What's New at Barclayweb?                               New Properties in Portugal... Just in time for summer holidays we are delighted to announce the addition of three new apartments in the Chiado neighborhood of Lisbon, Portugal. Chiado is considered the most beautiful area of historic Lisbon. It was a place of residence of the Portuguese royalty and of the political and cultural elite. Part of Lisbon's nightlife is concentrated in this area, where you can hear the sentimental 'fados' being sung in certain restaurants and cafes. Chiado and Bairro Alto are where locals and tourists meet, with elegant hotels, old cafes and the best international fashion shops. Praça Camões, containing one- and two-bedroom apartments, is named after its location. Praça Camões is one of the most important squares in Lisbon, which is dedicated to Luis de Camões, the Portuguese prince of poetry, and contains his statue in the center. The apartment house is well situated, being close to both Bairro Alto and Chiado and very close to several museums, operas, theatres and churches. It is located in front of the luxurious 5-star Bairro Alto hotel. Each of the apartments is bright and daylight filled, and they are on the 3rd and 5th floors of the building. All apartments have both central heating and air-conditioning units, Wi-Fi broadband internet, and complete kitchens which include microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. One of the most famous streets in all of Lisbon, Rua Garrett is located in the charming and elegant district of Chiado. With a unique atmosphere, this street combines sophistication with tradition: luxurious shops, old style cafes and book shops are just some of the attractions. Our apartments on Rua Garrett contain modern and well-appointed one and two bedroom apartments for short-term rental. Each of the apartments is either on the 4th or 5th floors of the building. Finally, Travessa João de Deus is a city center apartment set in a renovated building in old historic Lisbon. This accommodation is on the 2nd floor of a building with no elevator. It has an inviting atmosphere, probably due to the blue and white Portuguese tiles dated from the 18th century, known as 'azulejos', that adorn the inside of the apartment. The apartment contains one bedroom with a double bed and one with two single beds, a living room with dining and sitting areas, one full bathroom and a fully-equipped kitchen. The location offers easy access by foot to the subway (Chiado/Baixa station is 100m away). Rates for our Lisbon apartments range from $143 - $250 per night, depending on size chosen and season booked. Please call us today at 800-845-6636 or visit the individual property pages on our website to learn more about these lovely accommodations! New Properties in France... Just in time for summer holidays we are delighted to announce the addition of four new properties in France, specifically in the Avignon and Provence regions! In Avignon, we have added Boulbon and Villa Nathalie. Located at the foot of the hill, "La Montagnette", Boulbon is a 6-bedroom, 4-bathoom, brand new, air-conditioned villa which sleeps 11 people. It is beautifully furnished and secure, the grounds completely enclosed by an electric guard gate. The property, which is surrounded by a field of olive trees, contains a lovely and well-kept 65,000 square foot garden along with a kidney-shaped swimming pool, romantic belvedere, garden furniture, a terrace with an outdoor dining room, an electric barbecue, and a ping pong table. Rental rates range from $7,091 - $10,656 per week, depending of season booked. Villa Nathalie is a 2,400 square foot, fully air-conditioned 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom villa with a heated swimming pool which sleeps a total of 12 people. It features 10 acres of land with a view of the Alpilles. It is located in a very quiet setting in Isle sur la Sorgue, a small town famous for its antique market. Rates range from $8,719 - $12,051 depending on season booked. In Provence, we have added La Grande Bastide and La Pinede. A long, broad and winding alley of plane trees leads us to La Grande Bastide, a sumptuous family property which has been tastefully renovated and decorated in refined style. Located in the southern part of St. Remy de Provence, between Arles and Salon de Provence, this stunning and very large villa is located in the countryside, yet close to several small towns which not only contain many shops and supermarkets, but also boast activities such as golf and tennis. At nearly 13,000 square feet and housing 11 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms to sleep up to 25, La Grande Bastide can provide a dream vacation for a large number of guests, their children and their staff, or be an