Hilltop Tuscan Villa
About the home
Perched above the medieval village of Bagnone, our villa is set in the hills about half an hour from the coast. It's perfectly placed for a peaceful holiday whether that's sun, sea and sand, culture and incredible scenery, skiing or just getting away from it all. An hour from 3 different airports it is easily and cheaply accessible.
The villa was originally a fairly grand land owner's house and retains a sense of seclusion and independence. Surrounded by a large area of private land, steep terraces overlook the mountain stream and natural pond at bottom of the garden. However, it's only a 10 min stroll down to the town square for easy access to the local shops, bars and restaurants.
Portofino, Pisa and the romantic walled city of Lucca are around an hour away. Nearer still are three ski resorts, the five cliff top fishing villages of Cinque Terre, Portovenere and a host of picturesque medieval villages amongst the rolling hills of North Tuscany. Florence is easily reached for a day trip.
| Size: | Sleeps up to 12, 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|
| Nearest beach: | Lerici, 36km |
| Will consider: | House swaps Short breaks |
| Access: | Car advised Nearest amenities: 500m |
| Family friendly? | Suitable for children of all ages Suitable for people with restricted mobility |
| Notes: | No pets allowed No smoking at this property Self-catering |
Facilities
| Luxuries: | Log fire, Internet access, DVD player |
|---|---|
| General: | Central heating, TV, Video player, CD player, Table tennis, Games room, Wi-fi available |
| Standard: | Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer |
| Utilities: | Dishwasher, Cooker, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine |
| Rooms: | 4 Bedrooms, 3 bathrooms of which 1 family bathroom and 2 en suites |
| Furniture: | Sofabeds (2), Single beds (4), Double beds (3), Cots (1), Dining seating for 12, Lounge seating for 9 |
| Other: | Linen and towels provided Highchair available |
| Outdoors: | Balcony / Terrace, Private garden, BBQ, Bicycles available |
| Access: | Parking space |
Further details indoors:
BEDROOMS
Master bedroom: king size bed and en-suite bathroom.
Bedroom 2: king size bed and balcony at rear (plus a sofa bed so it can be used as a twin room).
Bedroom 3: double bed and en-suite bathroom.
Bedroom 4: four bunk beds.
Lounge also has a sofa bed.
BATHROOMS
En-suite bathroom to master bedroom with large shower and wc.
Main 1st floor bathroom with bath and shower over the bath and wc.
Third bathroom downstairs with large corner shower and wc, which can be used as en-suite to bedroom 3 or as a separate bathroom.
KITCHEN
Massive kitchen/winter dining room leading on to large outdoor terrace. Brand new fitted kitchen equipped with cooker, hob, two fridges, washing machine and dishwasher.
LIVING ROOM
Large living room with wood burning stove, two large sofas (one of which is a sofa bed), 32" wide screen LCD TV, PlayStation 2, DVD player, stereo, piano and lots of board games.
GAMES ROOM
Large games room in cellar with table tennis, table football and storage area for sports and games equipment including tennis rackets, two sets of golf clubs, badminton rackets, boule, croquet, cricket set, 3 mountain bikes, skis, ski boots and ski poles.
Bedding and towels are provided (except for bedding for the cot). The property is normally cleaned at the end of the stay, but additional cleaning during your stay can be arranged.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
Arranged over three floors, the house sleeps eight to ten comfortably, with room for a maximum of 12 people if the sofa bed in the lounge is used. It has a large hallway with a marble staircase leading up to the first floor, an en-suite master bedroom with a king size bed, a second bedroom with its own private balcony and king size bed, a third double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a bunk room which sleeps four, a main bathroom, a downstairs bathroom, and a lounge (with a sofa bed). A huge kitchen/winter dining room, two balconies, a large ground floor terrace overlooking the garden, two cellar rooms and a large cantina/summer dining room/games area with table football and table tennis. The second bedroom also has a sofa bed so this can be used as a twin bedroom. The downstairs bathroom can be used as an en-suite for the third bedroom or as a general bathroom.
Further details outdoors:
The villa itself has a large sun terrace and two balconies. It is set in 3,000 square metres of private land with secluded terraces linked by winding paths overlooking the mountain stream and natural pond at the bottom of the garden. There are four sun loungers, two outdoor tables, a large parasol and several outdoor chairs at the villa. There is also a BBQ on the sun terrace.
Conditions
We would consider short term house swaps with other holiday home owners in different areas
Photos
The Tuscany / Massa Carrara Province region


FLORENCE (FIRENZE)
It takes about an hour and three quarters to drive from the house to the outskirts of Florence, so it's easy to visit for a day trip, or you can spend a night in a hotel and stay a little longer. Alternatively you can travel by train, directly from the local station at Villafranca, or from La Spezia, from Pisa or any of the stations in between. The most central station in Florence is Florence San Maria Novella. We would actually recommend travelling into Florence by train as the traffic and parking in the centre of the city can be a nightmare. Terravision also operate a coach service from Pisa airport to Florence.
