Luxury 17th century villa,6Kms from Florence historic city center!Pool-AC-WiFi

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The view of the Duomo of Florence from the tower bedroom of the villa

The real Florentine style garden of the villa

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

9.6

Exceptional

6 bedrooms5 bathroomsSleeps 14280 sq m

Popular amenities

Washer

Pool

Pet-friendly

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Air conditioning

Explore the area

Impruneta, Italy

Historic Center - Downtown14 min drive
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore19 min drive
Uffizi Gallery19 min drive
Florence (FLR-Peretola)27 min drive

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 14)

Green bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Ground Bedroom

1 Double Bed

Pink bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Tower bedroom

1 Queen Bed

White bedroom

1 Queen Bed and 1 Child Bed

Yellow bedroom

1 Queen Bed and 1 Child Bed

5 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bidet · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Bidet · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Bidet · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 4

Bidet · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 5

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Separate dining area

Outdoor play area

Garden

About this property

Located atop the hill of the ancient Certosa abbey of Florence, only 6 Kms away from the ancient walls of downtown Florence, Villa Berni is the ideal lodging for those who wish to visit the city during the day, and relax by night. Immersed in the green countryside of Florence, Villa Berni is located by the Certosa highway exit, 5 minutes away, in a strategic position to visit the wonderful hills of Tuscany. The four fireplaces, terracotta floors and antique furnishings compliment the history of the villa, while the luxurious linens, modern bathrooms and air conditioning create a relaxing elegance in this tranquil country setting. Amenities also include WIFI Adsl internet, satellite TV, and his private historic Florentine garden with ITS PRIVATE POOL. The villa has three floors. On the first floor there are 4 bedrooms and on the second floor there is the tower of the villa with a bedroom and its private bathroom. From the two windows of the tower bedroom you have an amazing view of the duomo of Florence.

Two day trips above all - not to be missed!: Chianti Route (Total Kms 35 - one round trip):
1st leg: Sant'Andrea in Percussina (with visit to Machiavelli's house)
2nd leg: San Casciano (visit the ancient walls of the town)
3rd leg: Montefioralle (visit the historic centre and lunch at the Castellana!)
4th leg: Greve in Chianti (walk in the world-renowned square, shop for typical cold cuts at Falorni's butcher shop and wine tasting at the characteristic winery inside a tavern, right behind the square).
Palio Route (Total Kms 60 - one round trip):
1st leg: San Gimignano (walk inside the 'City of Towers' - UNESCO heritage since 1990)
2nd leg: Monteriggioni (lunch in the medieval fortress of the town)
3rd leg: Siena (home to the famous Palio, you can walk in the medieval streets, or just sun-bathe in Piazza del Campo)

About meal...: Upon request, it is possible to prepared Tuscany dishes, carefully cooked by my mom Mina. The dishes are those of the ancient Tuscan tradition such as Pappa al Pomodoro (a soup-like dish prepared with bread and tomatoes), Ribollita (a potpourri of local vegetables and bread, simmered for hours and hours), and Tripe with tomato sauce (a very typical Florentine dish).

The History: The villa was built in the XVII century. At the beginning of the '900 the Berni's family bought the villa for the summer holiday in the Florentine countryside. The villa has been lovingly and elegantly restored at the begging of the 2007 with traditional taste and contemporary comfort. The four fireplaces, terracotta floors and antique furnishings compliment the history of the villa, while the luxurious linens, modern bathrooms and air conditioning create a relaxing elegance in this tranquil country setting.

OUR TWO NEW SERVICES:
1. MINIVAN RENTAL WITH MY BROTHER MARCO DRIVER.
STARTING FROM THE 2011 WE OFFER TO OUR GUEST THAT DON'T WANT TO RENT A CAR, A WEEKLY CAR SERVICE WITH A DRIVER (MY BROTHER). MY BROTHER MARCO HAS A RENTAL DRIVER LICENCE AND A MINIVAN (A CAR WITH 9 PLACES: 8 PERSONS AND THE DRIVER). WE CAN DO A VERY COMPETITIVE PRICE FOR OUR GUEST!!

