Family-friendly Tuscan villa with large private pool & pizza oven
Villa in Province of Massa and Carrara
11 guests · 4 bedrooms · 4 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Includes essentialsGarden, Pool, Kitchen or Kitchenette and more
About this villa rental
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Tuscany is the beautifully restored turn-of-the-century Liberty-style Villa Montanara. Looking out over wooded hills (including its own chestnut wood) with views of the highest peaks of the Apuan Alps, the villa is on the edge of two National Parks. Despite the hot summers, the property is light and airy with windows on two sides of every room and cool marble and stone flooring. The large private swimming pool just a few steps from the villa incorporates a shallow play area for young children; and has internal lights for night-time use. There are terraces at the front and back to provide sun and shade at all times of the day; and next to the pool is a stone-built pizza oven with a terrace (and plenty of wood).
The drive leads past the front lawn to the front doors where there is parking for three cars. The front hall leads to the large marble-tiled sitting rooms to the right. Each of these is 5m (16 feet) square with high 3m (10 feet) ceilings. They are linked by double French doors and each has double shuttered windows, and double doors leading to the front terrace and lawn with trampoline and hammock.
Opposite these are the marble-tiled dining room and modern kitchen with the same dimensions and linked by a large arch. In anticipation of parties we have a large dining table inside (and two further tables on the front and rear terraces.) and there is plenty of china, glasses and cutlery and two dishwashers to ensure no one ever needs to wash up anything. The kitchen also includes a cool granite work surface; a large American-style fridge-freezer with crushed ice and iced water dispensers; an ice cream maker; a De Longhi espresso and capuccino maker; a breadmaker (useful for pizza dough); electric ceramic hob and oven; microwave; toaster and, for those who want tea, a kettle.
Each of the kitchen and dining room leads out through double doors to the private south-facing deck and gardens. The deck incorporates deck lights for use in the evenings and looks out over the rear gardens, pizza oven, pool and countryside.
The rear garden slopes gently down to the 12m x 5m pool which was designed for both confident swimmers with a depth of 1.5m, and for young children and therefore incorporates three wide steps forming the shallow end where children can play safely and parents can lie in the sun. The water jets incorporated into the steps can perform a rigorous hydromassage for shoulders and back. The pool is private and not overlooked.
The terrace round the pool has 6 sun loungers; and for shade there is a curtained gazebo. One of the apple trees also provide shade over part of the pool terrace during the mornings. The underwater pool lights allow for night-time dips; and if you want to keep the daytime warmth in the water, there is a rollered solar cover which keeps the warmth in overnight and adds heat during the day.
Adjacent to the pool is the stone-built pizza oven with plenty of wood, and a pizza paddle. The terrace here is where the barbecue is kept.
Below the pool is a meadow area with wild flowers and beyond that, the chestnut wood and views over the mountains. The gardens include mature fruit trees producing figs, apricots, hazelnuts, plums, cherries and apples.
Upstairs are the four bedrooms. Each of them has long double windows with internal and external shutters. The master bedroom includes an antique brass king-size bed and an en-suite marble lined bathroom with twin walk-in showers; the second bedroom includes a double bed and marble-tiled bathroom; the third bedroom includes original Tuscan twin beds; and the fourth bedroom includes a king-size bed together with a single bed. Any of these bedrooms can accommodate the cot.
We have tried to be environmentally-friendly with the restoration and the lettings, using locally-produced Kerakoll ("..the international leader in the GreenBuilding sector") products. We have also sourced organic cotton bed linen and towels; and the 500l tank of hot water is heated via the solar panels on the roof.
The drive leads past the front lawn to the front doors where there is parking for three cars. The front hall leads to the large marble-tiled sitting rooms to the right. Each of these is 5m (16 feet) square with high 3m (10 feet) ceilings. They are linked by double French doors and each has double shuttered windows, and double doors leading to the front terrace and lawn with trampoline and hammock.