Recommended bars include the very trendy Noir (+39 055 210751) - Lungarno Corsini, 12/14R - next to the British Embassy, at the northern end of the Ponte a Santa Trinita (which is the bridge just to the west of the Ponte Vechio). It does great cocktails and is an ideal place for watching the sunset. Recommended restaurants include Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco (+39 055 215706) - Borgo S. Jacopo, 43R, 50125. Closed on Wednesdays.
LUCCA
The romantic walled city of Lucca is only an hour from the house. Apparently hiring bikes and cycling all the way around the fortified walls is a good way to see the city. The oval Piazza Anfiteatro is also worth seeing and a good place for a drink or some food.
PISA
Pisa and its leaning tower are only an hour from the house too. The area around the tower and the cathedral is the nicest bit and there's a good pizzeria in a small courtyard down an alleyway on the right hand side of Via Santa Maria just to the south of the tower. For the tower, leave the motorway from the Pisa Nord exit if you are travelling from the house.
FURTHER AFIELD
Elba
The island of Elba was Napoleon's home during his first exile and is an hour's ferry trip from the mainland. The ferries depart regulary from Piombino (approx. 2.5hrs drive from the house). There are some stunning beaches on the island.
Siena / San Gimignano
These are both within about 2.5hrs drive of the house.
The Bagnone area
Bagnone itself is a beautiful medieval village with cobbled streets, narrow alleyways and a town square overlooking the impressive waterfalls of River Bagnone. An old Medici castle perches on top of the hill above the town. With a handful of shops, four restaurants and three or four cafés and bars, the village has everything you need just 5-10 mins walk away.
COAST/BEACH
The coast is about 35 mins drive away, with many beautiful beaches and picturesque ports and fishing villages, including the amazing cliff top villages of the Cinque Terre. Fiascherino has a beautiful private beach with waiter service to your sun lounger and a price tag to match plus a public beach nearby. Tellaro is a small fishing village on the coast overlooking the 'gulf of the poets' - an ideal place for a drink and an evening meal watching the sun go down. See our website for more details.
GOLF
There is a good nine hole golf course in Lerici, about 40 minutes from the villa. There are several larger golf courses in Tuscany including Versilia Golf Club in Pietrasanta (eighteen holes), Montecatini Golf Club (eighteen holes), Golf Club Tirrenia (nine holes), Golf Club Fontevivo (nine holes), and the Cosmopolitan Golf and Country Club (eighteen holes) in Tirrenia.
SKIING
There are 4 ski resorts within easy reach of the house - Cerreto Laghi (5 lifts), Prato Spilla (3 lifts) and Zum Zeri (3 lifts), around 45 mins drive, so are perfect for a skiing day trip. Abetone - the fourth, much larger resort (25 lifts) - is further away but ideal if you want to spend a night in the resort and get a couple of full days of skiing in. They are all situated in the Apennine mountain range which runs down the centre of Italy and, although small by the standards of the Alps, the local resorts have plenty of character and are normally much more peaceful and less crowded, with queues for lifts being a rarity. There is plenty of variation available by visiting a different resort each day. Bear in mind, however, that the Apennines are further south and generally a little lower than the Alps, so it is worth checking snow conditions before setting off. The resorts normally open for skiing from around late December and it is occasionally possible to ski as late as Easter.
OTHER FACILITIES NEARBY
Tennis (5 mins), Public swimming pool (5 mins), Crazy golf (30 mins), Go-carting (40 mins). Theatres/cinemas/outdoor cinemas (10-30 mins).
DISTANCES
There are several shops, bars and restaurants in Bagnone which is 5-10 mins walk from the villa. Nearby places of interest include: public swimming pool and tennis courts (5 mins), Pisa (1 hour), Florence (less than 2 hours), Cinque Terre (1 hour), Lucca (1 hour), Portofino (1 hour), Ski resorts (around 45 mins).
FURTHER DETAILS
For much more detailed information and further pictures of the villa, the garden and the surrounding area, visit our website via the link above.
How to get there
Click map icons for more information
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| Nearest Travel Links | |
| Airport: | Pisa: 95 km |
| Railway: | Villafranca-Bagnone: 5 km |
There are three airports near the house: Pisa (1hour), Parma (1.25 hours), Genova/Genoa (1.5 hours). All of them are served by low cost airlines.
Pisa is the largest and quickest to get to with many flights each day from the UK with Ryanair, Easyjet, British Airways, Jet2.com and other airlines. There are also regular flights to Pisa from many other European cities. The nearest train station is about 5km away from the villa.
