AS OF MAY 2022, the SOUTH WING has been completed, allowing guests to rent this villa for 32 guests for 16 bedrooms You can also rent 11 bedrooms sleeping a maximum of 22 guests, An additional 5 guests in 5 sofa beds available at an additional cost. When renting 11 bedrooms, the South wing will remain closed ensuring your privacy.
You will never find a better villa experience than here at Villa Maria. Every guest finds themselves feeling like part of the owner's family. We have been friends with the owners since 2001 when Papavero Villa Rentals opened. We even stayed in the villa while the restorations were going on and were the first to launch Villa Maria to the public in 2008. To say we know this villa intimately is an understatement. It is truly the villa experience you dream about. Of the 15 years I have been renting this to our clients, the only and constant criticism is that we didn't explain the joyful experience well enough!

Staying at Villa Maria is a true native-feeling Italian experience. The warm welcoming owners make sure you want for nothing! You will arrive to a chef preparing dinner, so unpack, freshen up and your dinner will be served buffet style outdoors, weather permitting, or in the spacious dining room with hand-painted frescoed walls. A hearty American-style breakfast buffet is served every day, both compliments of the owner.

The property is tranquil, and it's hard to tear yourself away to go sightseeing, as there are many wonderful experiences nearby. The wonderful city of Lucca is a short drive, take a walk or bike ride on the ramparts that surround the town, and you can even have a picnic on the top of the wall's grassy lawns! Take a jeep ride through the nearby Carrara marble mines, stay for a light lunch or head over to the town of Colonnata, where you will find their famous antipasto Lardo di Colonnata, unable to buy in the states. You can spend a day at an Italian beach club in the art deco town of Viareggio or the chic beaches of Forte dei Marmi. A day trip to Cinque Terre or Portofino and proximity to Florence. We'll talk about all the other day trips but let's get back to this incredible villa

. The owners, a home builder and physician couple, spent 14 years restoring this incredible villa back to its original splendor and adding state-of-the-art luxuries such as glass-enclosed rain showers, an extremely large, two room professional kitchen, the formal gardens were recreated from the original plans found in the building records in the municipality office of records in Lucca, the owners keeping to the original plans and dimensions. Then there is the rose and jasmine-bordered swimming pool and lots of outdoor space for dining, a gazebo ideal for seeking shade during the day if you don't want to sit under a tree, and ideal in the evenings as it's open yet lighted. The owners go out of their way to make this an experience you won't forget. Because of requests from guests, the pool is now heated and has an electric metal cover to keep the heat in on cold nights, a wheelchair for those that need it during their stay, and even a Casio piano that was purchased because a guest/musician requested a piano rental during his stay. The main house has an elevator making it easy for your luggage to reach the two upper floors in the main house, there's also an office with a computer and printer for those times you have to keep in touch with work, or just want to plan what you want to do while during your stay. Each bedroom has a complimentary stocked mini fridge, hairdryers, and flat-screened TVs.

For weddings, family parties, and business conferences, the Lemonaia has been restored into a beautiful all-purpose room for additional dining or it can be broken down into four office/teaching rooms with built-in projectors. New for 2022, the owners restored a second wing on the villa, making it a total of 16 bedrooms. You have the option to rent either 7 bedrooms, 11 bedrooms, or 16, accommodating 14 to 32 guests.

Like many Italian villas, this one has a remarkable history. Built originally in the 15th century as a summer home by a noble Lucchese family, it remained in the same family until the 19th century when it was given to an order of monks left homeless when Napoleon sequestered all church property. The monks divided the large rooms to smaller simpler ones and added a secondary school that was attached to the villa. The current owners bought the property and spent 14 years restoring it to its original beauty, including hiring their own "Michelangela", an artist from Florence who lived in the villa for two years, painfully restoring the 18th-century frescoes and adding her own interpretations as well.

The villa looks over a parterre and a beautifully reconstructed formal garden from the original 1843 plans. Beyond the gardens is a vista of olive groves and rolling vineyards, a small village, and the backdrop of the distant mountains.
The villa is ideally located, within walking distance to a small village with shops and supermarket and just 7 miles / 20 minutes drive to the city of Lucca. Rent bikes to visit the nearby towns or the many stately villas that are open as museums for touring, such as Villa Torrigiani. There's a small vineyard within a few hundred meters, that you will be tasting at your arrival dinner, and a few breweries nearby as well.
On the grounds is another remarkable restoration. The lemonaia has been converted into a large airy space for meetings and lectures. It can also be used as a backup reception room in case of rain.

Villa Maria is the ideal holiday home for families or friends, weddings, anniversaries or family reunions, cooking or language classes or business meetings. It is ideally located among local vineyards and ideal for interesting day trips, exploring Tuscany's finest cities, villages, and countryside. Only half an hour from the Pisa airport, it is also a good base to explore The Italian Riviera and the mountainous Garfagnanna.

In May 2022, the owners completed the second wing, offering 5 more bedrooms, a common living area and ground-floor bathrooms. Papavero Villa Rentals has been representing this villa since it opened in 2008, and have never had anything but rave reviews, and many returning guests.

