coast, between Livorno and Castiglioncello, an early 20th-century castle with breathtaking sea views is for sale.
With 700 square metres of indoor space over four floors and two crenellated towers, the majestic structure is reminiscent of a property found in a Disney film.
Most impressive of all is the castle's location from the coast and its incredible views. There is also direct private access to the sea.
Outside, the building is situated among a lush park with palm trees, oak trees, age-old pines and other exotic plants.
In Lombardy, this traditional manor home is surrounded by a circle of medieval walls and protected by a typical moat with lift bridge
Inside, rooms and halls are decorated in the neoclassical style of ancient Rome and Greece, which includes marble statues and columns
The sprawling property has six crenellated towers, stables, an Italian-style garden, a chapel and even a private cemetery
In Lombardy, near Milan, there are several more manor homes for sale.
Among them is a magnificent castle surrounded by a circle of medieval walls and protected by a typical moat. The sprawling property boasts six crenellated towers, stables, a chapel and private cemetery. Outside, an Italian-style garden and large swimming pool completes the idyllic setting.
For those with a bit more of a budget to burn, look no further than Tuscany's Chianti region, halfway between Florence and Siena. The 10th-century property on offer is located on 100 hectares of land, where wine has long been produced on site.
Inside, the castle artfully combines the ancient and modern, including beamed ceilings, terra cotta floors, fine marble, stone staircases and antique furniture.
For those with even deeper pockets, look no further than the Castello nel Chianti, located halfway between Florence and Siena
The 10th-century property on offer is located on 100 hectares of land, where wine has long been produced on site
The castle artfully combines ancient and modern, with beamed ceilings, terra cotta floors, fine marble, stone staircases and antique furniture
This is just one of the 37 castles in Italy that luxury real estate firm, Lionard, currently has for sale
Though many price tags may seem high, CEO Dimitri Corti insists that historic properties will always be a wise economic investment
While Luxury real estate company Lionard currently has 37 castles for sale, there are more than 70 throughout Italy in their portfolio.
Many owners, whose properties have been in the family for generations, have opted to sell due to high maintenance costs and an increasing tax burden.
But for foreign clients, these prices are relatively affordable, insists the CEO of Lionard Luxury Real Estate, Dimitri Corti.
'In our experience, purchasing a property of great value, like a castle or historic villa will always translate into opportunity because it gives an economic boost to the local area,' Corti explains.
