Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool
La Spinosa is a traditional and secluded farmhouse owned by an English artist and immersed in unspoiled Tuscan countryside.
It provides summer and autumn accommodation for 6 people. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen.
There is a beautiful large traditional stone terrace and pergola for al fresco dining, a 13 meter private pool for your exclusive use, (perfect for laps!) and extensive terraces with olive and fruit trees.
La Spinosa enjoys a stunning panoramic view of the Tuscan hill village of Castelvecchio di Pescia and the countryside.
Access and parking is easy and although secluded, three excellent restaurants can be reached within a ten minute drive, of which one can be walked to in ten minutes through lovely woods. By car Lucca is 35 minutes, and Florence, Pisa and the beach resort of Viareggio are each 1 hour.
La Spinosa is most suitable for couples and families. Facilities include an excellent DVD & book collection, high chair, cot and stair gate. In sum, La Spinosa is the perfect place for the perfect getaway.
Walking : For those particularly interested in a walking holiday, La Spinosa, in the foothills of the Tuscan Appenines, is wonderfully situated. There are walking trails of varying difficulty and length throughout the area.
Support and advice: Paul, our English house manager, who you will be dealing with, is a fount of information on buying food, restaurant bookings, walking trails and tourist attractions (both on and off the beaten track). Paul is extremely helpful and approachable but he will also leave you alone to relax and unwind. Should you need him at any time, Paul is always available, thus providing you with peace of mind.
Polly and Vaughan Grylls
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Amenities
Pool
Kitchen
Washing machine
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
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Pets allowed: dogs less than 9 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Check-out instructions
The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
Pull cover over swimming pool
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Property Registration Number IT047012C29TKAW9RJ
About the area
Pescia
Located in Pescia, this villa is in a rural area and near theme parks. Pinocchio Park and Villa Guinigi National Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Tenuta del Buonamico and Terme di Montecatini. Travelling with kids? Consider Centro Storico di Buggiano and Parco Avventura Sospeso nel Verde. Swimming offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails, cycling and horse riding nearby.
Gipsoteca Libero Andreotti Civic Museum - 11 min drive - 5.7 km
Porta Fiorentina - 12 min drive - 6.4 km
Pinocchio Park - 19 min drive - 11.0 km
Getting around
Pescia Station - 13 min drive
Pisa (PSA-Galileo Galilei) - 53 min drive
Restaurants
Ricciano - 12 min drive
La Buca Gasthaus - 11 min drive
RISTORANTE LA PIEVE - 11 min drive
Family Pizza - 11 min drive
Trattoria Manero - 13 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Does Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.
How much does it cost to stay at Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool?
As of 12 April 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool on 25 June 2026 start from NZ$564, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 9 kg per pet.
How much is parking at Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool?
Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Beautiful Tuscan farmhouse with stunning view and pool located?
Located in the mountains, this family-friendly villa is within 9 mi (15 km) of San Domenico, Pinocchio Park and Centro Storico di Buggiano. Oak Tree of Pinocchio and Porta Fiorentina are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We really enjoyed the stay and the house. It is well appointed and had everything we needed. The pool was great and we enjoyed a number of the local restaurants. We had a big car for 6/7 people which meant the track and road to the village was a bit more challenging, but we did love the view from the gardens. Whilst we enjoyed the rustic nature of the table and seating outside it could be a little more comfortable. Overall we enjoyed our stay very much.
Tim C.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 1 September 2025
We are delighted that you all had a lovely holiday. As you know, La Spinosa is set up for a maximum of six people. Late in the day, you asked for an extra guest to be accommodated, to which we agreed, reluctantly. That is why you found the outside dining table, and perhaps other things too, a little squeezy!
We had an unforgettable 2 weeks at La Spinosa. Relaxing by the pool. Amazing views across to Castelvecchio. Day trips to Lucca and Florence and seeing wild boar every day. Would return in a heartbeat.
Duncan P.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 14 August 2025
Delighted you enjoyed La Spinosa’s amazing, relaxing setting and views, as well as seeing the wild boar! And not just doing that, but taking advantage of being able to make day trips to two of Tuscany’s greatest cultural cities.