The only disappointing part of this villa vacation will be on Saturday you have to depart and say buon viaggio. No tears, please !

ACCOMMODATIONS

GROUND FLOOR -
Across from the elevator is one bedroom, en suite with handicapped shower. You also have an office, for those that can't get away from work, or hopefully just want to use it for vacation reasons - checking out restaurants or local festivals. Here you have a desk, computer, and printer.
From the living room you reach the formal dining room with an impressive Tuscan table that can accommodate everyone. This room has a large frescoed ceiling painted by the owner's resident artist. From the other side of the large living room you enter a magnificent professional kitchen that also has French doors leading out to the garden and outdoor dining area. It is a cook's dream, with all the latest professional equipment, able to prepare a Tuscan feast for one hundred or a simple breakfast for one - this kitchen will be a highlight for those that love to cook and what better place to do it than while in Italy! Beyond the kitchen is the pantry and guest bathroom as well as a fully equipped laundry room, everything neatly in its place, it includes a professional washing machine, dryer, iron and ironing board. There are an additional two guest bathrooms that are handicap accessible as well as an elevator to whisk your luggage conveniently upstairs.

WEST WING FIRST FLOOR
Take the elevator or the staircase up to the first floor. At the stairs' landing the glass and mirrored elevator is on your right followed by a long hall way that runs along the north side of the villa. Just in front of the elevator there is a double bedroom with en suite bathroom with shower. Across the hall there are four bedroom suites lined along the hallway that are mirror images of each other. Each suite is elegantly furnished and decorated with beautiful hand-painted ceilings in soft relaxing colors. All bedrooms have their own independent settings so that you can set the heat or air conditioning to your personal comfort.
As you open the door to any of these suites, the floor plan is the same. You arrive in the entrance way and to your left is a fully equipped bathroom with marble tub with shower. Further on down the hallway is a walk in closet with safe and ample space for clothes as well as a luggage rack. Beyond the walk in closet is a cozy living room area with a very comfortable sofa bed and for your convenience each bedroom has a small refrigerator or 'Frigobar'. From the small living area, an open staircase leads to the loft en suite bedroom which has two twin beds that can be combined into a king bed. The room is spacious and holds a large armoire, a writing desk and a second frigobar. The en suite bathroom is just as beautiful as the one downstairs but has a large walk in shower instead of a tub. A fifth loft (sleeps 2) bedroom is at the end of the hallway, up a short flight of stairs. This bedroom is identical to the other four suites except that both bathrooms have showers instead of a bath and shower.

MAIN VILLA - SECOND FLOOR
Continue up the staircase or take the elevator to the second floor. On the hallway behind the first door on the left is a king bedroom en suite bathroom with tub and shower. The second bedroom we find facing the formal gardens is a king bedroom suite with a balcony overlooking the formal gardens, this room also has a private study as well as an en suite bathroom with shower. Further down the hall way, a cozy living room and a king bedroom with en suite bath. Two additional double bedrooms that also face the formal gardens share a large bathroom at the end of the hallway.

SOUTH WING
GROUND FLOOR
Sitting area, Kitchen and his and her bathrooms
SECOND FLOOR
take the stairs or the elevator up to the first floor, where you find 5 twin / king bedrooms en suite with 2 full bathrooms with tubs or showers

THE LAWNS, FORMAL ITALIAN GARDENS , AND SWIMMING POOL AREA
As with all formal Italian villas, the immediate area around the house has fine pea - gravel that leads to the sprawling lawns that are well planned out. Tables and chairs that can comfortably accommodate forty guests are under a large white canopied gazebo. A paved path or a flight of steps, takes you to the walled formal gardens that have been re-created from the original gardens of 1600's complete with a large fountain and ideal for leisurely strolls of solitude and quietness. The air is scented by the nearby walls of roses and over 100 potted lemon and grapefruit trees which are scattered throughout the property. The views from the formal gardens look out over the valley and a quaint village. Once through the formal gardens, you are at the large swimming pool area, with banks of roses and jasmine climbing two sides of the ancient wall and create a canopy for shade as well as remarkable scents of rose, jasmine, citrus and herbs. An incredible relaxing experience!

THE LIMONAIA
The Limonaia has been converted into a room for wedding receptions and meetings.

Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Study, Library, Family Room, Private Laundry, Terrace, Balcony, Courtyard, Garden, Large Garden Gazebo, Formal Gardens, Lemonaia for Weddings & Conferences

MAIN VILLA
1 Twin / King Bedroom (can be joined on request) Suite en suite with walk inshower and living room, f
1 Twin / King Bedroom (can be joined on request) en suite with walk in shower with study, and balcony overlooking gardens
2 Twin / King Bedrooms (can be joined on request) en suite bathroom with shower
2 Twin / King Bedrooms (can be joined on request) sharing a large hall bathroom with jacuzzi tub
4 Loft Twin /King Bedrooms (can be joined on request) with 2 en suite baths (one with shower and one with tub) walk in closet, safe, two frigo bars and a small sitting area
1 Loft Twin/King Bedroom (can be joined on request) en suite bath (with shower) walk in closet, safe, two frigo bars and a small sitting area
All loft bedrooms have two floors, the sofa bed can be used at an additional cost, and has its own bathroom
SOUTH WING
5 Twin / King Bedrooms en suite with 2 full bathrooms with tubs or showers