2. FRESH VEGETABLES FROM OUR VEGETABLE GARDEN.
STARTING FROM 2013 WE HAVE A WONDERFULL VEGETABLE GARDEN ONLY 300 METRES FROM THE PROPERTY: OUR GUEST CAN TASTE OUR FRESH VEGETABLES DIRECTLY FROM OUR GARDEN!!

Property manager

Alessandro Berni

Languages

English, Italian

Amenities

Pool

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Pool

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Pool

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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 not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 5000, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using the information in the booking confirmation

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Impruneta

Located in Impruneta, this villa is in the city centre and near theme parks. Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and Uffizi Gallery are cultural highlights, and some of the area's notable landmarks include Historic Center - Downtown and Pitti Palace. Travelling with kids? Consider Boboli Gardens and Villa Medicea di Lilliano - Malenchini. Swimming offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with horse riding, mountain climbing and ecotours nearby.

Impruneta, Italy

What's nearby

Pitti Palace - 12 min drive
Historic Center - Downtown - 14 min drive
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore - 19 min drive
Uffizi Gallery - 19 min drive
Ponte Vecchio - 20 min drive

Getting around

De André (Ciliegi) Tram Stop - 12 min drive
Florence Rovezzano Station - 15 min drive
Peretola Airport (FLR) - 28 min drive

Restaurants

‪Forno da Graziella di Bettoni Stefano - ‬6 min drive
‪Osteria del Milione - ‬14 min drive
‪Ristorante Tripperia Bella Ciao - ‬4 min drive
‪Terzotempo - ‬19 min walk
‪Stefani SRL - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Luxury 17th century villa,6Kms from Florence historic city center!Pool-AC-WiFi pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Luxury 17th century villa,6Kms from Florence historic city center!Pool-AC-WiFi?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Luxury 17th century villa,6Kms from Florence historic city center!Pool-AC-WiFi?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Luxury 17th century villa,6Kms from Florence historic city center!Pool-AC-WiFi located?

This family-friendly Impruneta villa is located in a rural location, within 3 mi (5 km) of Florence Charterhouse and Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. Boboli Gardens and Historic Center - Downtown are also within 6 miles (10 km).

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

8/10 Good

Trina M.

6 June 2024

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellant Stay

We had a wonderful stay. We used Marco's driving service and he was excellent and always on time. The villa was spacious and well stocked. We really enjoyed the turtles. The only con was we didn't realize the downstairs bedroom headboard was covered in ants and my mother was severely bitten all over her face and hands, which left her unable to enjoy the trip.

Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tonya A.

31 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Two weeks in Paradise

If you are looking for peace and quiet, this is the perfect location. The property was magnificent. Every area was well stocked (kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, bedrooms). The hint of home was everywhere. The surroundings were comfortable and the furniture was beautiful, providing plenty of room to store items! The "Park" with lemons and limes, offered many sitting arrangements, and the host even left the pool available for the 2 weeks of our visit. We fed the turtles wandering around and RELAXED! Marcos, the driver - was truly exceptional and always on time! He drove us to Pisa and a few of our trips lasted several hours. He patiently waited and always greeted us with a smile! From games and books in the study to a perfectly stocked china cabinet - there was nothing more that was needed to make this a superb vacation location!

Stayed 11 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Terry H.

7 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Italan villa outside of Florence

All the ameneties were provided, everything you needed to cook including fresh vegetables. Villa was beautiful, great character, courtyard was amazing. It was a picture perfect and enchanting location to stay. We took advantage of the driving service and Marco is absolutely wonderful. Using Marco's driving service made every part of the trip better. We went to Lucca, Siene, various vineyards and restaurants and having Marco drive made everything easy. Retiring to the coutyard at the end of every evening for some wine was just perfect. 5 stars all the way.

