85 Victoria Street, Port Hope, ON

Perched on a hilltop above Port Hope's Golf and Country Club, Villa Idalia's graceful Italianate architecture on 1.6 acres of manicured grounds evokes the timeless romance of a Lake Como estate. Passing through the iron gates, down the brick driveway, and past the manicured gardens, you realize you have arrived in a special place. This majestic soft pink residence, with its 3-storey tower, turret, soaring windows, portico, and wrap-around verandah, evokes a bygone era of formality and grandeur. Entering the grand foyer will take your breath away. The living and dining rooms off the centre hall are striking in both size and ceiling height, lined with intricate cornice mouldings, generous baseboards, and centred with elaborate ceiling medallions and chandeliers. A family room off the living room leads to a covered outdoor portico and the gardens. A south-facing wrap-around verandah offers breathtaking views of Lake Ontario. An impressive stained-glass window casts colourful light on the landing leading to the main bedrooms, three of which boast beautifully renovated ensuite baths, and one has a built-in vanity and tower room with window seats. The attached 2-bedroom maisonette, third-floor apartment, and adjacent cottage are ideal for multi-generational living, staff quarters, or ancillary income. Standalone two-car garage and potting shed. Situated approximately 109 kilometres east of Toronto, Port Hope is widely celebrated for having the best-preserved 19th-century streetscape in Canada. With a choice of several great restaurants and the Capitol Theatre, the town punches far above its weight when it comes to food and culture. Trinity College School (TCS) is a prestigious independent boarding and day school located on a beautiful 100-acre campus nearby.