excellent location for a corporate retreat. Rate is $31,000 per week, all year long. At full capacity, this runs approximately $177 per person per night. At 2,750 square feet, La Pinede is smaller, a spacious relaxing villa in Eygalieres from which you can enjoy Provence with family and friends up to 12 people, with 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, heated swimming pool, alarm system, automatic gate, and air-conditioning. For those unfamiliar with Eygalieres, it is 10 minutes from St. Remy de Provence, 20 minutes from Avignon and its TGV train station, and 45 minutes from Marseille and its international airport. Weekly rates range from $6,103 to $14,396 depending on time of year booked. Please call us today at 800-845-6636 or visit the individual property pages on our website to learn more about these lovely accommodations! BIG now on social media sites... Want to know what's happening at Barclay International Group as well as travel within Western Europe as soon as it hits the presses? Now you can. BIG can now be found on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger.com. We'll be posting information regarding last-minute specials and special interest travel so be sure to follow us on these social networking sites! New in Italy... La Poggiolaia, an elegant hilltop farmstead strategically positioned between Florence, Siena and Pisa in Italy, has recently been refurbished, much to the approval of our clients who have visited there recently. Comprised of four comfortable, elegant apartments and a lovely Capanna -- a former barn transformed into a characteristic country house--Villa La Poggiolaia has been meticulously renovated and personally furnished by the owners with precious original art and antiques in combination with all modern conveniences. La Poggiolaia (literally "hill of olives") takes its name from the vast groves of olive trees that surround it in every direction. Our clients have been impressed by the stunning views of the gentle rolling hills that lead to the ancient towers of San Gimignano. The green-grey of olives blends with the dark green of cypresses, creating a spectacular show of colors. Guests are free to stroll through the olive groves and adjacent vineyards and sample the Chianti wines and olive oil produced by the family-owned farm. Amenities include air-conditioning (although you'll rarely need it, as the hilltop location allows for maximum circulation of Tuscan breezes) and a magnificent Mediterranean style swimming pool with roman steps, perfect for an impromptu wine tasting or wiling away late summer afternoons with a favorite novel. BIG high season (June 1 - Sept. 30, 2011) rates range from $1,519 per week for a one bedroom (sleeps 2) to $1,701 per week for a two bedroom apartment (sleeps 4) all the way to $4,455 per week for the 3 bedroom Capanna (sleeps 6). That means rates start as low as $61 per person per night. Lower rates are available during April, May and October. To request availability, visit our La Poggiolaia page. Stays are available Saturday-Saturday. We have also been receiving rave reviews of Il Paluffo, surrounded by the hills of Chianti and located a few kilometers from Florence. The property, which was renovated in 2010, is comprised of four independent houses which were originally built in the 15th century and feature walls made of stone, river pebbles and bricks. Floors are made of terracotta with handmade bricks in keeping with the Florentine tradition. Rooms have been decorated with a combination of antique furniture and modern Italian design. The swimming pool is completely natural, using the natural regenerative power of aquatic plants for its maintenance, as opposed to chlorine or other chemicals. The estate includes and 18th century mill, a millstone, an olive press, a fermentation room which was used in the past for the production of wine, a wine cellar that was dug into the tufa roca, a bread oven and two wells. The fermentation room and wine cellar are now considered common spaces, and as such, are at our clients' disposal. There is also a laundry area that is available to guests. Paluffo is surrounded by six (6) hectacres of land on which olive trees and Chianti grapes are cultivated. Barclay International Group's high season rates for Il Paluffo range from $2,646 per week for a two bedroom house to sleep four persons to $4,134 per week for a three bedroom house to sleep 7. That's less than $100 per person per night! For more information and to request availability, see Barclay International Group's Il Paluffo page. If you have any questions or comments about this newsletter, please send them to us at information@barclayweb.com. Put “Newsletter Comments” or “Newsletter Questions” in the subject line. Thank you for your input!