VILLA SOGNO
Near Lucca ~ Tuscany
Sleeps 12 (5 king-bedded rooms, 1 twin-bedded room, all with en suite bathrooms); air-conditioned; pool; staff; wide-screen satellite TV
Map | Daytrip Ideas | More Photos

Sogno is a perfect dream of a seventeenth century Italian villa, located in a tiny village outside the wonderful Tuscan town of Lucca. The area is beloved for its varied natural settings and for the simple elegance of Lucca itself. This historic town is surrounded by a wall not of stone but of earth, a massive green berm that once protected her from invaders but now serves as a delightful promenade offering views of the city within and the mountains all around.

Lucca is an eminently walkable city, and unlike its busy neighbor Florence untroubled by traffic, since the town center is closed to private automobiles apart from those of local residents. Instead, bicycles are much favored, and many find bicycling a wonderful way to explore the town. Among local attractions are Lucca's opera house, an infinity of inviting restaurants, and a museum honoring local native Giacomo Puccini.

Day trips are easily undertaken to the seaside (including the magical Cinqueterre), to the nearby mountain range known as the Garfagnana, to shopping outlets, or to Florence, Pisa, Siena or countless tiny Tuscan hill villages.

At the end of a lane of stately cypresses sits Villa Sogno, surrounded by extensive gardens and enclosed within a wall of stone. According to seventeenth century custom, the ground floor is simple and rustic, while the stately piano nobile, or "noble floor" is located just above. Today the ground floor is home to a wonderful country kitchen and a spacious dining room as well as the villa's laundry facilities and a powder room. The heart of the piano nobile is a large formal living room, and around it are three king-bedded bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom, and a modern office.

The villa's top floor is similarly arranged: at its center a second large living room furnished with a wide-screen satellite TV, and surrounding it three additional bedrooms (2 king-bedded and 1-twin bedded each with an en suite bathroom), as well as a library. Villa Sogno's owners have a truly wonderful sense of taste and a strong connection to local history, which are evident in every detail of the villa's restoration and decor.

Attention has also been paid to the "creature" comforts; the villa is air-conditioned and centrally heated and provided with modern conveniences including satellite TV, a computer with Internet connection, a stereo CD player and a security alarm. On the lovely garden grounds, planted with lime and olive trees, oaks, magnolias and rose bushes, is a large Romanic swimming pool. Nearby sits a bougainvillea-covered pergola, perfect for outdoor dining.

The villa has a wonderful staff.

2009 Prices