Since 1982

Pilastri 8 to 12

Tuscan Villa for 12 with a private pool and A/C : Figline Valdarno, south of Florence

Nice little touches

  • So many wonderful extras are possible on this estate with a friendly receptionist on hand to help arrange them.
  • Pilastri has its own private pool but you also have use of the large shared pool on the main estate

Good to know

  • A ground floor twin bedroom and ensuite bathroom ideal for guests needing or preferring to avoid stairs.
  • The fireplace in the house is not for guest use, though there is a large Renaissance open fireplace in the Billiard Hall and several wood stoves in the Library which may be used during cooler seasons.

Close to Florence, on the slopes of the apennines, a skilled architect has transformed farm buildings into beautiful and elegant dwellings.

Pilastri is the queen of them, with an independent garden and private swimming pool. It has 4 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, and two beauitful extra suites can be added to bring the total to six bedrooms and bathrooms.

The interiors are spacious and airy, with great attention paid to every detail. Next door the estate has its own private restaurant and private concierge, making you feel very well looked after indeed.

Getting to Florence is very easy from the villa, whether you drive, are driven or decide to use the train.

The walk into the village is just over 1.5km and takes between 20 and 30 minutes. The quieter path is mostly traffic free and goes via a narrow valley, crossing a historic bridge called "Hannibal's Bridge" - the famous Carthaginian general and his army came through this area two thousand years ago, though I doubt he took his elephants over this small bridge.

Accommodation

Entrance to the property is via a gate into the large private garden with wide lawns which enjoys a wonderful panorama and curves around two sides of the house. While in one area there is a stone-topped table suitable for meals al fresco, at the heart of the garden is Pilastri’s private swimming pool with a columned portico at one end furnished with sun beds that can be moved to take in more or less of the sun’s rays.

Looking onto the pool area are five sets of French doors that provide entrance and light into the whole of the ground floor. There is access to an eat-in kitchen with a table for 8 and a large room with a beautifully coffered ceiling whose living and dining areas are separated by a painted screen. The dining area has a table for 8, while the living area has sofas, armchairs and a round table for cards or board games all set near easy access to the garden.

Also on the ground floor is a twin bedroom with an ensuite travertine-dressed bathroom and independent access to the garden, making this an ideal suite for those needing or wishing to avoid the stairs. At one end of the long living area is a door to the laundry room and at the other a stairway leading up to further sleeping accommodations. On this level there are three double bedrooms; while all are under the eaves, they do not feel restrictive, for there are windows facing the garden and pool area. Each has an ensuite bathroom and in two cases also a separate shower.

When extra bedrooms are needed a door leads to a corridor with two spacious suites, with double bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms, taking the total occupancy to 12.

Features

Villa Details

  • Air Conditioning
  • Swimming Pool
  • All ensuite
  • Wifi
  • Free Parking
  • Private Pool
  • Central Heating
  • Gated Property
  • Shared Swimming Pool

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

  • 1 Twin Bedroom With Ensuite Bathroom
  • 3 Double Bedrooms On First Floor, Each With An Ensuite Bathroom (2 Of Which Have Both Tub And Shower)
  • 2 Double Suites With Ensuite Bathrooms
  • Air-Conditioning In All Bedrooms, Extra
  • Hair Dryer Available

Kitchen equipment

  • Oven
  • American And Italian Coffee Makers
  • Dishwasher
  • Kettle
  • Toaster
  • Microwave Available On Request

Amenities

  • Private Pool
  • Shared Swimming Pool 10X20 M (In Addition To The Private Pool)
  • Private Garden
  • Free Wifi - Speed 35 Mbps
  • Bedroom Air-Conditioning (Extra)
  • Baby Bed And High Chair Available On Request
  • Dvd Player
  • Wifi Internet
  • Cd Player/Radio
  • Tv With Satellite
  • Portable Fans Available
  • Safe Deposit Box
  • Iron And Ironing Board
  • Telephone Use Available On Request
  • Washing Machine
  • Dryer

What's included

  • Pool Towels Provided
  • Cleaning Twice A Week And Mid-Week Linen Change Included
  • Final Cleaning Included

Extras

  • Arrival Groceries Available On Request, For A Small Fee
  • Airport Transfers Available On Request
  • Babysitting Available On Request
  • Extra Cleaning And Linen Change Available On Request
  • Laundry Service Available On Request
  • On-Site Restaurant Available On Request
  • Cooking Lessons Available On Request
  • Organizing Assistance Available For Events In Estate Theatre, Restaurant, Enoteca And Library
  • Spa Massage Room On Site
  • Central Heating Is Charged On Consumption, €1.30 Per Cubic Metre Of Gas, Payable On Site
  • Air Conditioning €10 Per Room Per Day, Payable On Site
  • Cautionary Deposit Of €1,000, Which Should Be Handed Over In Cash Or Via Credit Card To The Owner Or Her Representative At The Start Of Your Holiday

