The Best Tuscan Villas
The villas of Italy's Tuscany region range from Renaissance and Baroque palaces surrounded by elaborate gardens to rustic dwellings at the center of working farms and wineries. Tuscan villas are inseparable from their landscapes and often feature panoramic views of olive groves, vineyards or nearby towns and cities. Some Tuscan villas offer tours, others may be rented and some function as hotels. There are a variety of ways to find the best Tuscan villas.
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Best Rental Luxury Villas
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The Robb Report calls Borgo Santo Pietro (borgosantopietro.com), a 13th-century villa outside Siena, "the ultimate villa rental experience in Italy." The villa has hand-painted floors and is decorated with Italian and French antiques. The grounds feature gardens, an infinity pool, tennis courts and a playground. Rates begin at $55,000 a week, as of 2011. Travel and Leisure calls the Villa Pisana (thebestinitaly.com), an eight-bedroom estate near Pisa, the top property of the top villa rental agency in Italy. The 19th-century villa features ceiling frescoes, antiques, stables, a tennis court, swimming pool, fitness room and gardens. Rates begin at $43,000 a week, as of 2011.
Best Villa Hotels
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Travel and Leisure recommends three hotels set in Tuscan villas. Il Borgo (castellobanfiilborgo.com) in Poggio alle Mura is a 14-room hilltop villa set on one of Tuscany's largest wine estates. The hotel has expansive grounds and a courtyard that hosts jazz concerts. Located in San Casciano, Villa Mangiacane (villamangiacane.com) was built by Giorgio Vasari in the 15th century and has a loggia with frescoes of hunting scenes. Castello del Nero (castellodelnero.com), in Tavarnelle Val de Pesa, is a 12th-century villa with coffered ceilings, hand-blown leaded-glass windows and ornate ironwork. Travel and Leisure states that the hotel features excellent service.
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Best Villa Agriturismi
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Conde Nast Traveler recommends two Tuscan "agriturismi," or working farms, that accept guests. La Petraia (lapetraia.com), a stone farmhouse in the hills above Radda, is planted with olives, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. Chickens, pigs, rabbits and geese are raised on-site. The villa has four bedrooms featuring linens woven by local artisans.
I Casali di Monticchio (monticchio.com) is a working organic farm 30 minutes from Orvieto. The villa, set on a high ridge with sweeping views, has low-beamed ceilings and exposed brick walls. A large terrace overlooks olive trees, a kitchen garden and a pool.
Best Villa Gardens
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Conde Nast Traveler recommends two Tuscan villas for their gardens. Villa di Geggiano (villadigeggiano.com), an Italian National Heritage Site south of Siena in the Chianti wine country, was built in the 14th century and was completely renovated in 1780. Its gardens feature sculpted boxwood hedges, hundreds of potted lemon trees, statues, topiary and an open-air theater used for classical music concerts. Located in Collodi, Villa Garzoni (pinocchio.it/eng/giardinogarzoni) and its gardens date to 1633. The grounds blend Renaissance geometry with early Baroque style, and include formal parterres, a monumental double staircase, grottoes, classical statues and water features.
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