The painted halls
Painted halls, pietra serena
Trompe-l'œil, trellises and painted landscapes; a hall framed by two Renaissance arches with a great pietra serena fireplace; the frescoed ceiling with cherubs. On the walls, Brussels-made tapestries in the piano rooms and the ballroom.
The Italian garden
Embroidered box, cedars of Lebanon
A formal garden in the Florentine tradition — hedges, topiary, patterns on gravel — joined in the 1800s by an English park. In the park, two cedars of Lebanon from 1800 and centuries-old holm oaks; the ancient 13th-century well now gathers rainwater for the garden's cisterns.
The loggia and verandas
Arches onto the garden
The loggia opens onto the garden and is the natural home of the aperitivo: the shade of the arches, terracotta pots, and Florence beyond. The inner courtyard, medieval in character with its two tiers of loggias, is renowned among connoisseurs of architecture.
Dining beneath the marquee
Crystal beneath the sky
For the grand evenings, the clear marquee over the garden: crystal chandeliers, hanging greenery, candles on the tables and the sky above. It bridges villa and park, from dinner to dancing.
The villa at evening
When it lights up
As evening falls the façade glows warm and Florence lights up below. «A marvellous place with a marvellous view of Florence, at night too» — that is a guest review, not a promise of ours.
The park
A garden tended like a work of art
Prunings become winter firewood, leaves become compost, and the 13th-century well gathers rain for the cisterns: beauty here is also stewardship.