Julia Silk

While working as the website Manager for a radio station in Bournemouth, Julia met Marcus. After buying a house in Dorset and doing a lot of work on it themselves, they realised they both loved the idea of renovating old houses, particularly stone ones. In 2003 they bought a stone house in a village by the sea in Greece. In those two years they learnt that “If someone else is able to do something, then so could they”, and set about doing the tiling, plastering etc. themselves. They also offered holiday rental while they were preparing to sell the property. After selling the house in Greece, they found another stone house outside a village in Istria, Croatia. Once again, they did most of the renovation work themselves, except for new electrics and plumbing. Both properties had thick limestone walls that needed pointing, and stone and wood flooring that needed relaying, as well as bathrooms and kitchens.

An Italian renovation

In 2008 they set out on their biggest challenge yet, when they bought a small Masseria with an olive grove in Puglia, Italy, that had no electric or plumbing and was a total mess. They thought they would buy, renovate and sell again. However, this time they couldn’t think of anywhere else they would rather be and decided to stay. Through experience and research over the years, Julia has gained immense knowledge of buying, renovating and living in Italy, which she has been exclusively sharing with Property Guides readers, and expats starting a new life in her area of Puglia. Julia’s love of Italy’s history, architecture, culture, traditions and way of life is evident in her writing.  

Julia's home in Puglia

 

Help, my Italian home came with 400 olive trees!

 

Bougainvillea and local stone: Julia's home

   

Articles by Julia Silk

You loved the movie, now buy the house!

Ever watched a movie and thought “I’d love to live there”? Being somewhat photogenic, Italy has been the luscious backdrop for dozens of movie greats. But where are they? Let us take you on a trip to Italy’s most famous film sets… No matter how weak the story line, I can watch a film showing Italy, over and over again, just to see the Italian locations. I watched Inferno just after visiting Florence, and spent most of the film spotting places I’d seen. “Look there’s the Boboli gardens, the font in the baptistery, and Palazzo Vecchio”.

If you love Tuscany, you will also love Umbria

If you are searching for a scenic location rich in history and art, where your budget will stretch to a property larger than a bedsit in Florence, then Umbria is just the place. Just like neighbouring Tuscany you will find rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves, woods, lakes, rivers and mountains. There are country lanes bordered with cypress trees, and charming hill top villages to explore. No wonder, the Umbria tourism website , refers to it as the “Green heart of Italy” (Cuone verde d’italia)

Discovering the 10 provinces of Tuscany

Tuscany is the dream location in Italy, with its gently rolling hills, cypress trees, every jaw-droppingly beautiful village, it seems, offering a quiet church with renaissance frescoes. But Tuscany is bigger than Wales and includes many different types of landscapes and cities. Read our guide to the 10 provinces of Tuscany.

Italy’s sensational summer, 2021

What a summer we have had in Italy. The summer heat arrived early and with it a feeling of optimism for better times to come. The sports teams did brilliantly, the sun shone, and shone, travel restarted and the celebrities arrived… Catch up with the news from Italy 

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