A Corte

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Farmhouse |4 bedrooms |Sleeps 8

Gugliano in Lucca

From £1000 per week

7 nights minimum stay

Changeover flexible

4.5 out of 5

2 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Swimming pool, balcony/terrace, car advised, private garden, no pets allowed

About the home

A Corte is a beautiful, restored property near the hamlet of Gugliano, surrounded by lawns, olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees, chestnut woods, mountain streams offering the most unimaginable tranquillity to those seeking total relaxation.

However, the lively town of Lucca, a 15 minute drive by car, offers everything one could wish for, whether it is fine dining, shopping, sight-seeing or cycling around the ancient walls during the 'passegiata' at sunset. The house is well situated for visiting Florence or Siena, the seaside resorts and the beautiful mountain region of Garfagnana.

A Corte is used for the production of wine & olive oil and is situated in the tranquil foothills of the magnificent Garfaganana mountain range. From the 3 large terraces and swimming pool, one can enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding countryside whilst hearing the distant sound of church choirs and bells from over the valley.
The local countryside is steeped in history and wildlife, with nightingales in May, fire-flies in July and soaring eagles overhead. For those wanting to unwind there are lovely walks by mountain streams and through fields of wild flowers.
There is a well-maintained garden and a lovely pool which enjoys sun throughout the day.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The property has been sympathetically restored retaining original beamed ceilings and antique cotto floors. The interior is comfortable and stylish benefiting from central heating, dishwasher, washing machine, fully well equipped kitchen and satellite TV, Wi-Fi broadband internet access, exterior and pool lighting, mosquito blinds, plus antique furniture, paintings and photographs.
The house is set on 3 floors. The ground floor has a kitchen and dining room with sofa with both having traditional Tuscan chestnut doors onto the east terrace. There is also a toilet & shower room with washing machine.
The first floor has a comfortable sitting room/ games room which is exceptionally well equipped for families who enjoy books and board games, plus satellite TV, DVD, Hi-Fi, Wi-Fi. It has all the traditional original features- cotto tiles, original fireplace, chestnut beams. There is also a large airy twin bedroom (100cm wide beds) with comfortable traditional iron beds. Both rooms have lovely views over the country estate.
Upstairs there are a further 3 bedrooms - a double bedroom, 2 twins bedroom with traditional beds, chestnut armoires and original features including chestnut beams. There is also a spacious shower room with toilet and bidet
The house and pool is cleaned every Saturday morning and bed linen and bath towels provided (not pool towels)

Further details outdoors:
The property is superb for outdoor living as it enjoys sunshine from dawn to dusk. The gardens provide perfect areas for relaxation and for children to play. The house is surrounded by 3 large terraces. The east terrace is accessed from both the kitchen and dining room. A pergola of climbing jasmine, wisteria, and passion fruit provides dappled shade. There are views through the olive trees to the pool. Lighting above the large stone table allows for 'al fresco' dining for all the family.
The large terracotta tiled south terrace is a 'sun worshippers' dream. It also benefits from a dining table & benches, plus outdoor lighting.
The west terrace enjoys a well established garden of lavender, roses, mimosa and fig trees. All terraces have fabulous views across the vineyards and valley.
The area is organic and a wildlife enthusiasts dream with many rare species of animals and birds. In the spring and summer the area is full of wildflowers.
The pool has a solar heated exterior shower, a tiled terrace/ grass with sun beds/ deck chairs surrounding the pool
Casa A Corte has appeared in the TV programme 'A House in Tuscany' and in several magazines.

Local Tuscan cook available on request. Italian cooking lessons can be arranged in the village with an English speaking chef.

Conditions

Minimum booking is 1 week (Saturday - Saturday). Out of season we are more flexible with the house available for 10 days etc.
A 50% deposit is required for securing booking using Bank draft

Photos

 

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The house & pool in view from village hill

 

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house and surrounding estate

 

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private swimming pool, sun terrace within beautiful olive tree setting

 

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side view of pool with terrace over-looking vineyard & olive trees to distant hills

The Tuscany / Lucca Province region

Lucca, the former capital of Tuscany is a real gem with so much to see and the surrounding countryside is stunning. The whole area is full of history with the local towns having Roman names.
The house has a large reference library to assist you with your travels and Michael, who has lived in the area for over 20 years, has great knowledge of the areas, restaurants, beaches, walks etc

