The Apartment at Villa Terroni has one double bedroom, is fully self-contained and is on the ground floor of a fine contemporary Villa in the hills north of Lucca. The newly built swimming pool is shared with it's welcoming English/Italian owners - Paolo and Varinia Terroni.    

We completed the purchase of Villa Terroni in the Spring of 2004 and since then have commenced work on bringing the Villa back to its original glory. The Villa was architecturally designed in Florence and has twenty rooms in total on three floors. When we acquired the Villa it was in a poor state of repair and lacked some 'TLC'. We started with the outside giving the house a fresh coat of paint in typical Tuscan style and rendering the columns and flower boxes and then started on the ground floor Apartment adding modern conveniences such as the taverna style kitchen, shower room, satellite TV etc.

At the back of the house and with double French doors leading to the private terrace and pool, is the spacious bedroom. This room also has a window with a shutter and bug-blind, a king-size bed, two bedside cabinets (each with three drawers), an antique mahogany chest of drawers and a new cherrywood wardrobe consisting of double hanging space with shelves above, large drawer below plus single longer length hanging space and full-length mirror. There is also a sink with a glass shelf and large mirror above.

The fully tiled bathroom comprises of a large walk-in power shower at one end, sink with mirrored cabinet above, WC and bidet.  There is also a double towel rail and plenty of towel hooks.

The most striking feature is the infinity swimming pool. It measures 5m x 10m and is 1.5m deep with ‘Roman End' steps and is set in lawn surrounded by lavender and mature fruit and olive trees. For guests' convenience there is an outdoor solar-panelled shower with hot and cold water. There is also garden and terrace lighting to enjoy the warm summer evenings on the secluded terrace over a glass of ‘Chianti' or chilled ‘Prosecco'.

The Apartment at Villa Terroni has its own private terrace with table and chairs for dining ‘al-fresco', brand new sun-loungers with sun-shades, parasols and barbecue. The terrace is partly shaded for those who want to take a respite from the hot summer sun.

Location of Villa Terroni

The Apartment at Villa Terroni is located in the quiet and peaceful village of Villa Collemandina in the hills above Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. It is 550m above sea level and in the hot summer months enjoys a temperature some 2-3 degrees lower than the town below. It is a hilly region with winding roads to explore among the pine and chestnut forests, from its river terraces to Appenine water reserves, presenting an area of extraordinary natural beauty. The stunning landscapes which appear within the Parco dell'Appennino (20 min drive) and gateway to the Orechiella Nature Reserve and Botanic Garden, have breathtaking panoramic views which overlook the entire valley.  Besides the Visitor Centre and local produce shop, there are many walking trails to explore and if you don't want to bring a picnic why not enjoy lunch at the restaurant within the park.

You will find many restaurants and bars to enjoy in the surrounding villages such as Castiglione, San Pelegrino, Pieve Fosciana, San Romano, Scilicagnana, Camporgiano, Scillico, Bagni di Lucca, Barga and of course in the nearby town of Castelnuovo. There are also numerous woodland trails to wander along which makes Villa Terroni the ideal base for walking holidays.

Driving time to Castelnuovo is 15 minutes down a picturesque, well made but winding road. Driving times to popular tourist destinations :

• Mediterranean coast e.g. Viareggio or Forte dei Marmi approx. 55 minutes
• Lucca approx. 1 hour
• Pisa Airport approx. 1.5 hours
• Florence approx. 2 hours

Castelnuovo (pronounced cas-tel-no-wo-vo) is a typical bustling Italian town that is important for farming and agriculture and famous for local produce e.g. pecorino cheese, farro, porcini mushrooms and polenta and is located at a height of approx. 300 metres above sea level. The wider area of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is known as the ‘Valle del Serchio' or Serchio Valley and has 6,150 inhabitants including numerous smaller towns and villages just waiting to be explored from Bagni di Lucca and Barga to the South to Castiglione and San Pelegrino to the North.

Castelnuovo is the commercial and administrative centre of the valley where every Thursday since 1430 there has been an open air street market selling local produce, clothes, shoes, jewellery, household goods etc.

What's included in the price at Villa Terroni

The following items are included in the price :

• Bed linen (changed weekly)
• Towels and Pool/Beach towels
• Tea towels / dishcloths
• Complimentary welcome pack
• Bathrobes
• Ironing board / iron / clothes airer
• Hairdryer
• Gas for cooking
• Electricity
• Pool maintenance
• Final clean at the end of your stay.

The following items are not included in the price :

• Central heating (gasolio) – when required. Charged at a standard rate of 50 euro per week.
• Transport to and from Villa Terroni.

We are Paolo and Varinia Terroni originally from North London. Paolo's parents were both Italian, his mother Lauretta was born in the nearby village of Camporgiano and his father Giovanni was from Borgo Val di Taro, near Parma in the north.

After many wonderful summers in Tuscany, we decided to make Italy our home for good and left our respective jobs to start our new business venture - Terroni Villas. Paul's background was the casino/slot industry and Varinia's was with Marriott Hotels and latterly in the training department of KPMG London.

A new addition to the family arrived in February 2006 - ‘Millie' our little tan/black Yorkshire terrier who always makes guests welcome and provides hours of amusement.

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