Opposite these are the marble-tiled dining room and modern kitchen with the same dimensions and linked by a large arch. In anticipation of parties we have a large dining table inside (and two further tables on the front and rear terraces.) and there is plenty of china, glasses and cutlery and two dishwashers to ensure no one ever needs to wash up anything. The kitchen also includes a cool granite work surface; a large American-style fridge-freezer with crushed ice and iced water dispensers; an ice cream maker; a De Longhi espresso and capuccino maker; a breadmaker (useful for pizza dough); electric ceramic hob and oven; microwave; toaster and, for those who want tea, a kettle.
Each of the kitchen and dining room leads out through double doors to the private south-facing deck and gardens. The deck incorporates deck lights for use in the evenings and looks out over the rear gardens, pizza oven, pool and countryside.
The rear garden slopes gently down to the 12m x 5m pool which was designed for both confident swimmers with a depth of 1.5m, and for young children and therefore incorporates three wide steps forming the shallow end where children can play safely and parents can lie in the sun. The water jets incorporated into the steps can perform a rigorous hydromassage for shoulders and back. The pool is private and not overlooked.
The terrace round the pool has 6 sun loungers; and for shade there is a curtained gazebo. One of the apple trees also provide shade over part of the pool terrace during the mornings. The underwater pool lights allow for night-time dips; and if you want to keep the daytime warmth in the water, there is a rollered solar cover which keeps the warmth in overnight and adds heat during the day.
Adjacent to the pool is the stone-built pizza oven with plenty of wood, and a pizza paddle. The terrace here is where the barbecue is kept.
Below the pool is a meadow area with wild flowers and beyond that, the chestnut wood and views over the mountains. The gardens include mature fruit trees producing figs, apricots, hazelnuts, plums, cherries and apples.
Upstairs are the four bedrooms. Each of them has long double windows with internal and external shutters. The master bedroom includes an antique brass king-size bed and an en-suite marble lined bathroom with twin walk-in showers; the second bedroom includes a double bed and marble-tiled bathroom; the third bedroom includes original Tuscan twin beds; and the fourth bedroom includes a king-size bed together with a single bed. Any of these bedrooms can accommodate the cot.
We have tried to be environmentally-friendly with the restoration and the lettings, using locally-produced Kerakoll ("..the international leader in the GreenBuilding sector") products. We have also sourced organic cotton bed linen and towels; and the 500l tank of hot water is heated via the solar panels on the roof.
Amenities
Pool
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Garden
Map of Province of Massa and Carrara
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
8.0 / 10.0
Perfect house very comfortable if you are looking for a quite environment. The mountain is very nice for a walk but you can also plan a day to the seaside & cultural towns.
10.0 / 10.0
Schönes Anwesen in einem sehr kleinen toskanischen Bergdorf
Die Villa Montanara bietet einen grandiosen Ausblick auf die hiesige Bergwelt. Das Haus ist sehr geräumig und gut ausgestattet. Alle Zimmer sind gut bemessen. Der Swimming Pool ist natürlich ein Highlight.
10.0 / 10.0
Toscanaurlaub wie man es sich vorstellt
Dieses Haus ist schön gelegen und traumhaft ausgestattet
10.0 / 10.0
Great place!
We had a very nice week in this beautifull house.
I would come back for sure!
We had 2 small kids enjoying the pool and safe balcony!
Thanks for everything Stella!
10.0 / 10.0
Super villa for families
We stayed a week with friends, in total 4 adult plus many kids aging 1 - 11. We had a very nice vacation. The villa is very spacious and the garden and pool are fantastic. We enjoyed cooking dinner in the very well-equipped kitchen and spending time relaxing and playing in the pool.
Communication with Stella was easy and quick. Everything was as expected, actually even nicer than in the pictures.
A car is needed as the villa is situated remotely, which is great for having a nice and relaxing vacation. Within driving distance there are supermarkets, restaurants and small charming villages.
We can highly recommend the villa, if you are looking for a place to enjoy some time off.
