Casa Cinzia

Silvered olive groves surround this old stone house, which looks out to a verdant panorama of wooded hills, glorious countryside, and tiny hamlets tucked between the trees. To make the most of outdoor living at any time of day, the villa has two dining terraces, one on each side, ensuring that this place in the sun always has a seat in the shade. One of these, beneath a rustic pergola, overlooks the little private pool and its grassy terrace, and there is a portable barbecue for leisurely lunches that last for hours. A local cook can provide meals at this villa. Cooks are available on request, and do need to be booked well in advance to avoid disappointment. Please ask for details. Within the house, with colour-washed walls and country-style furnishings, there is a sitting room and dining kitchen at ground level, and one twin and two double bedrooms on the floor above, all sympathetically restored with attractive simplicity. Walking trails in the immediate area connect hillside hamlets and well-placed olive presses, San Marino in Freddana is 5km away for local shops, and distractions further afield include the busy beach resorts of Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi, all the amenities of graceful Lucca, 15km from the villa, and the fabled treasures of Florence within easy day-trip distance.