Near Florence, Tuscany
Property 5426
14 Guests
7 Bedrooms
6.5 Bathrooms
900 square meters indoor
55 Hectares outdoor
Villa la Torre is unique in our Portfolio for its location is literally 15 minutes from the Ponte Vecchio. Both experienced and first-time visitors to Tuscany will appreciate its position at the head of the Via Chiantigiana just outside Impruneta. As a consequence, Villa La Torre guests have the opportunity to essentially vacation in Florence while enjoying a countryside setting with pool and lawn and domestic services. Villa la Torre also offers guests the opportunity to stay in Chianti without being constrained by the lovely but slow and winding dirt roads which are the norm in the area. For experienced travelers to Tuscany this villa enables you to go into Florence or further out into the countryside without hassle. For those choosing a villa for a first or second trip to Tuscany, or for anyone devoted to the pleasures of Florence who wants to be outside the city itself, Villa la Torre could not be more ideal.
A glance at a map of modern-day Florence will immediately highlight the precious nature of the position and neighborhood of Villa La Torre. As the city of Florence has grown beyond its ancient core, the surrounding neighborhoods and villages have become bedroom communities to Florence and therefore quite well-developed and urban. There remain only two or three small roads out of Florence that bring you quickly to the unspoiled countryside. Villa la Torre is fortunate to be situated on just such a scenic road, looping southeast of Florence to Impruneta and back. Impruneta itself has not lost the architectural appeal of a Renaissance town - with a broad open square and a harmonious mix of commercial buildings. This is a lively place of restaurants, markets, shops, services and festivals - more than enough to provide a diverse and convenient focal point for your immediate vacation needs. In addition, the golf-course at Ugolino is only 10 minutes away.
Chianti is sure to be a part of any guests' itinerary, and fortunately the famed Via Chiantigiana begins at Impruneta and proceeds south to Siena. This is the spine of the Chianti region and there is no end to the charming villages available for exploration; Greve, Radda, Castellina, Panzano, San Casciano and the like. Rather than taking the winding country lane, you can descend from Villa la Torre directly to the start of the Florence-Siena Raccordo at Certosa putting Monteriggioni and San Gimignano within an easy 30 minute drive. Should Lucca, Arezzo or Cortona be on your agenda, you are less than five minutes away from the A1 highway linking these major Tuscany points of interest.
As central as Villa la Torre is, you will also find yourselves enjoying being in the country. This is a classic Renaissance villa, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, with an ancient history and a dramatic past. Parts of the structure date from the 1300's, most likely the Torre from which the property takes its name. This is an imposing structure, finished in a classic butter-yellow with minimal adornment on the facade. Today, the property is most celebrated for the exceptional quality of its wine, considered one of the 60 best wines in Italy. The wine is produced on the 55 hectares that surround the Villa. It is these vineyards themselves which are possibly the most ancient, as mention of them is found in documents dating from 1042.
Villa la Torre has fortunately been recently updated and now offers an environment and atmosphere well-designed for groups of adult couples or several families. Very well-run by a prominent Florentine dynasty with good taste and a devotion to maintaining the traditional qualities of the family estate, the owners pay close attention to the needs of the property. Situated adjacent to the paved road that rises from Tavernuzze to Impruneta, the Villa is enclosed within a high gate and walls, the gardens hedged with privet and the lawns private to guests of the Villa. The grounds are designed in keeping with the scale and seriousness of the villa, with cypress trees and hedges. Large cotta pots with annuals add color here and there. There are three principal outdoor areas at Villa la Torre. The pool (15 x 7.5 meters) is edged in cotto and set into a lawn, surrounded by a formal hedge. There is ample lawn furniture and shady areas under spreading querce or holm oak trees.
The Villa itself is fronted by an open paved courtyard, with two loggia and lawn beyond. A spreading fig tree on the edge of the lawn provides shade for an intimate grouping of couch and chairs for six. It is a cool and relaxing place to unwind and let the children run. Adjacent is a dining loggia for 10, an oval teak table and casual captains' chairs provide a cooling place for warm-weather lunch al fresco. A narrow back stairway leads to an informal lunch kitchen (fridge, microwave, sink) for keeping drinks, snacks and the makings of a light lunch convenient to both the pool and the dining loggia. The lawn from here sweeps to the formal entrance to the Villa, once host to carriages and fine horses, where now there is an easy place to relax out of doors for cocktails or a morning coffee. The lawn is plenty wide and flat for some informal soccer or ball throwing, and the hedge keeps little ones from wandering too far afield. (Low stone wall drops to lower lawn - could be hazardous for young children.)
The Villa's interior reflects the taste and style of an important family of Florentine aristocrats. The antiques are all important pieces. The paintings, prints, etchings and engravings are traditional in theme and style, and the nicely upholstered furniture is well-proportioned for the large rooms. This is a very comfortable house to be in. The exceptionally thick walls keep the heat and cool in as necessary to the season, so that the house remains comfortable year round. There are very high ceilings and generously proportioned rooms. Each room is tastefully appointed and has windows framing an exceptional view over the vineyards and olive groves to the valley of the Arno and the hills of Fiesole beyond. During the evening, the view is animated with the lights from Florence; during the day the view is softened by the contours of the farmland and the villa of Collazzi, one of Michelangelo's architectural achievements.
Price information available upon request.
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