The Lucca / Gugliano area

The area benefits from a range of wonderful local restaurants from Michelin starred to simple trattorias and pizzerias. Fungis & truffles are local specialities, plus the wonderful beef steak Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The olive oil is renown as one of the best in the world. The area is popular with foodies and there is a good local market every Tuesday am. Lucca Wed/ Saturday.
Wine lovers may like to taste at the cavernous wine cellars beneath Lucca or explore the Strada del vino.
Lucca is nearby and is a beautiful walled city, which is the birthplace of Puccini. The city is pedestrianised, which is fantastic for cycling and walking. They have a craft market - 3rd weekend of month & Antique last weekend
The countryside north of Lucca is breathtaking with many palazzos, spas and vineyards to visit in the area. Florence, Pisa and the beaches are all within a short distance.
In the summer there are many musical events: Puccini opera at Torre del Lago, whilst in Lucca, during July, several of the world’s best musicians play in the amphitheatre. There are also several jazz festivals.
In the summer there are many Sagra's, which are wonderfully Italian serving good food and ballroom dancing under the stars.
One hour’s drive north from the house is the lovely ski resort of Abetone. This was voted one of the best 10 small ski resorts in the world. This is very popular resort with very good facilities.
Walks near the house and the Garfagnana are wonderful including Orrido di Botri, a narrow canyon with clear water and waterfall and along the stunning Cinque Terra, explore the Grotto & cross the Serchio river on the 800 year old Devils Bridge.
The home town of Leonardo da Vinci has many museums and tour Carrera where Michael Angelo's 'David' was carved.
Pinocchio originated from the wonderful house ands gardens at Collodi.
Churches, Memorials, Pallazzos, including 'Pfanner as seen in Jane Campion's 'Portrait of a Lady' are also stunning
This wonderful location, a wildlife paradise, can be seen using Google Earth.
Local activities: Swimming, tennis, walking, cycling, fishing, horse riding, mountain biking & skiing
The beaches are good at the Cinque Terra & the boat trip from Lerici isa great day out to 5 beaches.
Wildlife enthusiasts can see porcupine, red squirrels, pine martins, wild boar, badgers etc. Eagles, beaeaters, shrikes, golden oriels, hoopoes are often seen.
Shopping is great in Lucca with all the designer and designer discount stores near Florence.
Art & architect lovers will have many places to visit. Grosetto and Pienza are beautiful unspoilt towns.
Motor enthusiasts may like to visit the Ferrari factory at Marinello, near Modena, home to Pavarotti and Balsamic vinegar.

How to get there

A Corte What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

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Pisa Airport has very good transport with British Airways, Easy Jet, Ryanair etc all regularly using the airport to many destinations in Britain and Europe.
Pisa Airport is 40km (45 mins - 1hour)
All car hire companies available
Lucca, and Lucca railway/ train station is 15km away (20 mins)
All car hire available
Ponte A Moriano Station is 5km away (10 mins)
Other airports at Genoa, Florence, Bologna, Forli can also be used, but are further from the house
Local bus to Lucca 1 km away

Activities near Lucca

Reviews

Review: 1 to 2 of 2

06 Dec 2011

“"It really captures the essence of the 'good life""” We loved our stay at Casa a Corte. Located in the heart of such a beautiful Tuscan valley, it really captures the essence of the 'good life'. Surrounded by working olive groves and vineyards, you can witness the Italians going about their daily lives as they tend to their crops. A local shop in Ponte Moriano sells the local olive oil (extra virgin of course!) and wine (both produced on the farmhouse's doorstep!) so guests to A Corte can literally 'taste' their surroundings. Really quite magical. We often enjoyed a glass of the local red whilst soaking in the views from the picturesque main terrace. The perfect way to 'unwind' from a day by the pool! The vicinity to Lucca, the beach and the mountains also enabled us to get a very all-round experience of Tuscan life. We really enjoyed exploring beautiful Lucca and cycling around the walls and the beach and mountains offered us fantastic days-out! If you fancy travelling further afield, Florence is just over an hour by train and Pisa is even nearer - sadly we didn't do either! We were too content with the surrounding area to venture much further! One thing we particularly enjoyed was having supper cooked for us in the house. It worked out to be fantastic value and gave us the opportunity to really enjoy the beauty of the valley, whilst being served beautiful local food. Heaven or as the Italians would say 'paradiso'! Thanks to the owners for giving us a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the best of Italy & Michael for looking after us! We look forward to returning and will encourage friends and family to do the same. The Gatenbys 4 - 18th June 2011 Response: As owners of the house it gives us so much pleasure to read positive reviews on A Corte & hear guests thoughts and new discoveries. Because the area is so beautiful & the locals work so hard to maintain the land, we love it when guests venture into the countryside and see the wonderful flowers, rare birds and animals. One of the most stunning sights I have ever seen was in the valley surrounding the property when tens of thousands of fire flies illuminate the hills. We always appreciate any ideas and suggestions. Many thanks H&H