10.0 / 10.0
Perfekt
Alles Wunderbar, schönes gepflegtes Haus, große Küche und schöne Terrasse
10.0 / 10.0
traumhaft schöner Urlaub
Wir hatten eine wunderbare Zeit in der Villa. Das gesamte Anwesen ist sehr gepflegt und noch schöner als auf den Fotos. Wenn man sich bewusst ist, dass es etwas abgelegen ist, kann man hier in absoluter Ruhe das Leben genießen.
Man kann je nach Sonnenstand und Temperatur auf einer der zwei Terassen sitzen. Der Pool ist mit Kindern perfekt, da er im vorderen Bereich nicht sehr tief ist.
Die Küche ist hervorragend ausgestattet. Es fehlt an nichts und auch die Küchengeräte sind einwandfrei.
Wir hatten eine tolle Zeit in der Villa und hoffen dort bald mal wieder unseren Urlaub zu verbingen.
8.0 / 10.0
Vers nice time in Tuscany
Stella‘s and William’s place in Tuscany is really nice. Good in shape. Large rooms. Well equipped (even an electric piano is there...). Pool and outer area very good.
Just a bit remote if you don’t like driving “serpentines”. William was a pretty good host, easy to reach via phone/what’s app. One suggestion: a second umbrella on the terrace would be nice in the morning (however, we simply switched to the other side of the house to have some shadow). All good! Recommended...
10.0 / 10.0
peace and serenity in tuscany
The view from this property is enough to make you want to sit on the terrace and watch the light change on the mountains. You can drag yourself away for a dip.in the lovely pool. The house is well decorated and has enough room to allow everyone to have a peaceful holiday. Information on what to see and where to eat locally was welcome.
10.0 / 10.0
Book Club goes to Italy
Our book club - 7 lovely women went to Reusa for a great 4 days in the Cararra Mountains. We lazed around the pool, cooked in the large well stocked kitchen, drank the great wine and, of course, had rumbustious bookly discussions. Villa Montanara is about an hour and a half easy drive from Pisa. Driving through Aula into the mountains, we suggest stocking up in the supermarkets there with local produce.
10.0 / 10.0
Beautiful villa in peaceful Tuscan countryside
We had a wonderful stay at this villa. The views across the pool to the mountains are really lovely, and the villa itself is cool, spacious and well-equipped. We were a group of 8, so especially loved the fact that there were two dishwashers!
The villa is in quite a remote location, with no shops within walking distance. If you are a nervous driver, you might find the mountain roads and the local style of driving a little challenging. The pool is glorious, the house is even nicer than it looks in the photos and the surrounding countryside is beautiful. We liked the eco-friendly approach adopted by the owners (solar heated water, etc.), which neatly combines luxury with being environmentally friendly. We very much hope to stay here again.
8.0 / 10.0
Beautiful house in a peaceful location
The house is fabulous. Beautiful rooms, very nicely decorated and the house was brilliantly equipped. The kids loved the pool. The big kitchen had everything you could need.
The location is lovely. Stunning views of the apuane alps. Reusa is tiny. There is a great restaurant that is walkable from the house (but maybe not walkable for little people or some older people). There are some bigger villages nearby, but you will need to drive a bit to get to bars, other restaurants or shops.
The area is lovely though. The people were very friendly and welcoming. It's off the tourist trail a bit but very charming. There was a great festival in nearby fivizzano, caves in equi terme and an easy train journey to Lucca and the Cinque Terre.
Great holiday, great house. Highly recommended.
10.0 / 10.0
Very well appointed, clean, comfortable and authentic. Difficult to find fault with anything.
A superb holiday villa in a stunning location. Extremely well appointed and very.comfortable. Eight of us visited and all shared the same opinion. Difficult to find fault with anything inside or out. Having visited many vacation villas around the world this is without doubt in our top three. Would re visit in a heartbeat and thoroughly recommend it to anyone reading this review. Our visit was enhanced by very friendly and helpful owners who have literally provided everything you will need for a memorable stay.
