Beautiful house and garden, great pool! Fantastic area for vacation!

The house and the garden are beautiful an we liked our stay a lot. We did a lot of tours in the surrounding Lucca, Firenze, Viareggio, Cararra and in the end thought we should have stayed more at the Villa. The hosts Gabriella and Adolfo are very kind and helped whenever we had questions. The check in and check out proecdure was absolutely easy going.

We loved everything. The house, including the kitchen and bathrooms, is beautiful. It looks just like we imagined a Tuscan villa would look. The real deal. It is very nicely decorated and the bed linens, towels and kitchen items were all very nice. The two upstairs bedrooms are air-conditioned. The downstairs bedroom is not. However, the room stayed relatively cool because the house is made of stone. (And we were there in the heat of August.) The property is beautiful - very private and quiet. The pool area is pretty and the pool is refreshing. It is definitely large enough for a family of five to play around in. At night you can light it up and it's so gorgeous. Plenty of lounge chairs surround the pool and plenty of beach towels are provided. The outdoor dining area was so pretty. We met the owners at check in and they were lovely. They are very kind people who really wanted us to enjoy the home and the village of Aquilea. They gave us wine and a sweet bread and told us about two cool things going on that week in the village: pizza night at the bar and the church's festival. We went to the church festival and ate dinner and it was fantastic. We had grilled meats, tomato salad, zuppa (a local soup recipe, so good!) and wine and dessert. Everyone in the village was helping. It was awesome to experience part of the village's customs first hand. Aquilea is just outside Lucca. Lucca feels like Florence on a smaller scale. The city is close enough to zip in and spend time there and feel like you're part of the action. However, the village is far enough away and up the mountain that you can also have peace and quiet on your vacation. We drove to Florence and to other little towns close by too. Driving in Tuscany is not too crazy and places are pretty easy to find as long as you have GPS. We also stayed in the Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome on this trip. The scenery is so beautiful, the food so fresh, the people so helpful. All of it is hard to properly describe. Tuscany is just fantastic. It is almost impossible to pick a favorite part of our vacation. If we had to choose, it would be our stay in Aquilea at the villa!

We really enjoyed our stay. We wanted to be near the mountains for hiking and also within reach of the sea. The villa was surrounded by olive trees, plants and flowers. There was an abundance of wildlife. We enjoyed seeing so many butterflies and bees. Beware though, as there was a lot of mosquitoes! The ground floor bedroom was very small and had no air con which was disappointing. Pizza from the local bar was some of the best we had all holiday and the little shop was useful for the essentials. We loved Lucca, it is beautiful and not too touristy. The town is good to enjoy a faster pace of life during your holiday as there were small festivals and stools happening throughout the city (in late August). We very much enjoyed our complimentary apple cake from the villa owner -who is lovely and relaxed. We found the pool fine for a quick dip but it was cold.

Pictures were misleading. Pictures of pool were at night because it looked bad in daylight. House was small and cramped. Nowhere as bright and spacious as represented in pictures. First floor “bedroom “ was two narrow beds touching each other in a closet with virtually no room between beds and walls. Road to the house was treacherous. No place within walking distance to eat. Nearest town had no tourist interest. We left as soon as we got there even though it meant forfeiting all of our rent.

I was surprised with a trip to Italy (Thank you again Sonia and Mrs Cristina) and had no idea what to expect.I was so happy when we walked through the gardens of Villa Pallina. It felt like home. It was my first time renting through the bespoke Mrs Sonia (The owner/restorer/gracious keeper at Villa Pallina and she is a perfect host. Fly directly into Pisa international airport & drive to the villa 45 mins away. The 2floor Villa is clean, gorgeous & vast: full-service kitchen have everything you need. I'm a chef & have been cooking every single night. full baths, 3 bedrooms, Wifi, clothes wa-sher,dishwasher, HUGE common areas, more outdoor areas than we had time to utilize, & a real brick pizza oven are at the ready forthose who actually want to cook. If you don't want to cook, ea-ting out is fantastic-ask for recommendations. My favorite was Sonia recommend: Ristorante But-terfly at the base of the hill. The gorgeous modern pool was up & running in late october. It was the first-choice-hang-spot every sunset. The views from the Villa are spectacular! The silvery olives groves &bright flowers that dot the mountainside, the Honey Factory just across the valley, & win-ding river below are every day eye candy so bring lots of memory + extra batteries for your came-ra. To do: -RELAX at the villa, -shop, -hike, -olive harvest, -swim, -day trips like Cinque Terre, Flo-rence, Pisa, -wine tours, -cooking class (we had a wonderful cooking class with Mrs Cristina in the garden of the villa and we learned how to make home made pasta and pizza) that highlights local cuisine using ingredients that grow WILD on the mountain--Just great!

