This villa is in an idyllic setting, with stunning views. We had a lovely week, relaxing in the gardens and cooling off in the pool, surrounded by nature in this spacious, beautifully appointed villa. Unfortunately, the owners had been called away before our arrival, but their neighbours were there to greet us and explain all we needed to know. There was also a brief guide to the property and area in English.
We toured the area, which has the prettiest little villages, perched on hilltops, with fairytale castles and visited one of the colourful Cinque Terre town of Manarola where we swam in the sea and ate lunch at the cliff-edge restaurant.
One of the best experiences was a visit to the world-famous marble quarry in Carrara, which involved a hair-raising drive up the mountain on a narrow, rough track with switchback bends, into the misty mountaintops. Our driver was very skilled and he and our guide made the trip both entertaining and informative.
Massa Carrara is quite an industrial area, because of the marble quarrying, but it also has a lovely, long stretch of coastline and beach, which we strolled along.
Also worth a visit, is the walled town of Lucca, under an hour's drive away. Here you can climb the tower for more stunning views, sip a drink at one of the bars situated in the circular piazza, formerly a Roman amphitheatre, and hire a four or two- seater bike to cycle along the tree-lined top of the city wall.
The downside of this villa is the fact that, perched on the hillside as it is, there is a very narrow, twisting access road and a challenging driveway to the property, but it gets easier each time you tackle it. You cannot just stroll into the town though because the return journey would be a challenge unless you were young and fit.
Supermarkets in the area are very good, making self-catering easy, but the local pizza delivery service was woeful. The stairs to the upper floor of the villa might prove difficult for some visitors. They are narrow and have two sharp turns, making it difficult to get luggage up to the rooms.
And one off-putting aspect of the rural setting for me, although it might just have been a seasonal problem, were the many shield bugs which found their way into the house. While harmless, they do buzz around at night, so you don't want them in the rooms.
Overall, we had a fantastic week here, in a part of Italy which is a little more off the beaten track, but which has its own charms.
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