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Barb P., Seabeck WA

28 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Florence Villa for 15 days

We flew to Florence and started our visit with a great pickup from the airport by Marco. We hired him as our driver for the whole 15 days. He was punctual and easy to work with. We planned his time at least 1 day in advance. The villa is old and does have some mold in shower and not hot water in all of them but overall we loved the property. It was hot so we used the pool daily. It’s not heated so it’s very refreshing! We cooked our dinner most nights. Marco took us to the grocery store multiple times. Beds were comfortable. We asked for clean sheets and towels after the first week and Enrico and his crew were very accommodating. We walked to the Locande Colazzi restaurant for lunch one Sunday. Only 1/2 mile away. Good food. Thanks Enrico and Marco for a wonderful stay at your villa.

Stayed 15 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Laura B.

8 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great for families

We had a great time! The garden was ideal for all 4 children and we really enjoyed the pool. Having the game room was a great outlet for the children while the adults lingered at the oversized patio table. Marco was an added bonus! Thank you for driving us all over Tuscany!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Hasmukh S.

9 Aug 2023

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoyed a family gathering here.

Our group of two older parents and two daughters with their families (total 10 with 4 children under 8) had a great time at this lovely home for a week long stay. Beautiful location and a large older but updated with modern conveniences home was perfect for us. We hired the 8 passenger NCC taxi with driver during our stay.

Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Codruta C.

8 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Character and comfort

We rented this villa for 7 days at the end of July. The place is great for a large group with spacious bedrooms, dining room and bathrooms. The owners were responsive and brought us fresh veggies from their garden. The only downside was the lack of transportation - so better to have a car and not rely on buses or Uber (not available in that area).

Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Don & Dede A.

7 June 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

From Colorado-

We really enjoyed the garden(with turtles) and spaciousness of this property. Driving to any main road was “dicey.” Thank you for the nice week.

Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Elaine S.

14 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Spacious property with large family home

The property is outside Florence near Botai. This is a wonderful retreat away from the bustle of Florence. The narrow lanes are fun to drive until you meet another car and must negotiate who goes first. The owners were eager to meet our needs and did repair/replace some items we called to their attention. Grestvfor a large group!

Stayed 10 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Leigh B., Schaumburg, IL

6 Apr 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet Countryside

My family of ten stayed her for one week. We had everything we needed. Alessandro was very helpful with providing information and planning our trip. Would recommend.

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Leanne D.

5 Dec 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic!

We love Firenze and had an amazing stay here. Thank you Alessandro, Marco & Enrico. We cannot wait to come back!

Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jennie C., Madison, WI

28 Sept 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

This villa is a dream

I have no words to describe how lovely the villa is. It was such a incredible experience to gather family in this beautiful historic mansion. Each room is beautifully furnished. It has so many bathrooms that even with the bedrooms filled, we never had to wait for our turn to shower. We spent a lot of time most days in the lovely garden area. We especially enjoyed the pet turtles that patrol the grounds. It is a ways from the nearest town (1 mile on foot on a narrow road) so I’m very glad we rented a car to do day trips. We also hired the owner’s brother one day to take us to Pisa and Lucca. (He has a huge passenger van) If you wanted to just hang out at the villa a car wouldn’t be necessary (can call taxis too but that was sometimes challenging for we non-Italian speakers). It should be said that the road up to the Villa is very narrow (the kind where you have to pull over to the side if a car comes the other way) and it’s very winding and steep. I was tasked with being the rental car driver but even with my nerves of steel, I found it a little harrowing. The upside is you are high up in a remote area (yet close to Florence and nearby towns) and you have an incredible view. I did get a few bug bites but they have mosquito coils and bug repellent available in a supply closet. I saw lots of tourists with bug bites so I think it was just mosquito season there (I don’t know why but I didn’t expect mosquitoes in Italy). The dinner made by the owner’s mother was amazing and truly memorable. We were celebrating my mom‘s 80th birthday and had originally planned to cook a big meal. The kitchen is completely adequate but not super big or set up for a lot of food prep. So, a few days before we asked if the mama who lives next door could make a meal for 13 people and luckily she did! Best decision we ever made. For €30 each we got a four course meal with wine. Everything about our stay was beautiful. We would absolutely go back.

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ed S.

