The Librarian

Up in the Chianti hills, this villa is surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. The setting is idyllic Tuscan countryside, yet it’s only 1km into the charming town of San Casciano Val di Pesa, whose narrow streets have a handful of traditional restaurants, shops and pavement cafés. The villa stands proud atop terraced gardens where stone steps lead to a turquoise pool at the bottom. The shaded back terrace houses multiple seating areas, from comfy outdoor sofas to a long, country-style dining table, all overlooking the Pesa river valley, between the cities of Florence and Siena. Inside you’ll find a selection of lounges for the whole group to spread out – a library brimming with books and a classy living room with traditional Italian sofas and darkwood dressers. The kitchen is a combination of modern and Tuscan traditional with an original open hearth still at the heart of the room. Bedrooms are furnished with antique wardrobes and some of the bathrooms have claw-footed bathtubs for a soak at the end of the day.

Home truths:
*Private parking is available on-site
*A housekeeper who can tidy up the house is included in your stay
*Although the house is all on one level, there are steps down to the pool so this may not be suitable for those with limited mobility
*The first floor of the villa can sometimes be used by the owner, however the two floors of the building have different entrances and separate gardens
*One of the double bedrooms can be set up as a double bed or as two singles – let your host know how you would like it prepared
*The bunk bedroom can only be used by a single guest
*Three bedrooms (two twins and one double) are provided with air conditioning