We adored this villa in the little village of Aquilea, about 20 minutes outside of Lucca. Though the drive up the mountain was narrow and steep, it offered beautiful views from this charming village. Adorable inside and out, we found the villa well stocked and equipped for all of our needs. The owners, Valentina and her parents, Gabriella and Adolpho, were always available at a moments notice, eager to help us with anything we needed. We were even greeted with a bottle of local wine and a delicious homemade apple cake from Gabriella! They really did make us feel welcome. A short walk from the villa is the village "bar", with a small but adequate market attached. Elizabeta, who runs the shop, was so accommodating and provided us with fresh bread and local eggs each morning. All of it made for the most charming Italian vacation. We would love to go back again and highly recommend this villa.

The best holiday ever!! We absolutely loved everythihg about Villa Pallina. A good time was had by all. Sonia recommendation of the Villa for our group worked out beautifully. Sonia was very helpful and always available to answer any questions every step of the way. Cristina both talented chef and caretaker, was very welcoming and helpful with suggestions of things to do. The Villa was set among the beautiful gardens, olive trees and oak trees. There was plenty of space for all to separa-te, roam, relax and have quiet time. At the same time it was wonderful for us all to gather in the spectacular equipped kitchen to cook and then share the meal on the lovely grand terrace in the garden.. We felt like living in the past with the old potteries and cutleries, the antique chairs and fur-niture, a very shabby atmosphere! We thoroughly enjoyed swimming in the private modern pool and walking up to the village for gelato. The add on activities were amazing which included Pisa, Cinque Terra, and a Truffle tour. The highlights were the Personal Chef Dinner and the Cooking Class that Sonia arrange for us. Chef Cristina is awesome cook! We loved the short drive to the charming city of Lucca and spending time shopping and strolling along the narrow streets. Villa Emily is truly a beautiful and peaceful place among the hills. Thank you Sonia for everything. We will treasure the memories forever! Dreaming of our next trip back to the countryside.

We had such a great time staying at this property near Lucca. It was less than a 10 minute drive to the walled city and was so cozy and beautiful. The hosts were great and very helpful. My husband and I were traveling with our 2.5 year old, I thought it was a great place for my daughter and she enjoyed exploring the property. We would definitely stay again!

A beautiful villa in a beautiful setting. The villa is well maintained, well equipped and charmingly furnished. The pool is really excellent and looked after to a standard that i have seldom experienced; it was so clean and the water Crystal clear. The garden is so beautiful, decorated with shrubs, lemon trees and wonderful fresh herbs. This all made for a truly memorable holiday. We were welcomed so warmly and the Apple cake that was left for us was one of the most delicious things we ate in our entire holiday. The wine too was as good. We did get a lot of insect bites and there is a considerable ant presence on the lower terrace, but never mind, it didn't spoil our enjoyment. I really hope we will be able to return to this lovely home. The charming little bar with adjoining shop only 100 yards away meant that even in such a rural setting we could get what we needed from locals that really wanted to please you with a surprising array of quality ingredients. The bar was 'rustic ' but maintained local charm. We loved it.

This is an incredible place to relax and regenerate one’s soul! Incredibly beautiful in an environment of nature and beauty. Meeting Sonia and her staff was a sheer delight. This has been an experien-ce that will last long after the visit is over. Thank you

We had a great time. Your hospitality was wonderful – we felt so welcome. Villa Pallina is simply awesome. We had so much fun sitting by the pool, eating dinners around the table and touring around Tuscany… Pictures will never show the beauty of the view and Lucca is such a unique place. We found the road to the villa nice and pleasant and did not have any difficulty as someone else reported in previous reviews. Lucca Apartments and Villas is a treasure! thanks

I couldn’t recommend this beautiful setting any more. The villa and surrounding countryside are picturesque, our family loved wandering through the countryside enjoying the magnificent views, or sitting on the balcony with a glass of wine (provided by the owners on arrival, along with cake and a bottle of local olive oil). Lucca is also a lovely nearby town to visit. The particular highlight was the local community’s pizza night - So much fun and a real local experience, highly recommend! Thank you very much for making our stay an unforgettable one.