11 Sept 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very enjoyable

Wonderful property , as advertised. Beautiful country setting and very convenient to Florence. Great location for our various day side trips. Hosts were exceptionally gracious and helpful, even bringing us vegetables from their private garden. Dinner in the garden every night. Thoroughly enjoyed every minuet of our stay. Would highly recommend this property to anyone!

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rachael S.

26 July 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

wonderful experience

We very much enjoyed staying at Villa Berni. The hospitality was very responsive anytime we needed it. It was so relaxing, rustic and beautiful. We entertained many family members and friends as guests throughout our month stay with ease. Everyone had enough space. It is not far from Florence but we recommend having a driver if you can get one. Otherwise you can find a taxi or drive to the wall of Florence and walk or e-bike. We loved the turtles and the refreshing pool especially in the hottest days of the summer. We will miss it! Don't miss the restaurant around the corner called Locanda Collazzi. Amazing food. Thank you Berni family!

Stayed 30 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mindy B.

26 July 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house and location

Lovely property in the hills near Florence. The garden and house is beautiful. The only thing that would have been helpful is some information on the local area and restaurants, information about the property (bins etc), anything the owners expected from us during our stay. We used the taxi app Apptaxi which was great to get into Florence as we tried to call a company but they couldn't understand us. We would definitely visit again.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer K., Syosset

14 May 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Can’t wait to return!

Absolutely perfect location, great for groups, with a well appointed kitchen and lovely bedrooms. Alessandro and his family could not have been better hosts. We felt safe and cozy each night. And when we unexpectedly had to extend our stay, we were so well taken care of and Alessandro was so thoughtful and kind. Villa Berni truly felt like home and we can’t wait to come back! If you have the chance for mama Mina to cook for you, TAKE IT. Her pizza was the best we had our entire trip. Thank you Alessandro and family!

Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Emmanuel R.

15 Aug 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Belle propriété, extérieurs agréables, proche de Florence

Très bel accueil par Alessandro et Enrico, très belle maison avec de belles prestations, climatisation dans toutes les chambres, voiture garée dans une cour fermée, et tout ceci au calme et à proximité immédiate de Florence.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Darren P.

24 Sept 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our 'Familymoon' in Florence

Having married and united our two families we decided to include our four children, their other halves, our two new grandchildren and our mother on our 'familymoon'. The house layout and location was perfect for our group and it was exactly as described. We decided to book Marco's mini bus taxi for the week - what a great service, Marco was fantastic. He was punctual, friendly and patient if we were a little late! We also took advantage of the wonderful dinner service provided by Mina and Enrico. We would totally recommend this - the food and wine were amazing and it made for a really relaxing evening for our family and a lovely surprise for our daughter's birthday. We found the property to be in a quiet and safe location with wonderful views from all the bedrooms, especially the tower room. The garden was perfect having both sunny and shady areas, the small pool (although a little cold) was a welcome escape from the heat at times. Our hosts were excellent and friendly - nothing was too much trouble and any questions were answered quickly. We would totally recommend this property and location and would love to return in the future,

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jo B.

25 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Villa

We have just returned from a week at Villa Berni...3 generations of a family of 10...deciding to ignore the warnings that even the locals tend to leave in August due to the heat. We were greeted late in the evening by Enrico who was charming, despite our flight being delayed by 2hrs. The communication between guest and owners couldn't be better. It made things so easy for us. The Villa is huge and as the other reviews comment, the garden is absolutely gorgeous - the photos really do not do it justice. I can't say too much about day trips as we were all happy relaxing in the gardens, using the lovely pool, hunting for baby tortoises (which Enrico lovingly rescued to put in a safer place!), and eating delicious local produce...some from our hosts and some from the local shops. A word about that...the closest shop to walk to isn't far...about 2km I think (Tavernuzze) but it's entirely downhill on the way and therefore no walk in the park on the way back! We paid approx €35 for taxis into Florence which was a doddle to organise, again thanks to Enrico - he really was a brilliant host. Thank you for a wonderful holiday! We have all come home refreshed and relaxed 😊

10/10 Excellent

Candace D.

