Secluded away in the hills outside Montecatini Terme, this classic Tuscan villa offers an abundance of space for big groups and embraces traditional Italian living. Choose between three shaded gazebos spread across 18 acres of grounds for alfresco lunches, courtesy of the built-in barbecue. At night, dining beneath twisting grapevines is made all the more romantic by lantern light as the silhouettes of the Tuscan hills loom in the background. A turquoise slice of infinity pool at the bottom of the garden invites you for a dip and there are changing rooms and WCs down here so you don’t have to head back up to the house. Wandering the grounds you’ll find olive groves and a small vineyard overlooking the forest-clad hills. Swanning inside like the lord of a Tuscan manor, you’ll find the traditional features of the home have been preserved – the old hearth in the casual dining room, the stone fireplace in the living room and a country-chic kitchen (with plenty of mod cons). Entertainment options can be good old-fashioned and analogue too, with an upright piano for a singalong and full-size pool table in the games room or 21st-century standard with the flatscreen TV. Exploring the area, you’ll find the centre of Montecatini Terme a ten-minute drive away, and Pisa and Florence the perfect day-trip distance, both under an hour’s drive.

Read more