Outdoors

  • Private Swimming Pool (6 M X 11.5 M) In Enclosed Garden
  • Also, Access To Shared Swimming Pool (10 M X 20 M)
  • Furnished Outdoor Facilities In The Private Garden And Under The Portico Near The Pool.
  • Portable Barbecue Available, To Be Reserved In Advance
  • Guests Are Welcome To Use The Family Billiard Table In The Estate Billiard Hall, Which Is Also Equipped With A Gaming Table For Cards, Chess Or Board Games

Nearby Activities

  • Bike Rental In Figline Valdarno And Excursions Can Be Arranged On Prior Request
  • 18-Hole Golf Course At Circolo Del Golf Dellugolino, 30 Km
  • Horse Riding Stable Near Reggello, 7 Km
  • Tennis Courts At Montevarchi Or Castelfranco Di Sopra, 10 Km'
  • Read more about the area around Pilastri

Photos

Click on any photo to enter gallery

Reviews

“ Blown away by the villa and all the facilities ”

I wanted to email and say a BIG thank you for all your help in enabling us to have the most wonderful holiday at Pilastri. We really did have the best time in the most incredible setting.  We were honestly blown away by the villa and all the facilities. The pictures do not do it justice and we were very pleasantly surprised by how much bigger everything was in real life. The size of our private pool was fabulous and even the shared pool looked much larger in real life.  The house had everything we needed and there was a lot to explore too.

Your tips were very helpful and Francesca was also amazing and made us feel very welcome. We actually have almost too many good things to say about the place. The dinner cooked for us by the chef was wonderful and they were very accommodating of our likes/dislikes.  It was most definitely a worthwhile experience especially after travelling. The setting where we ate was really lovely too.

The small poolside bar was well stocked and reasonably priced and it was great to be able to have cold beer on tap and the knowledge that we always had a wide variety of drinks and snacks available there.

With regards to activities, we did the wine/olive oil tasting at Palagina which was well run and they did a great job of making it an interesting experience for both adults and also the children too.  We also went there one evening for dinner amongst the vines. This was probably our favourite night of the trip with music, food and of course wine. We had a lot of fun chatting to everyone at the table and the scenery was gorgeous.

I think my only criticism would be that it isn’t clear which bedrooms are part of the building and which are ‘extra’. I had been hoping we would be able to sleep in the beautiful four poster room but that is one of the rooms that gets added to villa when more than 4 bedrooms are requested.  Perhaps a plan of the villa can be added to the listing (or something similar). However, we were not very disappointed as the whole place was amazing.

Thank you again for all your help with the booking. We will definitely book through you again.

Andrew & Family, UK staying in Pilastri . Jul 2024

“ The situation of the Borgo is excellent ”

The situation of the Borgo is excellent- peaceful and very rural with pleasant country walking within a 100 metres or so.The village is a few minutes drive away with friendly shops and the big supermarket only 15 minutes drive. There are beautiful remote villages in every direction.

The big town, Figline, has the benefit of a railway station only 10 minutes from the Borgo, with the delightful town of Arezzo well worth a visit.The staff were exceptionally kind and helpful and we have already booked a return two weeks in 2024!!

D.G. from UK staying in Pilastri . Sep 2022

FAQ about Pilastri

1. What's the approach road like?

There is a final stretch of 400 metres of gravel road that leads to a car park among the olive trees.

2. What is the walk into the village like?

The walk in from the Borgo can be made in three ways. The favoured way is to walk down the 400m track, turn left on a small local road and then go back onto a track that leads down to a tiny old bridge, known as Hannibal's bridge, and then walk up the track into the village. You can also stay on the road which involves less climbing but can be less pleasant if there's traffic. Finally there's a third pathway, called the "sentiero della memoria" which is beautiful but often overgrown. The distance to the nearest restaurant is around 1.8km - just over a mile.

Where is Pilastri ?

Getting here

  • Florence airport: less than 1 hr
  • Pisa airport: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Rome airport: 2 hrs 45 mins

Around Pilastri

Borgo Rinnovato is perfectly located to discover why Tuscany has been and remains such a popular destination. Based in the Valdarno, the wide valley through which the Arno River meanders, Florence immediately comes to mind. You can easily reach Florence by leaving your car at the Figline or San Giovanni Valdarno free station lots and taking one of the hourly direct trains that swiftly bring you to the heart of this Renaissance treasure chest where world-famous museums, frescoed churches, graceful bridges and historic piazzas are all accessible on foot, with sustaining gelato stops along the way of course.