13 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great base camp for a month in Tuscany

This is a fantastic house for a long stay with a big group. The occasion was a milestone birthday for me, and we hosted a rotating crew, totaling about 30 over the course of a month, very pleasantly. The beds are comfortable, the bathrooms ample, and there's generally plenty of room. The garden is lovely; we ate outside most evenings when we ate in. It's easy to get into Florence by taxi, bus or house car service. It's also great as a base for day trips to the coast, wine country, Bologna, etc. The three brothers who own the place are easy-going and very responsive. They had good restaurant recommendations, day trip recommendations and, when unfortunately I needed it, medical clinic recommendations. It is an extremely good value. Nothing is perfect: As with all vacation rentals I've ever signed up for, the kitchen is poorly laid out and poorly equipped. It will frustrate you if you plan to do much cooking, which you will want to, because the available ingredients are so fabulous. ASK about housecleaning plans: there is none unless you ask, which seemed odd for a month-long stay, and then you have to specify what services you want. A really thorough cleaning never occurred. Someone more assertive than me about this probably wouldn't have this problem, however. But those are minor quibbles. It's a great place, with great hosts at a great price.

Stayed 33 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Margaret W.

23 June 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Villa Berni

Our stay at Villa Berni was great. We enjoyed the villa and especially the outside gardens. Every effort was made by Enrico, Antonella and Marco to help make our stay so enjoyable. We had many guests coming and going and they also were thrilled with the accommodations.

Stayed 31 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

LEIGH H., ENGLISH

16 Aug 2018

What an amazing villa!

From the moment of booking to the moment of leaving the owner was totally awesome. Very responsive to any questions we had. The villa itself is just stunning in a wonderful location. The welcome vegetables were delicious and tomatoes like you’ve never tasted! We were lucky to keep them topped up all holiday, such a thoughtful touch. We visited many places during our stay, obviously Florence - goes without saying just how special that is. Venice - by train, so easy! Pisa, worth a see! Lucca and Siena were both just beautiful and amazing to visit. The villa itself is so beautiful both inside and out, we were so lucky with the weather that we honestly didn’t use the lounge or dining room as we were in the garden at every chance. The pool is lovely, lots of different seating and shade if needed. In the garden our children were delighted to find 6 tortoises and kept them well fed! The owner even popped by to show them some new babies, just wonderful. Delighted to have chosen this villa for this summers vacation where we spent it with friends from Australia and uk. I’d highly recommend to anyone visiting Tuscany.

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Egil M.

6 Apr 2018

A lovely villa in nice surroundings

The house is great, very large and with a warm and friendly atmosphere. We had some chilly days and the heating worked very well, and when it was warm it was lovely to open the doors to the garden and enjoy the sun outside. The bedrooms are spacious and beautifully decorated. The top bedroom is very special and has it own bathroom, so has the smaller bedroom on the ground floor. The kitchen is practical and is fully equipped for cooking. We did not try the outside barbecue, but lit a fire in the dining room one evening and that was very cozy. We are a family of four and the reason we rented such a large house was that two of us had to do much studying/writing during the course of the week. That worked well - there are two desks in separate rooms on the ground floor. It is about ten minutes drive to Florence, we usually parked in a large car park just inside Porta Romana (2 euros per hour) and walked to the city center through the Oltrarno area. But there is also a frequent bus service from the nearby village of Tavernuzze, some 15-20 minutes walk from the house. We visited several nice places, among others Impruneta and a lovely organic farm called Fattoria de Maiano on the Fiesole side of Florence. The restaurant just down the street from the house (Villa Castiglione) is good. Enrico met us and took good care of us. An issue with the hot water in one of the bathrooms was fixed immediately and he also brought us eggs from their own hens. We would definitely like to come again.

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2018

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Martin S.

