Bell' Estate Lucca Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 170993

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Location: Lucca, Lucca Area, Tuscany, Italy, Europe (10 min. from the center of Lucca. 30 min from Pisa airport)

Accommodations:  Villa, 4 Bedrooms, 3.25 Baths (Sleeps 8)

The villa, built in the 1870’s, sits on top of a hill overlooking green fields and vineyards towards the south and west. On a property of about five acres, the garden offers complete privacy, and a variety of walks and quiet places.

This villa is not just a rental place, but the actual residence of academics, who have filled with an extensive collection of books and texts. It is a unique pleasure to immerse oneself in the quiet of this cultural oasis, away from loud crowds and everyday bustle.

Only ten minutes from the center of Lucca, the surroundings are open farmland,protected by the Cultural Landmarks commission, with a church on a higher hill and farms and villas to dot the landscape. The area offers the best of what Tuscany is known and loved for: an unforgettable countryside, a beautiful medieval town full of art and precious boutiques, Summer festivals with opera and concerts, amazing wines, and of course renowned and unknown restaurants that will give great pleasure to those who appreciate the simple flavors of Tuscan cuisine.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Washer: Although some supplies like dish washing soap and laundry detergent may have been left by previous guests, you are responsible for buying any supplies you need for personal use, including toilet paper.
  • Linens Provided: Towels are included, but this is not a hotel. and towels are changed only once a week, even if they are thrown to the floor
  • Off Street Parking
  • Wood Fireplace
• Beds
  • Queen Bed (2)
  • Twin/Single Bed (4)
  • Child Bed
  • Crib
• Entertainment
  • Cable/Satellite TV
  • DVD
  • CD Player
  • Music Library: iPod speakers
  • Private Pool
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen: Housekeeping services are 12 hours/week plus Saturday for linen change. These services are included and they are not optional
  • Cooking Utensils Provided
  • Refrigerator
  • Dishwasher: Although some supplies like dish washing soap and laundry detergent may have been left by previous guests, you are responsible for buying any supplies you need for personal use, including toilet paper.
  • Catering Available: The housekeeper's principal duty is to clean and keep the house in order. Extra hours you might need, for instance for cooking, can be arranged for an extra fee
• Outdoor Features
  • Charcoal BBQ Grill
  • Deck/Patio
  • Balcony
• Communications
  • Telephone
  • Broadband Internet
  • WiFi (Wireless Internet)
• Other Amenities
  • Maid services included 12 hours/week, 25-meter (80-foot) swimming pool in completely private area, walking distance to river park with jogging and bicycle trails,25 minutes to the the beach, 1.5 hours to the hiking trails of the Apennines and Alpi Apuane, 45 minutes to Florence
• Suitability
  • No Pets Allowed
  • Kid Friendly
  • Smoking Not Allowed
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Restaurants
  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Downhill/Alpine Skiing
  • Hiking
  • Rock Climbing
  • Antiquing
  • Cinemas/Movie Theaters
  • Live Theatre
  • Museums
  • Horseback Riding
• Other Activities
  • ARRIVAL POLICY: Since this house is not a hotel, we unfortunately do not have flexibility for your arrival time. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR TRAVEL PLANS TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARRIVE AT THE HOUSE BETWEEN 3PM AND 7PM. You cannot arrive earlier, because we need time to prepare the house for you. You cannot arrive later, because a person who does not live on the premises will be sent specifically to meet you, and this person is not available after hours. If there is a chance that you might arrive late, you should make plans to stay at a hotel and arrive the following day. You will not be reimbursed for the cost of the hotel. This applies also in case of a delay that is beyond your control, such as a flight cancellation, or a train strike. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we cannot accommodate late arrival under any circumstances.

Rate Details (In Euros)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

Jun ............. €3000/week.
Jul-Aug ......... €3300/week.
Sep ............. €3000/week.
Oct-May ......... €2500/week.
Holiday Season .. €3300/week.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

Property Photos

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Guest Comments (8)

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• 08/30/09
  Positive Rating
  
