Tuscany is a place of vistas, and Villa Ardore has one of the finest in Chianti – a cascade of vines, framed by cypress trees, a patchwork of olive orchards and pine woods, and centre stage, on the opposing hills, the medieval towers of San Gimignano. Purchased by two California lawyers longing to relocate to Italy, Villa Ardore has undergone a lavish renovation without veering too far from traditional Tuscan motifs of terracotta floors, timber rafters, stone walls, terraced gardens of rosemary and lavender, and fireplaces the size of a Fiat 500. Neatly sidestepping the failing of many high-end villas where an excess of luxury styling too often creates a bland international look, Ardore feels like a real home, with the admirable personal taste of its owners informing everything from the vintage furnishings – I loved the ornate reclaimed zinc and wood bar rescued from a Parisian café – to the contemporary art, most of it for sale. Though, of course, luxury there is. With a 60-foot infinity pool, a breakfast chef, a gorgeous hotel-standard spa with sauna, eucalyptus steam room, sensory showers, and sunken hot pool, and a 500 bottle wine cellar of Italian vintages, Villa Ardore can rightly claim to be one of the finest villas in Tuscany. Service options range from five-star hotel-style attention, including a private chef, to leave-us-alone privacy. There have been considerable sustainable efforts at Ardore with its reclaimed woods and locally sourced stone. Wells on the property mean they are independent of the public water usage. They operate a grey water system for irrigation while next year they will install photovoltaic panels for solar power. When it comes to experiences, there is a full bespoke menu: excursions in vintage cars, cycling and mountain-biking, horseriding, cooking classes, pottery making, hot-air ballooning, personalised yoga and wellness programs, shopping sprees in Florence’s designer boutiques, less than an hour away. But the best of the villa experiences is something simpler — sitting on an outside terrace with a glass of wine, the aromas from the private chef’s kitchen in the evening air, admiring that ravishing view while dusk gathers round the towers of San Gimignano. Stanley Stewart
Sleeps: 16
Price: From €56,884 a week
