La Pieve, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy Vacation Rental

As featured in The Times Travel 29 January 2015 - 50 best villas in the Mediterranean; Best for Groups

Large villa near Lucca - La Pieve is a stylish and well-presented large country villa near Lucca, consisting of three separate villas sharing several communal areas centred around a gym and private swimming pool, with glorious views over Lucca's rolling countryside.

Once a rural hamlet, La Pieve has been totally refurbished and converted into a spacious complex in typical Tuscan design, with traditional cotto tiled floors and oak beamed ceilings. Every care has been taken to ensure the comfort of guests, with modern luxuries included throughout in the fixtures and fittings. There are breathtaking views from the property with most bedrooms enjoying vantage points from the elevated hillside position: an ideal setting for a large group of friends or family gathering together for a special occasion.

There are two restaurants nearby, but the beautiful city of Lucca, birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, is just five miles from this large villa for a wide choice of shopping and dining. This lively town is such a pleasure to visit, with narrow cobbled streets, stunning medieval architecture and of particular note the old ramparts which are now crowned with over 2 miles of parkland ideal for walking, cycling or just enjoying a picnic. Other towns in the region are within easy reach including Pisa, Montecatini and Florence. For easy access to Florence and to avoid the difficulty of parking in the city itself, it is just a short drive to Lucca's train station and a train journey of about an hour will take you right into the heart of this encahnting town.

Please note: a country road passes alongside the property. The owner lives on site in separate accommodation and is available for any client requests

LUCCA

Il Borgino is ideally located 15 minutes from Lucca, a small city with a rich history, that is magically preserved. The Roman city, the Medieval city, the Renaissance city, the nineteenth century city: traces of all of these may still be found here.

A walk through the centre of Lucca becomes an exciting voyage through the centuries, through history.Apart from the significant monuments, such as the sixteenth-seventeenth century walls, Lucca stands out for its atmosphere and lively centre.

Simply look down from above, from one of its towers, or wander through the narrow, tortuous Medieval streets: the white marble of superb Romanesque churches, the orange-red or the thirteenth-fourteenth century buildings, the grey of the paving stones, the green of the vegetation peeping out all over that heightens the powerful size of the ramparts and the surfaces of the Walls that rise, almost unreal, out of the lawns of grass. Lucca will inevitably seduce you. Its appeal is probably the result of the city’s history.

Over the centuries, the city has cultivated its unusual diversity mixed with contradictions. Ever jealous of its autonomy, Lucca was an independent city-state up to 1847, on the threshold of the unification of Italy. The city was traditionally close to the papacy, but in the mid-1500s it became one of the capitals of the Reformation (between 1542 and 1545, the city was home to Piero Martire Vermigli and Bernardo Ochino). It was proudly enclosed within its walls (which the Luccans bought back from the State) but, with its merchants and its silk, it remained active for centuries in the main European markets.Lucca has many beautiful attractions.

THINGS TO DO

The many romanesque churches, such as San Michele, the Duomo of San Martino and the Basilica of San Frediano, should not be missed. Inside the Duomo, the visitor is stunned by the elegance and loveliness of the fifteenth century monument to Ilaria del Carretto sculpted by Jacopo della Quercia and the austere solemnity of Girlandaio’s Sacra Conversazione. In San Frediano, which recalls the First Roman Early Christian churches, the mosaic on the façade is splendid, as is the fresco cycle by, the Bolognese Amico Aspertini, within.

A walk or cycle along a section of the ancient walls is not to be missed. The ramparts, thirty meters wide at the base and still in their original state, cover over four kilometers. With beautiful parkland and trees lining the ramparts, it is possible to enjoy amazing views of the city and the surrounding hills.

A trip to the Torre Guinigi is highly recommended. It offers a fabulous view; but it is also one of the city’s symbols, if for no other reason then the trees planted on the top.

Along the same route , a visit should be made to the ninenteenth century Piazza Anfiteatro, built on the remains of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre.

Then, carry on to Giacomo Puccini’s house (now a museum), and further on, to Via del Battistero. This street is renowned world wide for its antique dealers.

The antique market on the third Sunday of every month is also famous. For thirty years, it has drawn innumerable antique lovers to the city’s squares and streets.

Check-in: 4:00PM

Check-out: 10:00AM

Children are welcomed

Pets require prior approval and non-refundable pet deposit

Non-smoking Villa

Some homes allow events, please ask

Rates vary depending on time of year and number of guests

High season and holiday rates are higher

50% down to book

Balance due 60 days prior

Please bring proof of identification

Passport Required for non-resident

Travel insurance recommended

All Bookings are Final

Rates and fees subject to change without notice