  • We stayed at Bell' Estate early August '09. I agree with all the earlier posts - it was wonderful. We were terribly reluctant to leave. There were only two of us, but the house could easily accomodate a group comfortably. A magical place!
• 08/30/09
  Positive Rating
  Esme Hurst , Markham, ON
  • Our stay at Al Campana Villa was wonderful. We were a bit uncertain about rental because we have done multiple home exchanges in the past and were afraid that renting would be cold and impersonal but Bell Estate was exactly the opposite. We felt we were actually living in a Tuscan home. The house was furnished with personal objects and the interests and personality of the owners was apparent in every room. The kitchen was extremely well equipped (could have used a few more wine glasses) and we spent many memorable hours around the marble table sipping wine and eating fresh mozzarella and prosciutto! We loved the 6 burner stove and the large fridge! We cooked dinner several times during our stay - opened the double kitchen doors and ate al fresco in the garden and one evening we had a special candlelit dinner in the lovely dining room - opening the massive doors to the garden and enjoying the cool night air. The pool was especially appreciated by our teenagers – it was huge (Olympic size) and situated in a grassy field overlooking the beautiful countryside. The fire flies were an extra special touch during our midnight dips. The bedrooms were very roomy, comfortable and tastefully furnished in antiques. We were thrilled that there were three baths on the second floor so there was very little waiting (4 teenagers make this inevitable). The proximity to Lucca and Florence made it a great location for day trips. I highly recommend taking the train to Cinque Terra to hike the trails. I will miss waking up to the sound of cicada and the sun streaming through the windows. It was a beautiful holiday. Thank you so much for sharing your home. Esme and Rob Hurst and Family August 2009
• 07/26/09
  Positive Rating
  Franck ReyHerme , Orinda, CA
  • My girlfriend and I stayed at Bell’ Estate with family and friends for five unforgettable days. My only complaint is that I wish I could have stayed longer. The house is simply stunning. The spacious living room, beautiful dining area, and homey kitchen provide plenty of space for a family to truly relax and enjoy their vacation. The bedrooms are comfortable, the 3+ bathrooms are nice, and the property, with its magnificent views, is nothing short of spectacular. The villa is large, elegant, and extremely well maintained, yet still feels like a rustic country cabin – which is exactly what I was hoping for. The garden offers a pastoral peace and quiet that seems right out of a Wordsworth poem. Some of the moments I most cherished during our stay (and our entire European vacation for that matter) involved sitting in the garden during the quiet, early morning hours, sipping the fresh espresso I’d just made in the kitchen, and reading a good book. Eventually, I’d make my way down to the pool to bask in the sun, soak in the serene Tuscany scenery, and swim laps in the pool. That’s what vacation is all about for me. If you can convince yourself to leave the property (which I admit was difficult at times), the guestbook that Alessandra provides has detailed to directions to several great restaurants and hiking trails in the area. The nearby town of Lucca is genuinely charming, and Florence is less than an hour’s drive away. Alessandra, the owner of the villa, was so helpful – making sure everything was ok and answering any questions we had. The housekeeper was friendly and accommodating, even helping us with our laundry. The house also provides wireless internet access if that’s important to you. Yeah, so, in case you can’t tell yet, I had an unforgettable time at the Bell’ Estate. I would love to go back and stay for even longer. I did not want to leave.
• 07/19/09
  Positive Rating
  , New York, NY
  • This villa is happily situated in the hills north of Lucca; there are spectacular views of the hills to the south of the city, from every vantage, and the house is oriented in such a way to inspire true enjoyment of classic, Tuscan landscape. The house and grounds are beautifully preserved and maintained, and are very private. The interior of the villa is filled with beautiful books, furniture, and objects of curiosity and historical interest. Because the ceilings are high, and the walls very thick, the villa stays cool even in intense summer heat if one follows the detailed and knowledgeable instructions provided by the owners. The kitchen is a marvel, and is ideal for anyone who might enjoy finding the readily available and exceptional local produce, and creating meals which may be taken al fresco. Everything was beautifully arranged in expectation of our arrival: there was mosquito netting for each of the beds in each of the bedrooms, there were fresh towels, and additional towels for use at the pool; the beds were extremely comfortable. There were two, well-appointed showers, as well as a large, separate bath. The housekeepers were very helpful in showing us around the house, and were very accommodating, although it helps to have some Italian in order to ask questions, should you have any. This is a villa that clearly belongs to a family who take great care in preparations for guests, and rightly expect that the guests will treat their environment similarly. The gardens are filled with lemon, and other fruit trees, and there is an absolutely huge and magnificent pool suitable for real lap-swimming, or for wasting huge amounts of time to great benefit. The pool also enjoys beautiful views of the hills south of Lucca. There are hoopoes, and wood pidgeon, and even a songbird that sings the first few bars of the Eroica at sunset. There are bats who are considerate enough to deplete the mosquito population at dusk over the pool—definitely a spectator sport. The guest book is filled with useful suggestions from restaurants, to wine tasting, to shopping. We adhered to these suggestions, and this greatly added to our enjoyment of Lucca and the surrounding area. In addition, it was most helpful to be given informed advice about supermarkets, one of which in particular, had spectacular local produce, as well as anything else one might need. Although this market is part of a much larger chain, this particular outlet is a family-run enterprise, and everyone we encountered who worked there was very helpful and kind. Visitors will find that it helps to follow the advice about restaurants as well—you cannot go wrong, or be disappointed! We have rented villas elsewhere, and found Bell'Estate to be an absolute paradise—really second to none. We hope to return next year!
• 03/18/09
  Positive Rating
  Rebecca Griffiths , London, UK
  • My family (including 2 small children) had a delightful one week stay at this house in summer 2005 and again in 2008. The house is authentic, stately, and spacious, with a wonderful kitchen for cooks. We never really felt the need to leave the estate, which is private, peaceful, and beautifully landscaped. The enormous pool has a great area for small children to play. The views of the countryside are magnificent. And when we did feel like getting out the location was perfect - easily accessible to Lucca, a lovely old walled city that isn't so overrun with tourists as other cities in Tuscany, and with great day trips to wine country, beach, and other old cities (including Florence). We loved it!
• 03/17/09
  Positive Rating
  