05 Sep 2011

“A Tuscan Dream” Review #4663154 "A Tuscan Dream" We've been on two family holidays now to A Corte and it's been absolutely magical on both occasions. The converted farm house offers up exactly the kind of rustic charm that you'd envisage: perched on the hillside with spectacular views across a lush, Tuscan valley. If anything, the photos don't do it justice - views are also visible from the pool and the veranda which backs onto the pool area. The pool is a good size - large enough to swim lengths and for the kids to play games Inside the house, the furnishings are warm and tastleful, the interior is spotlessly clean and the bedrooms are large and comfortable. Outside there's an abundance of comfy furniture and a covered veranda which is great for barbeques in the evening. There are also a total of 3 terraces around the house, all offering great views of the valley. In terms of surrounding attractions, the house is a short drive from Lucca - a fantastically quaint medeival Italian city seemingly untainted by the modernising corporate brush. Definitely take the cycling tour around the walls to get a feel for the place and peer down into the city for a view of the stunning architecture that's prevalent throughout. the also have terrfific open air concerts in the main amphitheatre which are a must. There are also several great restaurants nearby in the hills - check out Antica locanda steak reestaurant for the best steak in the region! Finally, if you need a hand with anything, Michael, an English local who lives nearby, and helps maintain the property, is very forthcoming with any ad hoc help or advice that you might require. All in all - FABULOUS!! Response: We love guests returning to A Corte with one family returning in 2012 for the 6th time. The Dickman's now know more about the local area than some of the locals. They have eaten in all the wonderful restaurants, especially our favourite in the world, Antica Locanda and walked the highest peaks. They are extremely energetic and have fallen in love with the Lucca area, Pietrasanta's cool art scene & skiing in nearby Abetone Many thanks for all your stories, H&H

Review: 1 to 2 of 2

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Guestbook for A Corte

Oct 2011
This place was a slice of heaven! One week was nor enough! What a beautiful place. The kids enjoyed it - especially the pool, walks in the forest & finding all the bugs. Our first visit to Tuscany - what a fantastic introduction.

I'll be back soon, we loved the house.

Sebastian & Glenn, Melbourne

Aug 11 2011
We have had a very relaxing 2 weeks in this beautiful area of Tuscany. The house, pool & views are lovely, just right for the perfect escape from a busy life at home. Michael has been fantastic - his local insight are invaluable. We really enjoyed being invited to the village diner!
Hope to see you all again.
Celia, Paul, Matt, Anna, Katy & Lizzy

Thank you for sharing your house!
We fell in love with the area as soon as we entered it. We are truly blessed with the opportunity to visit A Corte
Chris & Liezt Potgieter, Pretoria SA

Sept 27
We had a wonderful 10 day stay in your beautiful home - everything was great.We got to tour around the beautiful area & eats lots of wonderful food. I invited my family from Florence for a Tuscan cook out - all of us had a wonderful time. Phil & Cheryl Merola, Manchester,
MA, USA

25 July - 1 Aug 2010
Frachi family Muswell Hill
We had a fantastic stay. The house feels ( & is equipped) just like the home it is. Thanks to Michael for his welcome & help.

