Description

As heavy with history as it is with style, Villa Cetinale is a once-in-a-lifetime sort of place. You’ll feel like aristocracy staying in this grand building, which was built in the 17th Century for Pope Alexander VII on Etruscan ruins. The Baroque building was bought by Viscount Antony Lambton in the 1920s and painstakingly renovated over a number of years. Since 2006, this playground of the rich and famous has become available to rent privately, throwing open its doors for your next trip to Tuscany.

The interiors are a glimpse of history. Rich hues and wonderful frescoes, as well as original features such as the bas-relief in the dining room, make this property almost an art gallery in its own right. The numerous and generously sized rooms make it an ideal property for a wedding or other celebration, or just a large get-together of family and friends. The bedrooms all have their own individual charms, with regal 4-poster beds draped in curtains, ready to be drawn closed after a day in the Tuscan sunshine.

The gardens are known as some of the most beautiful in the whole of Italy. Formal arches of climbing roses and vines, antique statues by Mazzuoli, and wonderful pergolas providing shade on sunny days making this a heavenly outdoor space. The outdoor swimming pool offers the perfect spot to relax in the sun, or if you feel like being a bit more active, there is a tennis court to keep you entertained on an afternoon.

Sit back, enjoy being master or mistress of your own private domain, while the villa’s staff look after your every need, and every now and again, just pinch yourself to remind yourself it’s real.