  • Bell' Estate is an enchanting place. It is, first of all, in a lovely location--on a hillside a short drive from Lucca, with views across a valley to ridges with cypress trees and splendid walks in the hills and also along the nearby Serchio River. The home itself is stately, quiet, lush, and extremely comfortable. I was there with a variety of family members, from a 15 year-old nephew to my 80 year-old mother, and before arriving I worried a bit about having a holiday that would suit everyone. But this house turned out to be the centerpiece that made everything work. First of all, it's just gorgeous, both outside and in, and so we were always aware of being in a very special place. We were there in summer, and worried that it might be too warm--but everytime we stepped back inside the massive walls of the house, we were refreshed by its natural coolness. The bedrooms are comfortable and quiet, the bathrooms modern. The kitchen is large and wonderfully equipped; we enjoyed putting together several big family meals, and having them in the formal dining room. In the late afternoon, we sat in chairs on the gravel behind the house, drinking wine and enjoying the great shade trees. I guess the house wouldn't be perfect for those who want a lively night life--but we were happy, at the end of a busy day in Lucca or Florence, to return to its peacefulness. And a couple of nights we walked down to the little restaurant at the foot of the hill for a simple but pleasant dinner. Everything about the house was first-rate. It was immaculate, and the cleaning/laundry service provided by the owner was efficient and unobtrusive. I would certainly recommend the property to a friend, and hope to return to it myself before too long.
• 03/17/09
  Positive Rating
  , Boston, MA
  • I am an architect with a great appreciation of Italian medieval and renaissance architecture (many examples in Lucca and in nearby Florence, Pisa and Siena) and a swimmer. This beautiful property was a perfect fit. It is located in the countryside yet also deceptively close to the center of the town. After picking up a new car in Munich and a few days in Switzerland, my girlfriend and I drove to Carignano. The villa and pool are nestled in the Tuscan hillside. Lucca is a quick and fairly direct drive away. In between the highway exit and the villa are various stores (grocery and dry goods) and even a modern self-operated car wash (very handy after a long drive behind trucks on the autostrada). The building has nice views to the west and south and well separated from neighbors by olive trees and other vegetation. The living room, dining room, kitchen and bedrooms were clean, spacious and surround a central stair. There is an outdoor flat grass patio adjacent to the kitchen where we ate breakfast and later grilled our dinner. The pool is unusually large in width and length, perfect for the avid swimmer (Olympic length with multiple lanes). It is well concealed from adjacent properties by trees and bamboo. After an unfortunate incident of vandalism in Marseille a few years ago, I also appreciated the added security of parking my vehicle in the driveway behind gates. There is space for several vehicles both shaded and in the sun. I would recommend this property for a large family/group with an interest in not only enjoying the seclusion and pool, but also partaking in the cultural activities of Lucca and neighboring historic towns.
• 06/05/08
  Positive Rating
  mairead , dublin, ireland
  • I stayed in this house with my husband and children and we had a wonderful time. The views are gorgeous. I loved sitting in bed, looking out the window. The gardens are beautiful and spacious and the children loved exploring them. The kitchen has everything. We had great dinners in the house and really enjoyed the restaurants in the area. We explored the surrounding countryside and hired bikes and cycled around Lucca. The office is a great place to work with WiFi. There is a sense of history about the house and the family that has grown up in it. This house is an experience and I loved it!

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