Buon Appetito

In the countryside, between Lucca and the ancient fountain-filled town of Montecatini Terme, this villa invites you to live the dolce vita. Lucca is ideal day-tripping distance away at a half-hour drive, and the fifteen-minute drive into Montecatini Terme sees you at supermarkets to stock up on supplies. Let’s start with that view, particularly from the outdoor dining table on the lawn – a patchwork of fields and orange-roofed towns in the valley below stretches for miles. A turquoise rectangle of swimming pool invites you for a dip in the heat of the day. The bird-cage-style seating area on the edge of the hillside is a particularly nice touch, especially for a sundowner looking out over the valley. Honey-hued stonework and bricks on the outside give off that traditionally Tuscan aesthetic and inside you’ll find an open living space beneath a timber-beamed ceiling. This one’s for the foodies as there are three kitchens to choose from, including the summer kitchen outside. The area is teeming with olive oil producers, farmers markets and vineyards so you’ll want to spend days cooking, feasting and relaxing. Home truths: *There is free, private parking on premises with this home *The closest big supermarket is a ten-minute drive away so we recommend having a car *An additional guest can be accommodated on a sofa bed for an additional 15 euro per day *Heating, air-conditioning and electricity are charged as extras *Your host can provide a cot and high chair for infants for free, just ask *One of the twin rooms can be set-up at a double, just ask your host