This place is beautiful, amazing views and off the beaten track. Pool and gardens are lovely and the house full of character. Local restaurants a fab too, great food and value.
Chris R.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 11 October 2022
We are delighted that La Spinosa met your needs and you enjoyed your holiday. Do return sometime!
The perfect hillside villa for a tranquil week of cooking, swimming and reading. Sandwiched between our stays in Rome and Florence, the cooler temperature was much appreciated.
Fabulous rustic property in lesser known part of Tuscany. Lovely area to explore, but also just sitting out under the pergola taking in the view, or going for a refreshing dip in the pool, made for a great, relaxing holiday.
Stephen B.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 11 October 2022
Dear Stephen,
Delighted you enjoyed La Spinosa! You are very welcome to return.
Excellent, very easy to get all information and great support from both the owner and property manager. Easy to get to cities duch as Lucca, Florence, Pisa snd Livorno.
Lee F.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 11 October 2022
Great you enjoyed it Lee! Return!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Frank M.
29 September 2018
Absolutely an amazing experience. The views are breathtaking and the villa itself very comforting.
I could not believe how even more perfect the villa was then from the internet pictures. We had wonderful experience and I truly enjoyed doing my own cooking.
Frank M.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 27 March 2020
Thank you for your review. La Spinosa is a very special place and we are delighted you enjoyed your vacation there. Please do come again - with a 10% discount!
Paul's advice coupled with the "things you need to know" booklet were very helpful in making our 9 day stay a most peaceful and relaxing break. If you desire a very private hideaway with calming views of the Tuscan Hills ... this is it !
Beautiful house with a large pool and magnificent views. Even more beautiful than in the photos. The last few hundred metres are along a narrow road, so a narrow car is an advantage. Nice restaurant within walking distance, supermarket about 25 minutes away by car.
We had a wonderful holiday in a beautiful home,location and setting, thank you.
Wonderful house and setting thank you. Thanks to Paul for all his help and advice. We had a wonderful holiday and my mum who is 84 very much enjoyed her first trip to Italy. Thanks Mark, Nicki and Doreen
Nicki S.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 27 March 2020
Delighted you all enjoyed La Spinosa, our VERY special place!
Archival
10/10 Excellent
david c.
26 April 2016
Wonderful Location, House and Garden
We are so glad that we picked this house for our holiday. We were made to feel welcome from the first moment of arrival with by Paul who looks after the property and by the house itself. It is in an ideal location to explore Tuscany being both central to the region and in a very quiet beautiful spot. The house and garden are a labour of love and we felt lucky that the owners were happy to share it with us. We hope we can return.
We spent a great week at this beautiful house in Pescia, Tuscany. The location, while remote, is in the foothills of the Appenines and is surrounded by hilltop towns, is close to great restaurants and is an easy drive or train ride to Lucca, Viareggio, Collodi, Pisa, etc. The three bedrooms are spacious, the common areas as well and the two bathrooms with shower are spacious and work well (noting only the low headroom in the second floor bathroom). Recommend this house highly.
We had such a lovely stay at La Spinosa and our only regret is we couldn’t we stayed longer! We spent the mornings touring around the charming villages in the area and the afternoons laying by the pool and playing badminton. The house was set up perfectly for us, and we loved cooking at home after eating in so many restaurants. (we did have a fun evening walking down to La Pieve and luckily we had a full moon to help light the way back!) Paul was very helpful with all our questions and easy to communicate with. We all agreed that we would love to come back and stay at this beautiful farmhouse again someday!
Kelley A.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 2 October 2023
Terrific news that you all had such a good time! Do return, you will be most welcome!
We stayed here for a week, one couple plus a single friend.
I can't believe that the description and photos don't include the amazing view you have over the neighbouring town of Castelvecchio, because it was stunning, and we couldn't get enough of having our antipasto platters and Aperols looking over that view.
We had big plans of driving all over Tuscany for that week, but once we saw the house, we couldn't bring ourselves to want to leave! So we stayed most days in the house, enjoying the views, the pool, walking the nearby villages and eating at the local restaurant - fantastic food and ambience.
