Location: Monsagrati, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy, Europe (Monsagrati, Halfway Between Lucca and the Coast at Camaoire.)
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms + Den, 1 Bath (Sleeps 5)
Keywords: Villa
Perched high on a Tuscan hilltop in a quaint Italian hamlet of friendly locals sits this cute Village house, circa 1218 completely restored, well appointed and ready for your true authentic Italian experience. Across from the front entry is the private gated garden with stone path, BBQ, terrace for al fresco dining, a bistro set for those morning cappuccinos or evening wine, cheese, and antipasto refreshments. The view is magnificent of the surrounding hillsides of terraced olive groves and vineyards rolling down to the distant city lights of Lucca in the far-reaching valley below.
The solid rock home, boasting nearly 800 years of history has the original beamed ceilings, stone fireplace, and cotto flooring and is laid out on three levels. The ground floor has the kitchen, dining/sitting room, pantry, utility, and bathroom. The fully equipped kitchen is done in Italian Moderno with granite countertops, built-in fridge, dishwasher and microwave, and an "eat around" island. Flat screen satellite TV and DVD are easily viewed anywhere in the room. An iPod dock is available so bring it along. The bath is done in Italian modern with raised vessel sink, large walk in shower and surrounded in Italian marble. A washer/dryer is provided in the utility room for small capacity incidentals. The second level has one double bedroom and a daybed/sitting area for additional sleeping for one. The top floor is reserved for only the large master bedroom with king sized bed.
The road up the hill to the hamlet, Monsagrati Alto, is off the main road from North Lucca, connecting Lucca to the coast at Camaiore, where you'll find the chic resort/beach town Viareggio, one of the Italian Rivieras most popular vacation spots. With Monsagrati (our town) located about half way between Lucca and the coast, you are 15 to 20 minutes from either destination. Not far to the north is the famous Cinque Terre, Tuscany's version of the Almafi coast, worth a day's adventure. From Lucca, the train, or the Autostrad (expressway), will get you to Florence in about 45 minutes. Florence is a destination not to be missed as one could spend weeks and not see all the important art, museums, and cathedrals in this capital city of Tuscany. All important destinations can be reached via Eurostar (fast train) from Florence easily and quickly. Pisa, and its' airport, is only 45 minutes. Flying into Pisa or Florence is easy as both airports are small and convenient and offer rental cars.
Our Italian (who speaks English) Property Manager in Lucca, will be your contact to help with getting you settled into the house and making sure your stay is as comfortable as possible and be a contact for you should anything come up unexpectedly.
Many restaurants are available both in Monsagrati and neighboring towns along the main road toward Lucca. Of course, once inside the famous walled city there are as many restaurants, shopping, and entertainment venues as you could want. Many "Big Name" concerts are held in June and all through July. The tops of the walls are a huge circular park that can be walked, jogged or cycled with rental bikes, affording a bird's eye view down into the walled city. It's always a treat to come back up to your quiet peaceful and authentic hilltop village home for the true Italian experience!
We have a few simple (but firm) rules:
* No Smoking * No Pets * Deposit Required. Use of any consumables belonging to the Owner must be replaced/replenished.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Off Street Parking
- Wood Fireplace
- Beds
- King Bed
- Twin/Single Bed
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- Stereo System
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen : Granite Countertops, Red Metal Modern cabinetry
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Charcoal BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio : Dining Terrace in the Garden for Al-Fresco dining. Bistro table set for refreshments in the Garden.
- Lanai
- View/Location
- Mountain View : Views of surrounding Vineyards and terraced Olive Groves. The Lucca city lights are visable in the far reaching Valley below.
- Other Amenities
- iPod docking station available- Bring your own iPod, DVD's and CD's
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Shopping
- Sailing
- Boating
- Jet Skiing
- Swimming
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Downhill/Alpine Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Live Theatre
- Hiking
- Restaurants
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
Rate Details (In Euros)
€600/week
NOW ACCEPTING PAYPAL.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Property Photos
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- Front view of Casa SUBO Our Tuscan Village house. - Tuscany, Italy House with Mountain Views
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- Our private gated garden with stone path, BBQ, terrace for al fresco dining. - Tuscany, Italy House with Mountain Views
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- BBQ out in our private gated garden. - Tuscany, Italy House with Mountain Views
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- View of surrounding hillsides of terraced vineyards.
