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Villa Caiano (Just west of Florence)
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Accommodates 14+2 — 7 Bedrooms
— 5+ Baths
Swimming Pool
It’s true, but little known, that some of the most "central" areas of Tuscany, even some of the closest to Florence, are still, to this day, relatively free of tourists and a real pleasure to visit. Naturally, I’m not talking about the Chianti Classico area between Florence and Siena where, if you go out to a restaurant, your neighboring tables are not likely to be peopled by anyone speaking Italian. You might as well have never left Des Moines!
And yet, even in or very close to Chianti Classico, there are pleasant towns, no more than 20 minutes' drive from Florence, towns like Impruneta or San Casciano Val di Pesa, whose very proximity to Florence has served as protection from the crowds.
This is even more true if you head in a direction other than directly south. Our Villa Caiano, for example, is located little more than 10 miles due WEST of Florence in an area almost fully Italian in flavor. And yet there's tons to see and do within just a few minutes' drive: two Medici gardens (including one within walking distance of Villa Caiano); the Carmignano vineyards fully the equal of the Chianti Classico, in terms of both vintage and landscape; a cathedral city, Pistoia, completely overlooked by mass tourism, that is a strong candidate for our personal list of the five most beautiful in all Italy; restaurants from elegant Michelin-starred to yummy homestyle; not to mention the Ginori outlet in Sesto Fiorentino and a host of others in Prato, Pistoia, and Reggello.
At the same time, you're minutes from Florence's historic center, as well as the usual suspects: Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Montecatini, Fiesole, and yes: Chianti Classico.
Let's turn in more detail then to our Villa Caiano, a 17th-century structure which once served as a Medici hunting lodge. The Medici game reserve is now, in fact, the public park adjoining our villa.
The first thing we have to say about Villa Caiano is this: So many clients ask us about the ability to go on foot to a nearby town or village. Villa Caiano truly fulfills that desire, as it's no more than 5-10 minutes' walk to the very center of Poggio a Caiano, an authentic small Tuscan town, fully Italian in flavor. This means coffee bars, restaurants, bank, post office, laundry, shops, supermarkets, and all services, just down the street.
And yet, the villa is set apart, and, more important, ABOVE, the town, enjoying a panoramic view of the town, the countryside, and, overwhelmingly, the nearby Villa Medici, its grounds and gardens.
Can you come here without a car? Yes, most definitely. The bus stop for Florence is at the foot of the hill from the villa, and once in Florence, you can take further public transport to everywhere else in Tuscany. Do you WANT to come here without a car? Probably not, just because it's so much faster to get to your day's destination with your own wheels. But if you're into a slower way of life, at least for the time you're on vacation, you can most definitely come to Villa Caiano and not feel like you're stranded down at the end of a dirt road at the mercy of robbers and vagabonds.
An automatic gate leads directly into charming gardens, effectively an olive grove, leading up to the villa's main entrance. While outdoors, one is immediately struck by the elevated position of the property, and by the view. You're staring directly down at one of the grandest Medici villas in Tuscany, together with its grounds and gardens. In the distance, on a clear day, the panorama even includes a clear shot at Brunelleschi's dome in Florence itself.
Once inside, the first impression, an impression confirmed as you wander throughout the house, is one of luminosity. Windows and French doors are everywhere. The villa's ground floor consists of two living rooms; a dining room seating 12-14 persons; a chef's kitchen including an 11-burner stove, American fridge, and everything else you can possibly want; an office/studio with high-speed internet; full bath with shower; guest half-bath; and a laundry room with (miracle of miracles!) an actual dryer. Rooms at this level give out onto a beautiful loggia with pizza/bread oven, outside table for 12-14, and that gorgeous view over the town and surrounding landscape.
A pair of majolica staircases lead up to the two independent wings of the villa's bedroom levels. One wing contains a matrimonial bedroom with full bath en-suite (shower over tub) and 3 matrimonial bedrooms which together share both the bath downstairs and another big bathroom at bedroom level, this last with a shower and big jacuzzi tub. Above these bedrooms you'll find one of Villa Caiano's neatest features: a dovecote with two children's beds (we don't count them in the "main" 14-person capacity of the villa) and a panoramic view over everything.
The other bedroom wing, reached by two separate staircases, features two matrimonial bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bath (shower). At this level, there's also a very nice terrace. Upstairs, in a sort of "loft", but quite separate, is another double bedroom, half-bath, and pass-through bedroom suitable for kids (part of the "+4" of the "14+4" villa capacity). Here as well, you step out onto yet another terrace with the best view of all.
The brand-new swimming pool is spectacularly sited and beautifully fitted out, with a jacuzzi at one end.
Another unique feature of Villa Caiano is its owner, a charming young man who speaks English and is a professional sommelier who has stocked the villa with a wonderful cellar.
The rental price includes some housekeeping, and additional hours are possible at extra cost. Arranging meals is also possible at Villa Caiano. The owner is a sommelier, and his father is a gourmet chef.
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Rates:
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Call Vacanza Bella for rates
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| Extras: |
None
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| Arrival: |
Any day of the week
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Minimum
stay: |
1 week, with extra days pro-rated
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