Strongly recommend you book a lunch at the nearby agriturismo, recommended by our lovely host.
Also recommend get some groceries before you come up, because you might not want to leave.
Aidan M.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 1 October 2023
We are delighted you enjoyed La Spinosa and its environs so much! We will try and get better pics of the stunning view onto the site, although even the greatest photo posted on-live can never do justice to that drop dead moment when you round the corner of the house and, for the first time, see that view!
Verified
6/10 Okay
Susan G.
26 June 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in
Disliked: Location
We booked this property due to the very high ratings on this site but we would like to normalize this a little bit. Because the house is not a 10 as rated, its more like a 7. For us the house and the location was not suited for our plans and we cut our stay short. The road to the house was worse then we expected and the if you want to do groceries you need to calculate minimum an hour to be back. The positive point about the house is that it is fully equiped from towels to soap and pottery and pans. We believe that people who want to have piece and quite during their vacation can have a lovely stay here. But if you want to use the house, as we wanted, to be your base and then take day trips we personally would not recommend it, especially if you value your car. We do want to complement Paul. He was lovely at check-in.
Susan G.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 14 July 2025
We are sorry you did not like the location of La Spinosa, although we wouldn’t describe your comments as to ‘normalise’ because normally, guests overwhelmingly give La Spinosa a five star rating, love the stunning views, the swimming pool, the quiet and the tucked away location.
The track to the house is relatively short - indeed you can walk it in ten minutes - a beautiful road through chestnut woods with a bridge over a stream. It is certainly not rough by Tuscan country standards. You are right however in saying that one cannot pop to the shops, as main supermarkets are in Pescia, a fifteen minute drive away.
It sounds as though you prefer a more urban environment, which La Spinosa certainly isn’t as you rightly say.
We do hope you found somewhere more suited to your ideals.
Archival
8/10 Good
Nicky M.
4 August 2016
A tranquil hideaway
We loved the farmhouse and had a peaceful week perched up on the hillside with spectacular views. The house was comfortable and very well equipped with lots of shady areas to sit and a lovely clean pool. As it was quite isolated, we found the driving up and down quite unnerving with Italian drivers speeding past so only ventured out to visit Lucca which was spectacular and to go to the supermarket which was 30/40 minutes drive away in Peschia. The thick walls of the house mean it is always cool inside. It was convenient having a restaurant that we could walk to in the village and a couple more close by but we loved eating on the terrace and enjoying the panoramic view. The only downside was the incessant dog barking at night which disturbed the peace but otherwise it is a lovely spot.
Nicky M.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 27 March 2020
Delighted you loved La Spinosa! Italian dogs do tend to bark at the fireflies at certain times of the year, while Italian drivers are like that the year round!
We had a wonderful week at La Spinosa. The property is located in a beautiful part of the Tuscan hills with absolutely breathtaking views all around. While it is very much away from it all, there is a restaurant within walking distance, which we enjoyed and is great value. (We were glad we had a torch for walking back afterwards.)
The house is about 30 minutes from the shops down slow winding roads, so it is worth stocking up if you plan to spend your day(s) lazing by the pool. Alternatively, Lucca and Pestoia are both less than an hour away and worth a visit if you fancy a day out.
Paul, the house manager, was very helpful and made sure we had everything we needed and helped with bookings etc which was appreciated. Agriturismo Montaione was an amazing Tuscan dining experience, although the drive up to this restaurant is more than a little hair raising!
Beautiful rustic farmhouse in the Tuscan hills with outstanding views and swimming pool.
This was our second visit to La Spinosa, having gotten engaged there 13 years ago. This time we were there with our 3 daughters and they really enjoyed exploring the grounds, swimming in the pool, playing games and drawing the view! We had a really special time there, reconnecting as a family and enjoying some slow living. Thank you for enabling us to make such lovely memories :-)
The house is a straightforward drive from Pisa and easily accessible for day trips to Lucca and Florence . The mountain roads are very narrow and twisty in parts so a small car is required!
