If you want breathtaking views of rolling Tuscan hills, a lovely house with huge…

If you want breathtaking views of rolling Tuscan hills, a lovely house with huge glass doors and windows to enjoy the view, attentive owner and housekeeper, and wonderful local restaurants within a stone's throw, this villa is the place for you. This lovely property located in the heart of Chianti is convenient to the beautiful hill towns of Tuscany, Florence, and Siena. It's hard to leave the grounds to see the rest of Tuscany, but do. A wonderful base from which to start.

I was married in Certaldo Alto in May 2013 and we were so fortunate to celebrate…

I was married in Certaldo Alto in May 2013 and we were so fortunate to celebrate in an intimate and extremely special reception at this stunning villa. Our closest family and friends stayed for one week to celebrate our special day and I can honestly say that it was the best day of my life! From the moment I contacted the owner to make an enquiry to the day that we left, the service was impeccable. I have travelled often and have stayed in a range of accommodations, but never have I been so overwhelmed with such kindness and a genuine care for their guests' experience, as I have there. The owner was extremely kind and accommodating throughout the booking process and even assisted in sourcing a chandelier locally for our big day. As you know, wedding days can bring unexpected surprises and when a carton did not arrive from America with much needed decorative items, wonderful owner again came to our rescue and liaised with the local courier company for us! It arrived on the morning of our wedding which would never have happened had she not intervened. This level of service continued with the lovely property manager who was there for our every need. Nothing was a bother, ever. Such wonderful people in every way. The villa itself was truly breathtaking. We were in this apartment and the views from the 2nd level were to die for, simply stunning. The villa was extremely well appointed and was able to cope with my best friend ex chef cooking up a storm as well as the catering company for our reception. Our wedding was every thing we dreamed of and more due to this villa. The abundance of blooms in gorgeous spring time created the perfect backdrop. Our families were truly amazed by this stunning location where we enjoyed pre dinner drinks and canapes by the pool overlooking the tuscan hills while a guitarist strummed his beautiful tunes. The beautiful stone of the villa complimented our reception styling perfectly, outdoors and under the pergola looking out toward San Gimignano. Truly, a life long memory of wonderful food and a stunning location. Enough about the wedding though. We also found the location to be perfect for our needs. Central to Siena, Florence and San Gimignano, we were able to do all the day trips that ticked our boxes in terms of gastronomy and gorgeous tuscan hills towns. A car is required in this area but we found it a delight to be able to get lost in your own way, on your own terms and discover some of life's little treasures - like the corner shop down the road from the villa who sold wonderful breads and italian meats. Perfect! In addition to this, my husband's parents also made use of the train system on several occasions when they chose a different activity for the day. They found the system easy to use and enjoyed their days out. I could honestly ramble on for eons about this property, so do yourself a favour and take some time (at least a week!) to soak up the essence of Tuscany in this gorgeous villa. Your mind, body and soul will thank you for it. Thank you for making our day so very very special. Your generosity and kindness will always be remembered. We will definitely return some time very soon!

I was lucky enough to spend 4 weeks at this villa in late Aug – Sept 2013. It wa…

I was lucky enough to spend 4 weeks at this villa in late Aug – Sept 2013. It was such a great surprise to find that it is lovelier than the photos suggest. Yes, it’s best to have a car – just be prepared to leave it parked much of the time, as you’ll be tempted to stay put and enjoy the “hill of olives.” The property is flawless and offers well-designed and well-appointed quarters, panoramic views, lush gardens, thriving olive groves and vineyards, inviting pool, and friendly, accommodating hosts (the owner and on-site manager). It is ideally situated to allow for short day trips (car or train) to many suggested cities and sites in the region. We traveled to most, but at the end of each journey always returned to the idyllic apartment (separate, 4 bedroom house with massive windows/massive views) and as we lounged in the sunset and filled our lungs with lavender scented air, someone would proclaim, “this is still the best place to be in all of Italy!” While the region has great food, we found that our favorite restaurants were very near to the villa. Some of our best meals were prepared/eaten at the apartment – thanks to the owner, for the homemade tomato sauce and schiacciata con l’uva, for stocking the Il Pozzo olive oil and Tenuta della Luia wines, and for the well tended gardens that provided us with fresh tomatoes, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage… If you’re willing to take a few short walks you’ll discover many other nearby treasures you might miss from the windows of the car— like the ~600 year old domed chapel in Luia, also owned by the owner’s family (peek through the screen door to view the fresco-lined interior), or walk past the church in Bacio late in the day when the walls are painted with shadows or in the morning when the crooked cross seems to glow (on the way you’ll pass the roosters who serve as your Tuscan alarm clock). It’s a bit of a longer trek to the Pieve San Lazzaro (an art-filled, thousand+ year old church tucked in the valley below the family’s other property), but well worth the effort. You can drive there too, but if you walk you will be following in the path of the medieval pilgrims, as the church is located on the Via Francigena. Or do both – drive to Il Pozzo and meet up with the owner’s nephew for a sunset wine tasting (super! Super-Tuscans) and a trip through the family museum housing an eclectic array of wine-making and agricultural items (check out the funky Chianti bottles from the 1960s) and then stroll on down to San Lazzaro from there. I highly recommend this place and am personally eager to return and soak up the serenity and witness its magic and beauty in the spring, autumn, early summer, and who knows, maybe even winter.

Beautiful views of rolling hills covered with vineyards and olive groves and off…

Beautiful views of rolling hills covered with vineyards and olive groves and off in the distance, the hilltop, towered skyline of San Gimignano. The owner's brother and his son own and operate the winery (Tenuta della Luia) nearby and took us on a lovely tour and tasting of their very excellent wines. We stayed in this apartment with two other couples and there is actually a smaller 4th bedroom for an extra person. Sunset dinners on the patio were marvellous and we were even treated to a light show by the fireflies that came out after dark. All in all, a wonderful and very memorable experience.

We return to this villa almost every year. Our friends keep asking us "Why?" - w…

We return to this villa almost every year. Our friends keep asking us "Why?" - well, when you find peaceful perfection and a view that is like looking at a Tuscan painting come to life you start to ask yourself, "Why not?". The owner is gracious and humble about her piece of heaven - but she is also an amazing gardener and it shows in the flower, herbs and plantings around the villa; not to mention that you look at vineyards and park among the olive trees. The on-site housekeepers plus a whole lot more - are friendly, helpful and always busy - you understand very quickly the reason the property looks spotless! We have stayed in all of the apartments. All are beautiful - and no matter which one you choose they all have the same gorgeous view. On one of our visits, some of our friends came with us - some that used to ask us why we go back to the same place year after year. On our way home from that visit, they said, "We get it"...which is why we keep returning...peaceful, Tuscan-perfection.