Villa Aquilea

Description

With origins dating back to at least the 16th Century, this magnificent country villa, set over three floors, sits loftily above the Lucchese plain. Being almost at the top of the hill, the villa has uninterrupted views that seem endless.

For centuries, a working farm that produced wine and olive oil, the villa has been restored progressively over the last four years to be a six bedroom luxury home with typically Tuscan decor. A labour of love for the owners, they have meticulously researched style, colour and design specific to the region to incorporate them into the home. Only the best of local materials have been used and the result is a holiday home that you will not want to leave.

The first thing that will astound you after the quick (3.5km), but windy journey up to the top of the hill is the panoramic view. The villa has a sun-filled, southern exposure, looking over rolling hills of olive groves and vineyards. Lucca is in the distance and the Serchio river wends its way through the valley. The views seem to go on forever and are enjoyed from almost every room of the villa.

The main entrance to the villa is on the middle floor at the top of an external Lucchese style staircase. Entering the villa you will be greeted by a large and inviting sitting room with a large, crested, stone fireplace. The room is comfortably furnished and has access through to the kitchen via a short hall and also to the upstairs accommodation. Off the sitting room, there is access to a small terrace which has an authentic wood fired pizza oven. This oven is often a favourite with guests and comes with a full supply of wood and suggestions for achieving the best pizza results. Jim (the owner) is happy to host a pizza night for you during your stay.

The main kitchen is vast and typically Tuscan with a large table designed for sharing meals with many people. Top class appliances combined with luxury fittings make this a delight for any chef (or even the weekend cook). The kitchen opens onto an outdoor dining setting on a large terrace under a vine covered pergola. Here, in the shade of the pergola and surrounded by the lovely garden it will be hard to concentrate on your food with the incredible vista before you. This is an excellent area for all times of the day and has comfortable chairs for taking in the breathtaking sunsets and moon gazing at night.

Also on the middle floor, there is a large double bedroom with an en-suite bathroom.

Upstairs, there is a very large but cosy siting room with an antique “pot-belly” stove and an antique table and chairs. Many years back, this sitting room was used to store the olives during the harvest period. It is a very different story now. This former store-room has oversized, comfortable sofas and is fully equipped with a TV, video and DVD. There is also a small office off the sitting room. There is access to another small terrace from here as well. Along a short hall there is a twin bedroom and a double bedroom sharing a bathroom. Both rooms are generous in size and have some of the best views in the villa. The main, double bedroom completes this floor and has its own marble lined en-suite bathroom.

On the lower ground floor there is another kitchen, equal to the main kitchen, however, slightly smaller in scale. There are two bedrooms on this level, one with single bunk beds and the main with a double bed. These two bedrooms share a bathroom. There is a third sitting area equipped with a TV and a video player.

A large, spring fed swimming pool was constructed in November 2004.  It is large and sits on a high piece of ground and features an "infinity edge".  Once again, one of the key attractions of the pool along with the stylish pool furniture is the spectacular view.

The villa accommodates 12 adults. It is 11km north of Lucca and is just above the village of Aquilea (only 1km away). Aquilea has a coffee bar and a small grocery store. Restaurants, shops and a supermarket are at the bottom of the Aquilea hill (3.5km away). An annual event not to be missed and requiring early bookings is Aquilea’s “Sagra”. Held in the last week of July and the first week of August, the Sagra is a local outdoor festival providing dinner and dancing under the stars.

 

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