Looking for an active holiday? Hiking, biking, sailing, beaching? Would you like to visit the cultural sights of Tuscany and Liguria? Would you like to taste Italian cuisine? Or would you just lie in the green, listening to the birds whistling and the stream gurgling? Villa Toscana La Grandezza is the ideal place for all kinds of relaxation.
The beautifully renovated 117m2 two-storey stone house with two spacious bedrooms, terraces and stunning views awaits you in complete tranquillity in the middle of nature. Situated in the north-western tip of Tuscany, in the province of Massa Carrara, among the hills surrounding the Magra river, the village of Debirotti, with only five houses, is about 20km from the coast. The house has mains water and sewerage, central heating and hot water with GPL gas, wifi, tv, fridge, microwave, hi-fi and dvd player.
The House
The ground floor entrance to the house opens into a rustic living-dining room with a wood-burning stove in the corner of the original stone wall, two large sofas, a comfortable leather sofa, and an extendable dining table and chairs. Adjacent to the living room is the fully equipped kitchen and a staircase to the upstairs.
Upstairs is the master bedroom with a double bed that can be converted into two twin beds, two windows overlooking the mountains and the peaks of the distant Appennines, a wardrobe, chairs and a comfortable armchair bed. The modern bathroom has a separate bath and shower cubicle, toilet and bidet. The second bedroom with double bed can be accessed by an external staircase. The chestnut beamed ceilings and terracotta floors in the high ceilings of the rooms all exude cleanliness and elegance. The large table on the stone paved terrace is perfect for al fresco dining, and the cool shade of the archway under the upper terrace is magnificent in hot weather and rain. There are also two wooden storerooms and a smaller room that can be used as a storage/workshop. At the bottom of the spacious, sloping garden runs a wide stream, which is suitable for bathing in several places.
Where?
The house is situated on the edge of a small village in the hills of Lunigiana, just 10 km from Aulla, where you will find the exit of the Parma - La Specia motorway, a train station, supermarkets and shops. Lunigiana is an enchanting part of Tuscany: ancient towns, villages, Medici and Malaspina castles, scattered across the hilly landscape, within easy reach for cyclists and hikers alike, and the sea just a short hop away.
The coastal areas of Versilia and the Bay of Poets are just 30 km away. The Bay of the Poets is a beautiful bay guarded by three islands, Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto. The easiest way to get around the bay is by boat, which runs between Lerici, La Spezia, Portovenere and Cinque Terre (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The Poets' Cove is named after its famous literary figures, including Shelley, Byron and D.H. Lawrence, who all lived here at one time or another. The golden sandy beaches of Lerici and San Terenzo overlook the islands. Versilia is the golden sandy coast from the tip of Liguria to Viareggio. Pisa, Parma and Genoa airports are just over an hour away.
To come
The easiest way to get to Villa Toscana La Grandezza by car is to take the Parma - La Spezia motorway, exit at Aulla, and from Aulla the 10 km asphalted, winding mountain road, Novegigola direction is the easiest.
The closest airports are Pisa, Genoa and Parma, from Pisa and Parma airport it takes just over an hour by train to Aulla, and from Genoa airport 2-2.5 hours.
Distances: Aulla 10 km, La Spezia 25 km, Lerici (beaches) 30 km, Fosdinovo 30 km, Sarzana 30 km, Cinque Terre 35 km, Viareggio 60 km, Versilia 60 km, Carrara 60 km, Genova 80 km, Lucca 80 km, Pisa (airport) 85 km, Volterra 120 km, Firenze 125 km, San Giminiano 130 km, Siena 160 km.
To be
How to use the house: accessible from both directions, it is more practical to use the open entrance to the north, but you can also walk down the small alley between the houses to the entrance. The key to the house opens all external doors , the ground floor shuttered door and entrance, and the two upstairs external entrances. The keys to the outside storage are in a bowl on top of the display case near the entrance.
On arrival, the gas boiler can be switched on by plugging it into the socket, opening the yellow tap on the bottom of the boiler and turning on the button on the control panel.
The Villa is a key-house: guests are simply asked to bring their own bed linen and towels, leave the house tidy and cleaned up and put their rubbish in the appropriate bins. Rubbish should be collected separately in the coloured bins next to the tool cupboard, sorted according to the pictograms on the bins, and delivered according to the timetable on the calendar in the living room. All unsorted rubbish should be placed in bags in the central collection points in the roadside villages.
Go to
The CONAD Superstore on the road from Terrarossa to Aulla has everything you need, with a special section for a wide range of local products (pasta, cheese, salami, ham, honey, etc.). The best pastries are baked at the Panificio Sorelle Renzi in Aulla, and there are numerous cheese, wine and salami shops in the towns and villages of the valley.
The nearest small restaurant is Agriturismo Le Querce in Novegigola, with a varied daily menu, cheap and plentiful, and the taglaitelle con cingiale (taglaitelle with cingiale) is excellent.
On the way to Terrarossa, Ristorante Bernardi is also a good place to try the local speciality of Lunigiana, testaroli. A little further up the road, Trattoria Zini e Ferrari is also a reliable place, with a beautiful view from its terrace.
If you happen to wander into Liguria while hiking or cycling in the mountains, don't miss the ravioli at the excellent restaurant in Villagrossa.
The towns and villages of the Magra valley still have many good local restaurants, while for seafood specialities, the area around La Specia market and the restaurants of Lerici are worth a visit.
The area is a paradise for hikers and cyclists, with countless hiking trails and deserted concrete paths winding through the mountains, almost exclusively for hikers and cyclists. Due to the large differences in altitude, the use of electric bicycles is recommended for the less prepared. The nearest bicycle hire is in Aulla.
Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, Viareggio, San Giminiano, the emblematic tourist destinations of Tuscany are within easy reach, and in the other direction the wonders of Liguria: Portofino, the Cinque Terre, Portovenere, Rapallo, Genoa are also just over an hour away. Parma, Bologna and Milan are also within easy reach.
When?
Villa Toscana La Grandezza can only be booked in weekly rotations, arriving after 15.00 on Sunday and departing no later than 12.00 on Sunday. The reservation is valid upon receipt of the confirmation email of the rental payment.
How much?
The villa rental for 7 nights is 990€, payable to the account provided in the email. In case of cancellation outside 10 days, the full amount will be refunded, and within 10 days half of the rental fee.
Address: Debirotti 2, 54012 Tresana, Provincia Massa-Carrara, Toscana, Italy
Email: villatoscanafoglalas@gmail.com
Phone: +36 70 453 1841
Useful Links:
Ristorante Albergo al Cornoviglio