Very comfortable house for our family vacation (5adults). Well equipped kitchen. Amazing setting among the olive groves. A warm reception by Gabriella e Adolfo. Be aware that the road access is very challenging, but gets easier with practice.

Gabriela and Adolpho greeted us and took us to the villa. They were so warm and helpful. Felt right at home before we even unpacked. Christina left us an amazing welcome dinner and returned later in the week to prepare the best meal ever! Would highly recommend this experience. The property is beautiful and so comfortable. Would absolutely return.

Welcomed by owners with cake and a bottle of wine. Was their former home. Pleased overall with house though very dark inside OBVIOUSLY to keep out. Kitchen adequate but not modern. Ample knives, etc for large groups. I would suggest that they include a few Dish washing gels also for Washing machine (personal thought though). Pool very nice but of course attracts bugs, Fire wood would have been nice to have included - otherwise who would buy for a week. One bar/shop in village; BASIC. great supermarket 10 min drive. Be prepared to drive - No brainer. whilst we were there August Fest above : good value food and drinks, owner and husband worked it : Great Job. Lots of Wasps there though - Be prepared. Very well organized and cleaned up most efficiently. Must go ! well worth it. Table cloth plastic BASIC. Would be great if they included candles. Would I return with friends : no. a one off to be sure. Enjoyed

The property could not have been better. Wonderful grounds - more than garden! Swimming pool fantastic and all of us , not just the kids, spent hours chilling out in and around it. The interior of the house is beautifully decorated and equipped: a wonderful home to us for the week. The web photos don't do the property credit! Really well looked after by Valentina and her mum and dad. The village is beautifully located in the hills but you'll need to get used to tiny roads and tight corners: don't hire the very big car! Lovely walk down - 30 mins- to lovely pizzeria, gelateria, bar etc. Great stopping off point to delights of coast, mountains,and great cities...but I found we needn't want to leave our shangri-la too much! Very hard to leave and would love to return to our villa paradiso!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the villa in the tiny town of Aquilea. It was our home for two weeks and our base for day trips around northern Italy. Our hosts, Gabriella and Aldofo, were extremely helpful and kind. They made us pizza in the outside brick oven and we shared a special meal at one of their favorite restaurants. The weather got quite chilly at the end of our trip so we chose to use the wood burning fireplace to heat the main area. Gas heat is an extra charge and can become quite costly. My family has many fond memories to cherish as we look back on our stay at Aquilea.

It was the best vacation we have ever had. Our group consisted of 2 mature couples. We were there for 2 weeks. Villa was terrific, furnished with everything you needed, great location for daily trips to other great cities. Swimming pool was super for us and had great views. Sonia was very easy to work with and had all the answers to our questions. A once in a lifetime experience. Lynn&John, California Guests 2016

A memorable experience in a part of the world that needs to be explored. The area is extremely friendly and offers travelers interesting past, present and future - no matter the type of traveler you are. The Villa offers learning experiences along with rest and relaxation, shopping, and culture - whatever you choose. Definitely want to return in the future.

I can't say enough good things about my stay... I travelled there in October 2016 with my family and we had a perfect week at the villa, my only regret is that we didn't stay for two weeks. The house is charming and warm, the beds are very comfortable and the bathrooms are modern and have jacuzzi while the exteriors are amazing and we had several meals in the sun with a breathtaking view. We had a pizza party in the wood-burning oven out back and all of us felt that this was our favorite night of the trip. It was a great homebase and we did day trips to Florence, Lucca and Cinque Terrre. Staying around the villa was wonderful too; just exploring the little towns and beautiful countryside. I can't wait to get back!

We were made very welcome by Valentina and her mother Gabriella,they gave us a tour of the house and showed us how everything worked. Gabriella had made a delicious cake. The house was well equipped and very rustic. We visited Lucca,Pisa Florence,Viareggio and San Gimignano. All within easy distance of villa. Valentina gave us a discount card for the supermarket which was very useful. Very impressed with the esselunga supermarket,great fresh produce and great selections. Our only issue was the drive up and down to the villa, the road was very winding and quite steep. By the end of the week we were getting a bit more used to it but not ideal for us. Couldn't fault the villa and help from Valentina.