The road south arrives at another major Tuscan city, Arezzo. Believed to have been one of the 12 most important Etruscan cities and always a center of commerce, still today Arezzo’s artisans and merchants enliven its medieval center, especially on the first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday when its Antiquarian Fairs fill the streets with ‘treasures’. June and September visitors delight in Piazza Grande’s costumed Saracen Joust, while visitors the year round seek out the splendid frescoes of Piero della Francesca.

If bustling historic cities and a church too many begin to fatigue, there are other options. Designer outlets like The Mall are half an hour away for those whose preferences lean to Italian styling and a good bargain. And in less than an hour winding cypress-lined roads through the Chianti region lead to small towns such as Gaiole, Greve or Radda in Chianti, known world-wide for what fills a wine glass and the delicious food that accompanies it.

Should small-scale exploration suit you best, head to nearby Loro Ciuffenna, a delightful medieval town built around a Romanesque bridge spanning the mountain torrent that powered the many water mills producing chestnut flour. Though the mills have ceased to flow, there are charming restaurants, an art museum dedicated to a native son Venturino Venturi and only 1 km out of town in Gropina the impressive Pieve di San Pietro, the oldest (774 A.D.), best preserved Romanesque parish church in Tuscany.

Yet even before hopping into the car to go exploring, the estate’s wooded panorama, reaching as high as the Pratomagno mountains, may well inspire guests to follow paths through their 800 hectares. Or perhaps join a guided hike and wine tasting tour through the nearby village of Castelfranco whose dramatic landscape and colourful eroded shapes, the ‘Balze’, featured in the background of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’. Certainly, with stables nearby and bikes easily arranged, life in the slow lane is a wonderful way to discover your surroundings, and with a beautiful house as your base and a restorative pool at hand, a Tuscan holiday will soon find its rightful rhythm.

Nearby Activities

  • Bar, restaurants, supermarkets in Pian di Scò, 5 min. and San Giovani Valdarno 20 mins
  • Shops and trains in San Giovanni Valdarno, 20 min, and Figline Valdarno, 17 min, with free parking and direct line to Florence hourly
  • Weekly markets in Filigne Valdarno 17 min and Montevarchi 1/2 hr
  • Prada outlet and The Mall outlet stores in Incisa, 1/2 hr.
  • Loro Ciuffena 16 km, Chianti villages 50 min
  • Florence 45 min, Arezzo 50 min, Rapolano spas, 1 hr & Siena around 75 min

Local Towns and Places to Visit

Click on any photo to enter gallery

Pilastri: Sleeps 8 to 12
€ 6571 to 11232 per week

Share:

Calendar for Pilastri

The Calendar is loading.

How to book

Is Pilastri perfect for you?

For availability and pricing see the calendar above. To book online click on your desired arrival date, then on the departure date. The calendar will grey out dates for stay lengths that are not accepted - most villas book Sat to Sat but many also allow shorter stays or odd dates.

If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you select the best villa for your holidays.

We can hold dates for you for 48 hours while you make sure everything lines up, then you simply pay the deposit (30% of total) to secure your booking. The balance will then be due 10 weeks before you travel.

Easy cancellation

Simply add "XCover" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel. For more details see our Booking Conditions and XCover. You can add XCover to your booking at any time until you have paid your balance, ask your agent. If you simply need to change your dates please let us know: we can often modify your booking rather than cancelling outright.

Worth knowing

Many local administrations now charge a “Tourist Tax” for people staying in rented accommodation and these vary from town to town. The charges are generally per person per night with a maximum number of nights, usually around 5 but sometimes 7, beyond which they will not charge. The charges range between 50 cents to 5 euro. Children are sometimes included, sometimes not and these charges should be collected by the property owners.

Not sure?

It can often be faster to contact us to ask for advice - we visit all the houses so can give you first hand advice based on your wishlist. Once you find a villa you like we can hold dates for you for around 48 hours while you check flights or make sure everybody is on board.

Any more questions?

Please ring us with any queries - there are a lot of answers in our FAQ page too. If you want to keep searching, have a look at our suggestions below!

Booking Notes

  • This property is subject to a cautionary deposit of €1,000, which should be handed over in cash or via credit card to the owner or her representative at the start of your holiday
  • Central heating is charged on consumption, €1.30 per cubic metre of gas, payable on site
  • Air Conditioning €10 per room per day, payable on site