23 Sept 2016

Charming villa in a fantastic location

Villa Berni is as described just outside Florence with a stunning view of the city from the Tower Bedroom. The garden is lovely to relax in during the day and the whole setting is wonderfully peaceful and rural. The pool whilst not large is great for a cooling dip after a hot day seeing the sights in Florence. We were a party of 4 couples, my wife and I and our 3 grown up children with their partners. The villa was plenty spacious enough, we could easily have catered for more! We hired a car in Pisa and drove over to the villa; I would say a car is essential as the supermarket is a few kms down the hill so lugging heavy shopping back up the hill in relatively high temperatures would not have worked for us, without a car. However as there were 8 of us arriving at different times, we also made use of Marco Berni's minibus service. He was great, taking us almost up to the door of the leaning tower of Pisa, also to Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano and my favourite of all, a wine-tasting at Castello di Verrazzano. He was very interesting to talk to about Tuscan life and very patient on the night we ended up waiting for him in the wrong square in Florence! Again as described the bus service into Florence from the bottom of the hill is reliable and the youngsters used that as a means of doing their own thing in the city. We also experienced the wonderful Tuscan cooking of Mina, Marco's mother, to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. It was delicious! We also had a Sicilian meal prepared for us which was also quite a treat. Any downsides....only the mosquitoes, so have some insect repellent handy; otherwise I would heartily recommend this villa as we had a marvellous holiday there.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Wystan S.

22 Sept 2016

Enchanted July!

This July my husband and I celebrated our 25th anniversary with a long awaited trip to Italy - meeting up with all our children at Villa Berni. We were not disappointed. The historic house is beautiful, more beautiful than the photos show. Powerful AC units in each bedroom were welcome - a must really, at that time of year. From the first, Alessandro was wonderful and accommodating as we planned the trip. Marco came to meet us at the train. Enrico came over to explain and tuck us into the house and the garden. Alessandro's wife Adrianna arrived with fresh vegetables and olive oil -- from their trees! Any time we had a question or a need thereafter, the brothers responded promptly with a solution. It was obvious that they take great pride in their hospitality and their villa. The garden was delightful - the family of 5 tortoises, weed patrol in this magical garden, came out to greet us when we arrived, and my daughters immediately fell to feeding them rose petals. The little pool is a delightful addition to the garden space - and a great place from which to view it. Hopefully the nine of us were not too loud as we sat around the large garden table, drinking Italian wine, visiting, making music, and laughing far into the night! We took the advice of another visitor and hired Marco to drive us to the supermarket, into Florence, way out to Volterra, to San Gimignano, to Lucca for a wine tasting -- a super way to get around the countryside. We enjoyed Marco very much. The villa is close enough to Florence that you can view the Duomo from the uppermost bedroom or the street. But that doesn't mean you can walk to it! Some kind of transportation will be required. Our oldest daughter, an art student in Florence, got up early to walk down the twisty little road through the olive trees to the bus in Galuzzo several mornings - and up again in the evenings! - and she absolutely loved it. She's intrepid! We did some cooking for ourselves, but we also took advantage of the opportunity to hire chefs into the villa to cook for our family three times, which was fascinating culturally, and saved money compared to taking our large group to a restaurant. We have to say a word about Antonella (sp?) the Berni family housekeeper - what a treasure! She has a lovely personality and helped us in a myriad ways. The only thing I would change about our trip: by the end of our July week it was HOT! June or September might be ideal...we'll just have to return!

About the host

Hosted by Alessandro Berni

My name is Alessandro - live in Florence. I manage my properties (I own 4 total) with my wife Arianna and my brother Enrico to the best of our abilities. We are extremely helpful in preparations for your stay, as well as while you will on site. We provide all the information on places to eat and to shop and to visit our special city. We work to assure that our villa will be your home away from home and visit Florence as only a Florentine person can do

Why they chose this property

Villa Berni is my grandfather villa, I fully restored the villa in the 2007 year with every amenity and comfort. The location is great! Infact the villa is near the five Tuscany Unesco heritage sites: 1.Historic centre of Florence (10-15 minutes away from the property by car). 2.Historic centre of Siena (45 minutes away from the property by car); 3.Piazza del Duomo of Pisa (50 minutes away from the property by car); 4.Historic centre of Lucca (60 minutes away from the property by car); 5.Towers of Sangiminiano (30 minutes away from the property by car).

What makes this property unique

The villa has inside the unique sign of its historic origin and the comfort of a modern one. From the tower of the villa you can have a wonderfull sightsee of the hitoric city centre of Florence. The garden is a unique and real florentine garden style.