Villa Gourmet: pool, park, food & wine

About

Villa Gourmet is a 1700 renovated Tuscan Villa with salt water swimming pool, park and unique outdoor lounge and eating area by the pool. The villa for 14 guests is modern and fully-equipped with all comforts. Gourmet meals are offered on request. During your stay we will be available for any request or necessity you may have, or to advise you concerning places to visit or tailor-made itineraries. We speak English and Italian. We also organise wine-tasting tours, chocolate-tasting tours, cookery workshops, dinners at your villa with private chef, etc.. WHERE IS VILLA GOURMET? Villa Gourmet, dating back to the 18th century, can accommodate up to 14 guests in 6 elegant and modern rooms with 4 en-suite bathrooms and 1 in common. It has a private outdoor pool with nearby bathroom, barbecue, wooden pizza oven and unique outdoor lounge. Villa Gourmet is the ideal place not only for lovers of Italian food and wine, but also for tourists who are passionate about nature and the Tuscan countryside. It is located in the village of Orentano, which is happily within reach of innumerable places of interest whether historic, artistic, nature-seeking or gastronomic and one can follow all kinds of itineraries. The village lies 5 km from the Pisa-Florence motorway A11 (Altopascio exit) and 30 min drive away from such renowned places as Lucca, the Montecatini spas, Pistoia and Collodi (home of Pinocchio). It takes 40 min to drive to Pisa, Prato, Vinci (the birthplace of Leonardo) or San Miniato in one direction, or, going towards the coast, to Torre del Lago (Puccini's home), Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi and La Versilia beaches. Florence can be reached within an hour driving. LANDSCAPE AND ATMOSPHERE Villa Gourmet is owned and cared for by a local Tuscan Chef, a fine lover not only of the Tuscan culinary tradition, but also of nature and tranquillity. Upon arriving at Villa Gourmet you are indeed irresistibly caught under the spell and beauty of the surrounding countryside and the feeling of utter peace and quiet it conveys. Whilst your eyes are filled with the enchanting scenery, your ears are delighted by a daylong sonorous background of birdsong, amidst herons, woodpeckers, swallows, pheasants and the chirping of crickets. The woods are occasionally frequented by wild boars, whereas the fields are crossed by little wild rabbits running about hurriedly. The air is filled with the scent of an amazingly vast area of fields and woodland (******* sqm), covered with ancient oak trees, acacias, lime, holm and chestnut trees, as well as wild mimosa, rosemary, jasmine, and freshly mown fields and vineyards, whereas in the background one can enjoy the view of the Alps and Apennines, as far as the eye can see. What else could you wish for? SWIMMING POOL AND GARDENS In the Villa Gourmet gardens you'll find a brand new 12x6 m. swimming pool, pleasantly filled with salt water (therefore free of chlorine). The pool is surrounded by the precious local Santafiora stone with natural non-slip qualities. Through the stone you can feel the warmth of the Tuscan sun under the soles of your feet. Beside the pool there are deck chairs and a warm outdoor shower, as well as a bathroom, with a wc and yet another shower, which can also be used as changing room. There is also a pleasant covered outside eating and cooking area with a barbecue and a traditional wood oven to bake pizza and bread. Next to the pool you'll find also a unique outdoor lounge next to an ancient cherry tree, to enjoy warm summer evenings. Not far away in the same gardens is a playground for small children. The garden also has a ping-pong table and a soccer field. There is ample space to park several cars. Your family pets are also welcome at Villa Gourmet. THE VILLA AND ITS ROOMS The villa, originally dating back to the 1800s, has been recently renovated reutilizing all the materials of the ancient construction and fully respecting the Tuscan architectural tradition, and it is therefore in pristine condition. You can enter the villa on two sides. On one side the wall of the fascinating villa is almost entirely made of glass with a see-through entrance into a gorgeously furnished open space salon, with a spectacular and traditional gourmet kitchen, a very large dining table, as well as a lounge area with elegant sofas and immensely large windows whereby you are literally placed within the landscape you are enjoying the sight of. Seeing is believing. In the lounge area there is a large flat screen TV and a folk guitar, reminiscent and in honour of some of the most renowned fingerstyle guitarist who have recently been guests at the villa. Observing the ivy that climbs towards the ceiling you will notice a modern staircase leading you up to the first floor onto an indoor balcony area with stunning views of the countryside through the all-encompassing vast windows. This area is equipped with a table and dining area, suitable for breakfast or any other meal of Tourist License / Licencia de turismo N °: IT050009B4OMUXJ6C3