Museum of Light

This refurbished 18th century home is perfectly perched to explore both Tuscany and Umbria. The entrance hall, with roped-off antique chairs, gilded ceilings and busts on the balustraded balcony is like stepping into a museum. The theme continues in the bedrooms, which feel like they’ve each been lovingly curated to reflect the history of the home with frescoed ceilings, pastoral murals, huge antique beds and hand-painted dressers. Spend mornings here lounging by the aquamarine private pool, like a gem amidst the emerald lawns. The peaceful grounds are surrounded by old oak trees and vibrant local flora shades outdoor dining areas (there’s even a full outdoor kitchen in the open veranda), yet it’s just a short drive away from popular sights like the hilltop town of Cortona and Lake Trasimeno. In the afternoons, find a cosy reading nook – perhaps in the plant-filled library where the sun streams through stained glass windows, or in the splendid living room where vintage furnishings, chandeliers, lush carpets lend a luxurious touch. We love the details here – a standalone bathtub in one bedroom, a large vintage map of the world in another and a sauna and gym that somehow sit seamlessly against the panelled walls of yesteryear. Home truths: * The fireplaces in the reading room and in one of the bedrooms are ornamental *The pool is open from the last Saturday of April to the first Saturday of October *City taxes are not included in the price of the stay and will be collected in person upon check-in