In the heart of Tuscany, set outside of Cortona, rests one of Italy’s most extraordinary estate homes—one so noteworthy its appearance on the real estate market is something that only comes about una volta in una luna blu—once in a blue moon!

For the first time in nearly half a millennium, Villa Fontana is gracing the luxury home market with momentous poise, offering potential buyers the opportunity to own more than an estate, but possess a piece of history.

Impressive gates dated 1777 and a cypress-lined drive leads to a dominant 18th-century façade, providing abundant accommodations, including 16 bedrooms, 10 baths, and 6 reception rooms—set on three floors. A fourth floor windowed tower offers lake views, and the property includes a guesthouse with 2 bedrooms. The grounds complement the Etruscan architecture with a limonaia (literally a lemon house, or orchard area for fruit trees and native plantings), and the property holds a long-standing history with botanical societies, ultimately presenting the gardens as a pristine example of trees and plantings that were nurtured over the centuries. Most unique attribute?—A consecrated chapel set towards the back of the villa.

The estate home is on the market from Knight Frank and Abode for 8 million Euros—over $10 million USD—and is a true example of timeless elegance and the sweet sentiment of generations of family history. Benvenuto alla dolce vita—Welcome to the sweet life.

—Holly Marie Busacca 

Photos courtesy Rupert Fawcett of Knight Frank. To contact the selling agent for more information, e-mail Rupert.Fawcett@KnightFrank.com

For those who have ever dreamed of owning a rustic villa in southern Spain, this dream can now be realized in Paradise Valley, Ariz. for approximately $2 million. On November 6, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Crown Realty & Development announced the opening of InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa, the first U.S. resort of the InterContinental brand.

Nestled in the awe-inspiring foothills of Camelback Mountain, the European-influenced, 34-acre resort offers 34 detached, privately owned, single-family villas; 253 guest rooms; and 40 suites, including two presidential suites. A Spanish (particularly the Andalusia region of southern Spain) influence is evident throughout and is exemplified by many courtyards and the Alhambra walkway, modeled after the Alhambra in Grenada, Spain.

Like any luxury resort, InterContinental Montelucia is chock full of appealing dining options; unlike other luxury resorts, guests can find everything from a menu of more than a dozen French fries from around the world at Kasbah Poolside Bar to a comprehensive selection of 100% agave tequilas and tapas at Mbar, within the resort’s signature restaurant, Prado, which is reminiscent architecturally of Michelangelo’s Villa San Michele in Tuscany.

Additional amenities within InterContinental Montelucia include Castillo Lucena, Arizona’s only private wedding chapel within a luxury resort; the 31,000-square-foot Moroccan-inspired Joya Spa; five pools; a full-time golf concierge and complimentary driving range at Mountain Shadows Golf Club; and proximity to elite shopping, dining, hiking and the exciting metro areas of Phoenix and Scottsdale.

For more information, visit www.icmontelucia.com

– Sarah Binder