Looking for a really special location to match your own special up-coming occasion? Look no further - you’ve just found it!

Step into this villa and you’ll instantly relax into its magical atmosphere. Poggio Bartoli has reverberated for centuries to the companionable laughter of families enjoying their holiday fun - that’s what the villa was built for - and to this very day it continues to be a serenely pleasing holiday spot. Poggio Bartoli offers a unique opportunity to experience easy-going elegance on a friendly, intimate scale. You’ll find no haughty grandeur here! The villa is the epitome of social confidence, extending a cordial embrace of comfortable hospitality. Most historic buildings look lovely in photos, but when it comes to staying there, they can be intimidatingly impractical and hellishly uncomfortable. We’ve sifted the offerings and selected Poggio Bartoli for you because, quite simply, it’s exceptional!

It’s no wonder that 500 years ago this area of Tuscany was the summer playground for Florence’s fabulously wealthy Medici family, their elegant friends and their many retainers - after all, it’s only 45 km from Florence. On the one hand you could say you are “in the middle of nowhere” but in fact, you are surrounded by all that is outstanding in rural Tuscany. This area has been cosseting the wealthy and the elegant escaping Florence’s hurly-burly city life for a full five centuries now. The savvy Florentines still flock to the Mugello today, though fortunately, it remains largely undiscovered by mainstream tourists. It’s a delicious rural haven with surprisingly cosmopolitan overtones.

The Mugello offers stunning scenery and a vast range of country sports and activities: biking, trekking, canoeing, windsurfing, golfing, archery, horse riding ... There are villas and vineyards (luscious red Rufina is the local tipple) to visit, museums to see and the very best of authentic Tuscan country cooking to sample. The great painters Giotto and Cimabue were born at Vicchio - you can visit their birthplaces. Perhaps centuries of catering for the discerning wealthy explains the areas well-stocked art galleries, the high fashion and the fine wrought iron, worked marble and terracotta pots you’ll find for sale locally? It’s hard to believe the wooded hillsides teeming with deer, wild boar, all manner of birds and rare wild flowers could be so close to your own elegant holiday villa.

Nearby Borgo San Lorenzo has a big market every Tuesday morning as well as some very sophisticated shops, while your own cute little town of Vicchio holds its market every Thursday morning. A trip to the busy town of Scarperia is also a must! Their Friday market spreads around Palazzo dei Vicari which was built in 1306. It’s a charming, baby version of Florence’s own Palazzo Vecchio. While you are at Scarperia, you might also want to drop in to Italy’s premier racing track, home to a fleet of those red Ferrari racing cars. You’ve got it all in the Mugello!

It’s a fast drive down from Bologna airport on the A1 to the exit Barberino di Mugello, then from Barberino you head to Borgo San Lorenzo - or drive up from Florence airport to Borgo San Lorenzo. From there it’s barely 15 km on to Vicchio and delightful Villa Poggio Bartoli.

This villa stands out from the crowd for its high style and its easy-going comfort. The grounds are pleasingly embellished with huge, ancient cedar trees and antique terracotta urns. The villa and large swimming pool offer wide sweeping views across the beautiful Mugello landscape. The secluded inner courtyard offers a lovely place to relax in the hammock or dine in shady, intimate pleasure. The reception rooms are undoubtedly chic, but they are also friendly, relaxing places too. The bedrooms are, without doubt, beautiful. If you need more than merely the luxuries of a superb property with a fine swimming pool, the Mugello offers you everything from a swift train connection into the very heart of Florence to local castles, vineyards, fine restaurants and excellent shopping right on your very own doorstep.

Villa Poggio Bartoli is a very special place in a wonderful location. It was the Medici family’s choice 500 years ago - and it remains the perfect choice for a very special Tuscan experience today!

An incredibly beautiful property nestled in the postcard perfect Tuscan hills. The views were so soothing. Just when you thought you saw the best view you had ever seen you turn in another direction and that was the best view you ever saw, then you would turn and that was the best view you ever saw and on and on...The pool area was fantastic with a great tented gazebo and of course did I mention the view?

The furnishings were opulent and enough space to get lost in. The rooms were large and very comfortable. As much as we wanted to venture out to scout out the surrounding areas because who goes all of that way just to sit around we hated to leave the villa. Everything was great..I could go on and on. The little village down the road was great too. We became regulars at the store and we were greeted with waves and smiles.

I have noting negative to say except I couldn’t figure out how to use the oven and even that wasn’t a negative because then I didn’t have to cook! It was a pleasure to deal with the owners. They provided everything we needed and were at our beck and call. The cook they provided us was incredible (we all gained at least 4 pounds). The couple of little hic ups were tended to when we turned around.

The worst part really was leaving.

Christine Reznick, Illinois.