The house manager Paul is very friendly and knowledgeable about the local area and gave some great recommendations. We once again went to Monteone, which was a fantastic local dining experience like no other!
The house is well equipped with games, DVDs and books, so coupled with the gorgeous views and pool you can easily re-charge and rest without having to go too far.
The village is a 10 minute walk away through the woods and has a couple of lovely restaurants (no shops however so you do need a supermarket trip on your way there!).
If you want a great old house up in the hills of rural Tuscany - this is it. The view from every angle is to die for. The house is well taken care of, the appliances are all new, the showers are great, the water pressure is excellent. You don't need A/C if you close the windows before 10 am and open them after 6 pm. The air is fresh and the birds are singing...The pool is great, the TV is large and there is a library of good movies... Follow the owner's suggestions (well written and detailed) about food and moving around - they are all great, and you will have a good feel of the Tuscany. The property manager Paul is very helpful as well. If you are american, get a smaller car, midsize or full size are bad choice, small crossover is ideal. If you are not really comfortable with stick shift, take an automatic. Remember, you are going to be on top of a beautiful hill with a killer view. Thank you Vaughan and Paul.
Igor Y.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Verified
6/10 Okay
Frances S.
5 October 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication
Disliked: Location
Rather more remote than listing let’s on
The house while pleasant is far more remote than described and the driving instructions are not provided until after you book. The drive from Pescia (the only town with any shops / services) is at least 20 minutes up winding roads and the last approach to the house is on a narrow winding track. Once you reach the house the parking is a little difficult and there is a steep ramp down to the house so making it rather awkward to get luggage and provisions in and out.
The house is simple and the pool and garden pleasant but on arriving on a wet cold day after a long drive from Rome, the house and location seemed a bit bleak. The rain persisted and we actually decided to go to stay in Lucca for a couple of days. We returned on a sunny day and felt differently about the house but also now knew what we were coming to. Unfortunately in cold and / or wet weather this house is not ideal. I appreciate it must be lovely and charming in the warmth of the sun and of course no fault of anyone that the weather was bad. My main comment is that expectations need to be set so it is clearer to any renter that the location is a bit tricky. Thank you
Frances S.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 October 2024
Thank you for this. We understand that you arrived in Italy unwell, not a good combination given your flight and your long drive from Rome in heavy rain. We are sorry, therefore that you did not enjoy your holiday.
Driving in Italy can be a challenge for those unused to it, especially travellers from the US. Tailgating is an Italian specialty as is driving in the middle of country roads and swerving at the last possible split second. The best thing to do is pull over, stop and let them pass. They, like most Italian drivers, are in a hurry, but you are not. You are on vacation!
About the host
Hosted by Paul Healey
Vaughan is an artist and writer (www.vaughangrylls.com) and retired head of the University for the Creative Arts in Kent and Surrey where he serves as emeritus professor. Polly is the director of a publishing company in London. Two grown up children.
La Spinosa is managed in Italy by our dedicated English manager, Paul who lives in the area.
Why they chose this property
Perfectly situated to fly to ( 1 hour from Florence and Pisa airports), away from it all, yet near very good restaurants and within easy reach of Tuscany's main cultural attractions. La Spinosa has its own swimming pool which is open from the beginning of April to the end of September.
What makes this property unique
An Appreciation of La Spinosa by Martin Shaw, a past guest, which should give you a flavour of the real Tuscan experience! .
"The cock crows, heralding the dawn, The church bell tolls, announcing the hour, The night-watching dogs begin to bark at one another, The sun appears gently over the ridge of the mountain, The day has started.
The day is always at its best first thing, Everything is fresh as the woodpecker claims its territory. Up above, the honey buzzard circles for its prey, From its vantage point, the Tuscan farmhouse on the ridge, Observes the waking houses' smoke fires drifting through the valley, The first warm, golden yellow rays of sun penetrate, Through the old, varnished shutters, All is silent.
Far off, can be seen the beautiful hilltop village, Sheltered by cypress trees, giving the place its identity, One begins to hear the splutter of a three-wheeled van. As the workman begins his journey to work, The day has begun."