A Tuscan Trip Down Memory Lane
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By Ian
Last week Helen and I headed to Tuscany to visit new villas, revisit villas we already work with and meet up with some old friends. I lived in Tuscany for almost 20 years and it was also a chance to rekindle some old acquaintances.
I collected Helen from Pisa airport after having spent one night at glorious Il Gallinaio in Metato. We hit the road and headed north to the beautiful walled town of Lucca. First stop was Villa Mia, a stylish villa with views over the Serchio river and only 10 minutes from Lucca.
After a quick stop for a snack we headed south towards Volterra, we dropped in one our three villas close to Montecatini Val div Cecina – Villa Scirocco, Villa Maestrale and Villa Tramontana. Views to die for.
Our first night’s stay was on the Tombolino Estate, immersed in pine trees and a short walk onto the beach at Marina di Bibbona. Villa La Loggia, Villa La Palma and Villa Tombolino all provide super beach accommodation for our guests. Diner with the charming Allegra at the smart restaurant close to Bolgheri – Osteria San Guido.
At the crack of dawn we hit the road and wove our way along the Tuscan roads to the San Polino estate. Up to Volterra in torrential rain and then glorious sunshine greeted us at Borgo San Polino and Casa all’Erta, two stunning villas in the heart of Chianti. The host with the most, Cristina, showed us around and we even had a surprise visit from a very friendly fox! Here we witnessed one of the best and poshest garden allotments (orto) ever seen!
Loathed to leave this corner of paradise we headed for the next beautiful slice of Tuscan beauty. Villa Conti Galgani has sweeping views over the Val di Chiana and offers luxurious living.
Our final stop was with Andrea, owner of Villa Sambuco. A villa that epitomises Tuscany. With views across the Val d’Orcia, a fine collection of modern art and a huge pool this villa is a dream. Andrea offers top notch service and over an aperitivo with him we learnt lots about his family. We slept like babies at Villa Sambuco and were woken by the most beautiful of views.
A quick pitstop at Villa Reggello, a firm favourite with our guests between Pienza and Montepulciano. From here we hit the motorway heading south to the hills of Umbria. An exciting new addition for next year is on the cards, snuggled in the olive tree strewn hills close to Amelia this villa will be an ideal base for many families. Watch this space….
A quick lunch in pretty Amelia and back up through Umbria – dropping in on Casale Bellavista and Villa Olea – both located up a steep track and with spectacular views across the valley as far as Spoleto. Back north to our next base for the night, close to Civitella in Val di Chiana in the province of Arezzo – an old stomping ground of mine.
The next morning we were thrilled to meet some old friends. Fabrizio, Ivana and Silvia own Villa San Martino, a villa we have worked with for over 20 years. The daughter Silvia has taken over the management of the villa and for the past two years has been overseeing an impressive makeover of the villa – new pool, new bathrooms, new kitchen and many other features will bring this house well and truly into the 21st century. We cannot wait to get the villa live and offer for 2027 bookings. Watch this space….
Old Friends
After over 1700kms on the road we pulled up to Palazzo Rospo for our final evening and stay at this recently completed villa. Had we saved the best view until last? Driving down the cypress-lined driveway we knew the answer – yes! Located just on the edge of the small town of Chianni this eight-bedroom has a brand-new pool, private cinema (the owner being a cinematographer) and bags of space to spread out and relax. Chianni has a selection of bars and restaurants and has a pretty little central piazza.
As always, our trip to Tuscany was interspersed with delicious food and great company. Helen dropped me off at Bologna airport, where I breezed through the EES system, and she continued on to Venice, completing a rowing marathon along the canals of this world-famous city. But that is a story for another day!
Tanti saluti
Ian
All pictures by Helen and Ian @essentialitaly
