Villa il Cascinale: At short distance from the ancient town of Lucca, Villa il Cascinale is an elegant farmhouse in the tranquil Tuscan countryside surrounded by splendid olive groves and orchards. The house was part of the Controni family estate, a powerful family of Lucca; it was originally built as a farmhouse for the workers of the estate and comprehended stables, a grain warehouse and bread oven.
Thanks to a high quality renovation, the house is now a heaven for countryside and wellness lovers.
In front of the house there is a spacious private garden and a lovely dining area (max 22 people) with BBQ shaded by beautiful trellis covered by roses, which lead to the marvelous private swimming pool, reflecting the surrounding olive groves. An amazing panorama, a unique haven of peace!
Fully restored to the highest of standards, it still retains its age-old Tuscan charm with terracotta tiled floors, wood beamed ceilings, frescos and several little patio areas shaded by rose covered gazebos.
Indoors the farmhouse has kept the typical Tuscan flair: wooden beamed ceilings, terracotta tiled floors and a traditional fully equipped Tuscan kitchen. At the same time the Villa offers all top quality modern comforts: sat.TV, wifi, air conditioning and centralized music system. Every detail has been carefully arranged to make your stay truly unique!
Enjoy treasured Tuscan moments in good company.
Villa Il Borgo: In the 1700’s Count Bernardini created a haven in the hills that surround the ancient walled city of Lucca. Today Villa il Borgo is an elegant and exclusive Tuscan retreat immersed in a splendid parkland of ornamental ponds and antique fountains, time-forgotten courtyards and lemon scented Italian gardens.
The 12 individually styled bedrooms, for up to 24 guests, are a reflection of gracious living blended discreetly with the typical Tuscan hamlet style of wood beamed ceilings, terracotta floors and warm, welcoming colours.
Reception rooms include a wine library with private collection of Tuscan wines, a card and billiard room, a domed music room with log fireplace, grand banquet room, a large Tuscan kitchen, several comfortable lounges as well as a workout room. With original features and picturesque views over hills and olive groves, Villa il Borgo is a home of beauty, tranquility and charm, a perfect place for the gathering of family and friends where days are timeless and memorable.
Surrounded by hills filled with wild boar, Villa il Borgo was once the hunting lodge retreat of Count Cosimo Bernardini of Lucca who would spend his weekends in the country.
The Bernardini family played an instrumental role in the administration and politics of the Republic of Lucca and were responsible for the upkeep of law (magistrates) and order from 1388 through to 1798. They continued to support the new political order with the invasion of Napoleon towards the end of the 18th century. At this time, Borgo was extended to become a small village for the workers of theestate which included an olive press, bakers and chapel.
Villa Il Cigno: Standing majestically in beautiful parkland, Villa Il Cigno is an aristocratic 17th century villa offering the discerning traveler Tuscan living at its finest in a sophisticated ambience with 7 luxurious guestrooms for up to 14 guests. The large and spacious frescoed rooms filled with antique furnishings offer an air of elegance throughout where modern conveniences blend beautifully with the rich heritage of this ancient family home. Charm and character around throughout grand reception rooms which include a magnificent drawing room, cosy TV lounge, card room, Tuscan kitchen, breakfast room and elegant dining room.
The villa is nestled in the midst of tranquil Italian gardens through which flows a fresh water brook into two small lakes overlooked by shady weeping willow tree. The Grand cypress trees and fragrant lemon and herb gardens create the perfect backdrop to the private swimming pool. Discover the magical beauty of Villa Il Cigno and enjoy inspired moments of harmony, relax and refinement.
Built in 1624, Villa Il Cigno is set in a verdant valley in the southern hills of Lucca and was once summer residence to Count Cosimo Bernardini. The Bernardini family owned several palazzo’s in the city centre as well as many villas in the hills that surround the city and were 72 times Gonfaloniers of the Republic (magistrates of the medieval communes) from 1388 with Giovanni through to 1798 with Cosimo. In 1805 when Napoleon installed his sister, Elisa Bonaparte and her husband Felice Baciocchi as rulers of the Principality of Lucca, the Bernardini family continued to feature in this new political order with Federico Bernardini being camp assistant to Felice Baciocchi, Duke of Lucca, and his wife, Eleonora de Nobili “dame de compagnie” of the Duchess Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleone’s sister.
Villa Gli Ulivi: Is an original olive press which has been charmingly restored to create a warm and welcoming home filled with original features. There are 4 delightful bedrooms, each with en-suite
bathrooms, for up to 8 guests and reception rooms include a large and comfortable lounge and a spacious Tuscan kitchen with eat-in breakfast room.
The gardens are surrounded by terraced olive groves with valley views across the swimming pool to the medieval towers of Lucca – the perfect place to enjoy relaxing summer evenings with close family and friends and experience a little piece of Tuscan heaven.
Olives have been collected from the terraced hillsides that surround Villa Gli Ulivi for centuries. Dating back to the 16th century as the private press for the Controni family who resided in the villa during the summer months, the frantoio was fully functional until 1997 collecting olives from the villagers of Vorno and pressing some of the best olive oil that Lucca has to offer.
During its restoration, large and ancient terracotta vases were found embedded in the cellars that at one time would have held the freshly pressed oil which was a valuable and prized commodity.
Villa Granduca: Is nestled below Monte Pisano on the southern outskirts of Lucca, is an historic 19th century Lucchese villa set on a stunning estate of hill terraced olive groves, elegant Italian gardens and pine forest hilltops with castle ruins.
Panoramic views reach out across Lucca and Nottolini’s acquaduct and a pretty walled garden provides a peaceful and relaxing setting for the swimming pool and summerhouse with workout room.
In keeping with the villa’s gentle and enchanting atmosphere, the unique interiors are elegantly furnished with style and charm and offer eleven frescoed guestrooms all with en-suite facilities for up to 22 guests. With three living rooms, a study area, a billiard room, a grand banquet room and the shady retreat of an arched loggia, the villa offers larger groups plenty of opportunity to relax in each others company or enjoy moments of escape and privacy.
Monte Pisano is historically noted as being one of the main battlefields in the many wars between Pisa and Lucca which started in 1000 and continued for over 400 years. The villa itself was built as the summer residence of the Controni family; noble merchants who, in 1680, took over what is now Palazzo Pfanner in the centre of Lucca. In 1692 Carlo Controni invited prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway as a guest whilst he was visiting Lucca during his Grand Tour of Italy.
For many years the fertile estate which provided housing for workers, a chapel, stables and an olive oil press, was used for the cultivation of rare flowers. The estate is famous because it was the residence of Mr. Felice Matteucci, the father of the combustion engine, who invented it in 1853.