1st Aug - 15 Aug. French Family
What a wonderful holiday we have spent in this house!
We could admire the beautiful view whilst swimming in the big pool. The house is extremely cosy & well equipped & decorated.
The weather was absolutely gorgeous; we had sunshine throughout the 2 weeks & a gentle cool breeze.
We enjoyed having diner in the restaurants in the towns nearby, especially in Lucca's many excellent restaurants.
In Lucca, bike riding around the rampards is lovely.
We really appreciated our stay here & we may surely come back.
Thank you so much, lots of love & kisses, The Gaultiers

11 Sept 2011
Dear lucky people who own this house.
Such a beautiful location, everything in the house you could wish for & Michael just up the road if you need anything.
Highly recommend cycling the walls of Lucca, exploring the hills further North & getting Kay in to cook. But the days hanging out on the terraces & around the pool are the best.
We've all had such a wonderful time.
Thank you! The Jackson's/ Williams family x

July 26th 09
An excellent holiday. The location superb & quite the most blissfully located pool we've ever experienced. Lucca is a gem of a place & has to be viewed from its walls, perched astride day-glow coloured bikes.
The test of a problem is how it was dealt with. We are very grateful for Michael's prompt response to a 5 months water shortage.In fact he was ever cheerful & ever ready with details of local colour.
( Owner comment : After this unusually dry spring & summer we decided to introduced a 1000 litre holding tank to avoid any future water shortages)


A Corte has given our family 5 wonderful holidays since 1999. It is such a beautiful tranquil location and we really appreciate it being a family home with books, games and a very well equipped kitchen. This year we helped the farmer harvest the grapes, the children loved it! We made several tripped to the beaches, Florence, Lucca and really appreciated your recommendations for local restaurants. The views are as spectacular as ever. This year we did more walking which was fabulous. We hope to see you in 2005. Simon L

We celebrated our wedding anniversary at A Corte with our family and friends and had a wonderful Tuscan meal organised by the owner. Our request was for a seafood and vegetarian menu consisting of several courses. It was a truly memorable evening. Christine

July 2008.
You have another family as part of your (no doubt) large fan club. Having you, 5 minutes up the road, and such a welcoming friendly and helpful presence was a true delight and added so much to our Italian Holiday.
Thanks again, Michael, we truly appreciated everything, and you are fortunate to have such a wonderful spot and house to represent, as well.
All the best - The Burchettes, New York

August 30 , 2009
Fantastico! We loved it - fantastic house, garden & pool. We had fantastic walks around the house, met some lovely local Italians and ate and drunk some wonderful food. The location is beautiful.
We have booked another 2 weeks for 2010. Ingrid, Finlandx

Rental prices

Prices for group size 8
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Summer	29 May 11	25 Jun 11	2500€ 2500	0-	0-	1 Week
Peak Summer 2011	25 Jun 11	3 Sep 11	3050€ 3050	0-	0-	1 Week
Late Summer	3 Sep 11	10 Sep 11	2800€ 2800	0-	0-	1 Week
Early Autumn	10 Sep 11	24 Sep 11	2500€ 2500	0-	0-	1 Week
Autumn	24 Sep 11	29 Oct 11	1950€ 1950	0-	0-	1 Week
Late Autumn	29 Oct 11	12 Nov 11	1600€ 1600	0-	0-	1 Week
winter	12 Nov 11	17 Dec 11	1200€ 1200	0-	0-	1 Week
Christmas	17 Dec 11	7 Jan 12	2000€ 2000	0-	0-	1 Week
Winter 2012	7 Jan 12	31 Mar 12	1200€ 1200	0-	0-	1 Week
Spring 2012	31 Mar 12	22 Apr 12	1750€ 1750	0-	0-	1 Week
Late Spring	22 Apr 12	20 May 12	1850€ 1850	0-	0-	1 Week
Summer	20 May 12	24 Jun 12	2600€ 2600	0-	0-	1 Week
Peak Summer 2012	24 Jun 12	9 Sep 12	3100€ 3100	0-	0-	1 Week
Late Summer 2012	9 Sep 12	23 Sep 12	2800€ 2800	0-	0-	1 Week
Early Autumn 2012	23 Sep 12	7 Oct 12	2500€ 2500	0-	0-	1 Week
Autumn 2012	7 Oct 12	27 Oct 12	1950€ 1950	0-	0-	1 Week

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

To secure the property a 50% deposit must be paid, with the remainder paid on arrival at the property. Payment by Bank transfer

Bath towels/ bed linen included, plus Saturday morning cleaning (not pool towels)

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Contact the owner

* Required fields Please check the following errors: First name * Last name * Email *   Did you mean ""? Yes / No Phone number Arrival date Departure date   Ignore calendar - enquire anway No. of adults No. of children Message * Email me special offers and holiday ideas T&Cs

3 years listed You are contacting Michael Ringrose Landline +39 0583 353 125 Mobile n/a Languages spoken The owner is based in Italy and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2008. This farmhouse has received 2 reviews from previous guests.