Casa Margareta, Three bedroomed house.

Casa Margareta is directly located in the Piazza Della Republica of the picturesque village of Gurro which stands at 800 meters above sea level. Gurro itself is a twenty minute uphill drive from Cannobio situated on the Lago Maggioro. Cannobio has two Carrefour supermarkets as well as a large lakeside market every Sunday with good restaurants, cafes and shops. There is also larger supermarkets available and a Saturday market in Verbania one hours drive from Gurro and is well worth the visit. The village of Gurro is a traditional Italian mountain village with a Scottish heritage, many of the inhabitants of Gurro can trace their ancestry to the remnants of a defeated Scottish army who settled in Gurro hundreds of years ago and the Scottish flag is proudly displayed upon entering the village. There is free parking available in the central square below Casa Margareta, if however no parking is available further free parking can be found at the recycling centre located just below the village five minutes walk from the house. There is an outdoor paved area with a firepit in the garden of Casa Margareta and there is also foldable summer outdoor chairs for outdoor seating as well as a small portable barbecue for use, please supply your own charcoal, wood and kindling. Please be aware that the house of Casa Margareta is located directly opposite the central clock and bell tower which rings around the clock on the hour and every half hour as well as an extra peel of bells at 6am and 8pm, if this is a problem please bring ear plugs for sleeping during your stay, earplugs are also provided in the bedside cabinets if required. Guests have access to Casa Margareta via the front door which is a private access located up the steps from the Piazza and cafe leading to a small covered walkway, the door is the first door on the left after turning left after exiting the covered walkway. The hosts for Casa Margareta do not live in Gurro. Catia who is a resident of Gurro will be your host upon arrival, she will meet guests in the Piazza Della Republica of Gurro and will supply the keys and show guests to and through the house if necessary. There is an additional 20 euro cleaning charge for all bedding, payable in cash to Catia this charge also covers towels if required Catia speaks only Italian but may be accompanied by an English speaker. Upon arrival in the Piazza Della Republica please contact John via the Air bnb message service John will then contact Catia to let her know of your arrival, there is a cafe with free WIFI located directly below the house in the Piazza and guests can wait for Catia there if she is delayed, normally she will wait there for guests if an arrival time is known. Gurro has a good cafe located in the Piazza Della Republica and is open until 10pm most nights serving coffee, basic food and alcohol and boasts wonderful views of the mountains of the Valle Cannobino. There is also a restaurant located below the village as well as three good Trattorias on the road up from Cannobio and all are well worth the stop for lunch and a wine. Gurro also has a small shop just twenty meters from the cafe and has a good range of local cheeses and other products. There are many hiking trails throughout the local region which pass through many of the local hillside villages including Gurro and some trails end at the Lago Maggioro, there is also many places on the Lago for swimming and easy access to good cafes restaurants and bars. For winter activities there are three ski fields located within an hours drive of Gurro two of which are located on the Italian side of the border close to Sante Maria Maggioro as well as in Locarno at the Swiss end of the Lago Maggioro. Casa Margareta does have central heating throughout for winter stays, A car is a must to visit Gurro as the village is located at the top of the narrow and winding road from Cannobio and care must be taken when driving this road particularly in winter, although the road is kept free of snow in winter, ice can form at times on this road, in summer however the road up to Gurro is very picturesque and is shaded by forest.