Activities near Bagnone
Ski resort location
Tennis in town
Watersports
Horse Riding
Golf within 30 mins drive
Fishing
Walking holidays
Rural / countryside retreats
Beach or lakeside relaxation
A winter sun break
Cycling holidays
Guestbook for Hilltop Tuscan Villa
"Discovering Bagnone's secrets was one of the best parts of our stay. The villa has played host to some epic ping pong and table football tournaments, as well as many a sing song. It has also provided an excellent base from which to explore other cool places like Cinque Terre, "The Green Valley", Fiascherino & Florence. We felt right at home in this beautiful villa!
Top tips: 1.Worth eating at the medieval restaurant in Filetto (amazing beef). 2.Buy a lottery ticket in Bagnone."
Paula & Tom, Bree & Marco, Anthea, John, Olivia, Austin, Kath & Tom, Vonnie & Aidan (London) - September 2009
"Had a brilliant time! Bagnone is a great place. Loved strolling into the village for bread in the morning and cycling in the mountains. The villa is a real find with lots to keep all of us amused - especially our teenagers. Beautiful weather every day! Thank you for letting us stay in this beautiful place!"
The Flett family (Orkney) - August 2009
"Really enjoyed staying here - great space for lots of people! Our kids enjoyed swimming in the big pool at Villafranca and found river swimming off the road to Corlaga. Don't miss Cinque Terre. The water is crystal clear! Beautiful countryside - lovely people - would love to come again. Grazie mille!"
The Harris and Boxalls families (London) - August 2009
"We had a great time in Bagnone! The house has a great atmosphere, very relaxing and the garden is beautful for long hours of reading. Lucca is great, go early in the morning when it's still relatively quiet.
We walked the Cinque Terre Trail - from Monterosso to Riomaggiore - nice walk (approx. 5 hours) and the views are stunning. On the way between Corniglia and Manarola there is a nice pebble beach for swimming.
Hope to return soon! Thanks for the hospitality and a great Tuscan stay."
Wilma, Hans and family (Amsterdam) - July 2009
"Had a great stay. The house is fantastic! A real home from home! Sad to be leaving after only one week, but are already planning on coming back."
Geoff, Molly & Ian - September 2008
"Molto buono! Already thinking about the next time... Thanks for a wonderful week"
The Moorhouse family (The Hague) - September 2008
"We have had a great two weeks in the villa. We will miss waking up to the lovely green hills and the sound of running water from the stream in the garden. We really have had a fantastic holiday!"
The Stratford family (London) - August 2008
"We would all, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for a magical stay in Bagnone. The villa, the town, the people and surroundings were spectacular... This definitely won't be our last stay."
A. Pocock, V. Harman and friends (London) - July 2008
"Thanks for a wonderful stay - really enjoyed the house and the evenings in Bagnone... watch out for the fireflies from the balcony in June - very pretty."
The Parkinson family (London) - June 2008
"Faboulous villa - great terrace for lounging on and loved the icy plunge pool in the garden."
The Johnson family (London) - May 2008
"Thanks for a great weekend at your Tuscan paradise!"
Alan and Debs (London) - April 2008
Rental prices
| Rental prices originally quoted in: British £ | Convert to: |
| Prices for group size 4 | ||||||
| Period | From![]() | To![]() | Weekly![]() | Nightly rate | Minimum stay | |
| Weekday | Weekend | |||||
| Low Season* | 1 Oct 11 | 1 May 12 | £ 550 | 80 | 80 | Flexible |
| High Season | 1 May 12 | 1 Oct 12 | £ 850 | 125 | 125 | Flexible |
| Low Season* | 1 Oct 12 | 1 May 13 | £ 550 | 80 | 80 | Flexible |
| Prices for group size 12 | ||||||
| Period | From![]() | To![]() | Weekly![]() | Nightly rate | Minimum stay | |
| Weekday | Weekend | |||||
| Low Season* | 1 Oct 11 | 1 May 12 | £ 650 | 95 | 95 | Flexible |
| High Season | 1 May 12 | 1 Oct 12 | £ 950 | 138 | 138 | Flexible |
| Low Season* | 1 Oct 12 | 1 May 13 | £ 650 | 95 | 95 | Flexible |
The property's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.
*Please note rentals which include Easter, Christmas or New Year will be charged at High Season rates.
• Heating, electricity and gas are included in the rental price.
• Towels and bedding are provided.
• At full occupancy the High Season rate works out at less than £10 per person per night.
• The villa is cleaned at the end of your stay and a contribution to cleaning costs of £60 is added to all bookings. Additional cleaning during your stay can be arranged if required.
Availability
See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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Contact the owner
* Required fields Please check the following errors: | 2 years listed You are contacting Simon Dix
Languages spoken ![]() The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2009. This villa has so far received 0 reviews. ![]() |
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