Bathroom with Shower
Bathroom with Tub (includes either handheld or wall mount shower)
Half Bath

Stove, Oven, Microwave, Private Barbecue, Refrigerator, Freezer, Dishwasher, Washer and Dryer, Phone, Wi-Fi, High Speed Internet Access, Satellite TV with English Speaking Channels, AlarmClock, Stereo, Hairdryer, 2 ovens, 2 stoves, stainless steel prep tables, Computer, printer, Fax WiFi throughout the villa, Each Bedroom has SAT TV and individual thermostats

Private Inground Pool, 14 x 6 meters, Elevator, Air Conditioning, Fireplace, Central Heat, Maid Service, Views, HEATED and FENCED IN SWIMMING POOL 46.2 x 19.8 feet x
Welcome Buffet Dinner includes local wines from the nearby vineyard
Daily Continental Breakfast included
Daily housekeeping 4 hours per day, Gardener/Pool maintenance daily
One Complimentary stocking of snacks and soft drinks in all bedroom mini bar
Gardener
Bath toiletries includes toothbrush and toothpaste, artisan olive oil soaps and shower gel, hair gel, bath and facial tissue
Mid Week Bath and Pool Towel Change.
Bed linens changed on Saturdays.
Pool Floats
Casio Privia Electronic Keyboard The Lemonaia can be rented out for wedding receptions, dinners, and business meetings at additional cost.
PRIVATE PARKING
DISTANCE TO PARKING: on premises

 

INQUIRE Click on the date below to confirm availability.

2024

Jan				Feb					Mar					Apr				May					Jun
06	13	20	27	03	10	17	24		02	09	16	23	30	06	13	20	27	04	11	18	25		01	08	15	22	29
Jul				Aug					Sep					Oct				Nov					Dec
06	13	20	27	03	10	17	24	31	07	14	21	28		05	12	19	26	02	09	16	23	30	07	14	21	28

           request availability     unavailable     2025

2024 PRICES

Weekly rate, Sat. to Sat. arrival/departures unless stated otherwise

Low Mar 02 - Mar 29 Nov 02 - Nov 29 $19,634 Mid Mar 30 - May 03 Oct 05 - Nov 01 $21,753 High May 04 - Oct 04 $23,589

The above prices is for 16 bedrooms, 32 guests, THE VILLA CAN ALSO BE RENTED AS 11 bedrooms for 22 guests, Low Season 11875 Mid Season 14500 euro , High Season 18125 euro If renting for less than 12 bedrooms, the other wing with 5 bedrooms will remain closed, ensuring your privacy Arrival Time: 4PM - 7PM SECURITY DEPOSIT (payable on arrival to the key holder) 2000 Euro - will be returned upon departure Payable on arrival in euro cash and returned at departure ADDITIONAL CHARGES MANDATORY Air Conditioning and Heating euro 15 per bedroom room per day + 22% VAT OPTIONAL Additional Housekeeping 20 euro per hour + VAT 10% Laundry Service Chef for Lunches and Dinners, Cooking classes Grocery Shopping Euro 100 Plus cost of groceries paid off the receipts Porter Service Euro 50 per hour, available on arrival and departures Olive Oil and Wine Tastings at the villa Telephone is metered, we recommend using your mobile phones Pool Heating ( approximately euro 80 euro per day plus taxes, if the pool needs to be preheated to reach your required temperature, the cost is 270 euro per day plus 22% VAT Extra beds - Sofa beds in the 5 - two-story bedrooms available for guests, Euro 306 per bed / per week Baby Crib and High Chairs, euro 40 each / per week Rental of the Lemonia for weddings, business meetings, and for any outdoor parties that extend past midnight, euro 550 per day + VAT Pets on approval of the owner Event fee for weddings, and large parties that exceed the number of guests allowed at the villa Parties after midnight must use the ground floor of the South Wing, euro 550 + VAT Chapel for weddings or concerts Weddings and Special Events: musicians, deejays, bands, bartenders, and catering and wedding planner for florist, hairdresser, make up artist, photographer, 5-star caterer complete with china, glassware, and cutlery, all organized with the owner and her staff for special attention. LOCATION NEAREST AIRPORT: Pisa 48km/45 mins, Florence 75km/1 hour NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Lucca, 8km/15 minutes CITIES AND TOWNS: Lucca and spas of Montecatina Terme 25 minutes Ponte della Maddalena 30 minutes Pisa, beaches of Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi, village of Barga 45min Florence 1hr La Spezia for the Cinque Terre 1 hour 15 minutes Volterra, Chianti area ( Panzano in Chianti, Radda in Chianti) in Florence Province, Cinque Terre in Liguria region 1 hour 30 minutes Siena 1 hour 40 minutes SERVICES: Post Office, Bank, Pharmacy, Restaurants, Grocery Shops 1km NOTES The very gracious owners live in the piano nobile on the east wing of the villa. They have their own private entrance and parking area. Double bedroom on first floor is handicap accessible with open shower.