VILLA CARDINALE, ON THE BUONVISI ESTATE
Near Lucca, Tuscany
Sleeps 10+2 in 5 bedrooms/5 bathrooms, air-conditioned, with private pool, jacuzzi — CUSTOMER FAVORITE!
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Villa Cardinale is part of the 344-acre Buonvisi estate, set among the vineyards and olive orchards of a typical Tuscan working olive estate. This splended, recenty converted house dates from the 1600's. It was built for a Cardinal, the villa's original resident, and is set high on a hill, overlooking the estate, with a view of Lucca and the surrounding landscape. Nature lovers will enjoy the walking trails on the estate and in the local hills and the nearby Cinqueterre. Pisa, Florence, Siena, Volterra and many other charming Tuscan hill towns are within easy driving distance for daytrips and Florence is easily reached by rail from Lucca. Lucca, a famous and elegant walled city has an amiable small-town atmosphere and distinctive galleries and restaurants, is just four kilometers away and can be reached by bus. Tennis facilities and a small golf course are nearby; a restaurant and coffee bar (with bus stop) are about one kilometer downhill from Villa Cardinale.

Three stories provide spacious and comfortable living space. Rooms throughout the villa have traditional terracotta floors, beamed ceilings and are elegantly furnished with family antiques (although beds and mattresses are new).

Guests staying at Villa Cardinale will need a car, even if they plan to use public transportation for some daytrips. There is a supermarket about 5 minutes away by car. The villa is set on a hill and although the driveway is paved with two tracks, it is narrow and so is difficult for a large van to navigate. Most guests prefer renting two cars.

Ground floor (sleeps 4):

• Fully-equipped kitchen with white Carrara marble countertops, dishwasher, stone sink, breakfast table, traditional brick wood oven and modern stove and oven
• Dining room with wood-beamed ceilings and partly exposed stone walls with door opening to to pergola
• 1 study with comfortable queen sleep sofa
• 1 bathroom with shower en suite with this study
• Separate little cottage with 1 queen bedroom suite with bathroom with shower; handicapped accessible, laundry room with washer
• Outdoor drying line
• Furnished pergola
• Parking

Second floor (sleeps 2):

• Living room with fireplace (originally the Cardinal's study)
• Master bedroom with king-sized bed, corner fireplace and beautiful view from unique arched windows
• Four steps down to master en suite full bathroom with separate stall shower and Jacuzzi tub

Third floor (sleeps 4+2):

• 1 king bedroom, en suite bathroom with shower
• 1 suite consisitng of a bedroom with twin beds that can be joined to make a queen bed plus a sitting room with comfortable queen sleep sofa and en suite bathroom with shower over tub. Guests staying in the twin bedroom must pass through the sitting room to reach the hall or the bathroom, so it is good for families with kids, but not for two couples.

Outdoors is a large salt-water pool and covered al fresco dining area, set amongst Luccan olive groves. It is possible to hike on the estate. The owners generously offer use of their own cabana at their beach club for one or more days nearby where there are warm showers, changing rooms with lockers, parking and restaurant.

Villa Cardinale is centrally air-conditioned. Amenities include washing machine, satellite TV telephone, DVD player, WiFi and wall safe. The owners, who live on the estate, will welcome you with incomparable hospitality. This is a charming farmhouse whch gives you an opportunity to meet a wonderful Italian family that speaks English well. If they are in residence, they will invite you to dinner once during your stay..

For large groups, Villa Buonvisi, and the Vera_One and Vera Three apartments are located on the same estate, so all four can be rented together to accommodate up to 48 people comfortably. However the estate has 3 separate swimming pools, so for a smaller group, Villa Cardinale is entirely private with its own entrance gate, land, pool, patio and parking area.

2013 Prices