10.0 / 10.0
Tuscan villa
I have spent two very happy holidays in this villa. It is in a beautiful, unspoilt area of Tuscany and is gloriously quiet. The view out over the valley to the mountains beyond is a joy every morning while swimming in the lovely pool or sat on the terrace.
The villa is large with lots of space to spread out in and has been tastefully restored. I particularly liked the space in the huge kitchen/dining room which would be great for family gatherings. The owner has obviously thought carefully and the villa has everything you will need for your stay.
There is a very good local restaurant within an easy 15 minute walk; the food is delicious and very reasonably priced. Other excellent restaurants are only a short car journey away.
Train stations are within easy reach and make for a great way to visit places further away like Florence or Cinque Terre.
I highly recommend this villa as a perfect base for a peaceful holiday in Tuscany and hope to stay here again.
10.0 / 10.0
Tuscan haven in the hills
We had a fantastic holiday here last summer. The house is tremendous - spacious, cool and light. Morning coffee on the verandah in the sunshine, while enjoying the view of the mountains, was simply the only way to start the day.
The rooms were all generous, and authentically restored and decorated. The bathrooms are however modern, and really well finished and had a seemingly unlimited quantity of hot water.
There was plenty of space round the house to spread out and relax, around the pool in the garden and in the wooded area beyond. Skilled mushroom hunters would enjoy hunting for porcini, though we still managed to make a fine breakfast omelette using the the rather more common chanterelles.
A hire car provided us with convenient transport to and from the airport, and for shopping for food, for the location was gloriously remote. But this also enabled us to explore the surrounding area, nearby cities Lucca and Pisa, and the villages of Cinque Terre. In addition this driver particularly enjoyed the simple act of negotiating the quiet winding roads up to the villages and mountains of the Alpi Apuane. The views from up there were simply beautiful.
Meanwhile the local restaurant just down the road was convivial yet inexpensive, the food tasty and authentic. All in all we enjoyed a most pleasant holiday.
10.0 / 10.0
A Stunning Villa
This is a stunning villa. The setting is amazing. The view from the pool with the mountains to your right, and pretty terracotta roofed houses clinging to the side of hills on the left, takes your breath away. The property is secluded, approached down a lane shared with only one other house. The owners communicated well and were easy to deal with.
It’s a big property. The proportions of the rooms are luxuriously expansive – I can say from experience (not me – one of the children!) that it is possible to literally cart-wheel from one room to another. The marble and tiled floors offer cooling comfort in the heat of a Tuscan summer. It is recently renovated, with fantastic modern bathrooms, and a well-equipped kitchen. There are lots of outside spaces, in the sun, or in the shade, so there’s plenty of room both inside and out - you can all be together, or spread out and have some private time. A very easy place to spend all day and into the evening, just chilling out. It can easily accommodate the numbers quoted on the web-site.
The lovely local village, Reusa, is only a short walk away, and is worth a look around. There is a friendly local restaurant a short drive away where we had an easy, very reasonably priced lunch.
We were only there for a week, so we didn’t do too much sightseeing, but we’d love to go back again and see more of the area, especially the coastal trips to Cinque Terre and Lerici.
We had a marvellous week there and would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to escape to the freedom of a private house and pool, whilst experiencing the joy of being wrapped in the ambiance of Italy.
FAQs
How much does this villa cost compared to others in Province of Massa and Carrara?
The average price for a rental in Province of Massa and Carrara is $137 per night. This rental is $755 above the average.
Is parking included with this villa?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Family-friendly Tuscan villa with large private pool & pizza oven. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this villa?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Family-friendly Tuscan villa with large private pool & pizza oven. Enjoy the water!
Is Family-friendly Tuscan villa with large private pool & pizza oven pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this villa is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Family-friendly Tuscan villa with large private pool & pizza oven?
We found 11 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, fireplace, and parking.
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