A charming country villa and panoramic pool in eastern Tuscany

Accommodation

French doors on the two longer sides of the tower house provide entrance to the groundfloor. That at the front leads into a living room with a comfortable sofa and armchairs, views over the verdant valley and doors to a shower room and a compact but well-equipped kitchen. A second door from the kitchen leads to a dining room whose table for 6 faces a French door opening to the stone patio at the back, furnished with wicker sofa and armchairs for outdoor living.

Sleeping accommodations are on the upper floors, the first floor of which is reached via the external staircase at the side of the house. Off the entrance hall is a study with satellite TV and a sofa-bed that can be requested should an extra guest join the group. Also on this level is a lovely double bedroom with an ensuite shower room. As in all the Torretta bedrooms, the rustic charm of its beamed ceilings and exposed stonework blends beautifully with country antiques and attractive soft furnishings. And internal staircase leads from the first to the second floor where two further bedrooms, each which an ensuite shower room, can be set up as either doubles or twins on request.

As comfortable as guests will be inside, there is much pleasure to be had out of doors. Dining al fresco can take place under the shaded pergola overlooking the valley or in or beside the stone annex in the garden. But the swimming pool set slightly higher than the house in a wonderfully panoramic position with sun beds and deck chairs on its flagstone surround cannot help but draw. Whether it’s for a refreshing dip, a holiday tan or meditation on the beauty of the surrounding hills, this is definitely a place to linger.

Local area

This area is not one that bustles with tour buses and long lines outside four-starred museums, but it is where visitors can discover an authentic experience of living in Tuscany and its neighbour Emilia Romagna. A ten-minute walk from Torretta leads to the charming village of Tredozio and the 17th century Palazzo Fantini and its beautiful Italian garden, residence of the Torretta owners and the site of summer courtyard concerts. During their stay at Torretta guests are invited to tour the palazzo garden and, should they wish to explore their surroundings, a guide will help them organize a full-day tour of nearby towns and a local winery.

Local artisans have made venturing down the road a delight – there are cheese makers and vintners, shoemakers and ceramicists, and a rich culinary heritage that ensures any lunch stop along the way is a delicious one. Faenza offers a world-famous ceramics museum and production, while a bit further towards the Adriatic Ravenna are the world’s finest Byzantine mosaics outside of Istanbul. From here one can head on to coastal resorts or venture inland to the medieval city of Bologna, which combines arcaded elegance with the lively buzz of Europe’s oldest University city. Equidistant to Bologna is Florence, the Renaissance gem that sparkles along the Arno.

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