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- View of Olive Groves on rolling hills down to the distant Valley below.
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- Front Porch of our solid rock house of nearly 800 years of history.
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- Al Fresco dining on the Terrace in the Garden.
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- Dining area next to stone fireplace.
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- Bar area in Italian moderno.
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- Flat screen Satellite TV and DVD are easily viewed anywhere in the living room.
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- Kitchen in Italian moderno.
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- Master bedroom, two windows with view.
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- Master bedroom plenty of clothes storage.
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- Second bedroom sleeps two comfortably window with view.
Traveler Reviews (2)
Great Location, Great Vacation
Guest: Dave&Sue
(Kelowna, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/20/10
Review Submitted: 05/31/11
We visited this lovely old house in August 2010 and continue to reminisce about our great time there and our visits to Lucca, Pisa and Florence. My wife and I were there with our 15 year old son, who is an avid road cyclist. We set up a rental in advance from a small outlet in Pisa and picked up a great road bike. He just loved exploring the roads and hills around the home and returned each day with an ear to ear grin. The house itself is full of character and charm. It is so removed from the traditional tourist locations that you can't help but feel immersed in all that Tuscany offers. There is a quaint little restaurant just down the road (a 5 minute walk) that offers authentic Tuscan fare and of course you can buy groceries in Lucca or enjoy any of the great restaurants there. (About a 20 minute drive). The hosts were very accommodating and met us on time in Lucca and then had us follow them to the house where they showed us the amenities and gave us contact info for our week long stay. We have used VRBO six or seven times and almost always leave satisfied. This however, took us to a new level of enjoyment and I would definitely recommend this to anyone wishing to have access to the best of Italy while enjoying the quiet of a location removed from the main centers.
Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+.
Tuscan townhouse
Guest: Kansas Traveler
(Lake Quivira, Kansas, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11
Review Submitted: 05/19/11
The description of the house clearly said that the master bedroom was on the 3rd floor and bathroom on the ground floor. It was not clear, however, that the stairs are more like ladders--steep and narrow--so access was difficult, so anyone with a walking disability would have trouble. The house was very clean and well maintained and the amenities were as described. The house is one of 4 attached townhouses; neighbors were quiet but their dogs barked some at night. The views down into the valley were beautiful and the terrace a nice feature. The bath was very nice but the kitchen/living area was cramped with a center island that is too large, so it was difficult to work in, and there is limited seating. The bed in the master bedroom was very comfortable. You must park about 2 blocks from the house on the side of a narrow street. The property manager was very helpful in meeting us and leading us to the property. Access to Lucca is easy and there are very nice restaurants nearby.
Owner response:While the steps inside the place are typical for properties and walkways in towns in Italy, they are slightly steeper than typical U.S. homes have unless they are older. If you have a problem with these steps then you will have a problem visiting all over Italy in that most were built several hundered years ago and are a result of the hillside terrain typical of tourist destinations in Tuscany. The island of the kitchen is sized so that it can be used as a dining table for 4 when the weather won't let you eat Al-Fresco in the Garden. It is a little large for the room and we may seek another alternative, although we have never found it uncomfortable. The authentic hillside villages in Tuscany were built pre-automobile so very few dwellings have garages. We park, along with our neighbors, in a designated area about 1/2 block from the place. If walking this distance is not comfortable for all, the car may be pulled right up in front of the place, passengers and "stuff" unloaded, then take the car back to the parking space. If you shop at Wal-Mart you probably walk further from your car. Walking in Italian towns is expected as most were not built for traffic or sized for automobiles which is part of the charm. While I'm sad this guest gave it a low rating, I have had no other negative comments from any guests in the 5 + years we have been renting. You must come with the acceptance that things in the "Old Country" are going to be different than modern codes and accesses of our New World. But then, isn't that why you go?
Recommended for:Sightseeing.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #184889
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