Perfect Party Planning the Italian way!

Celebrating a significant birthday? Or wedding anniversary? Why not rent a villa in Tuscany ? you can invite a select group of friends to join you at your chosen villas for rent in Tuscany For example you can celebrate at La Collina del Sole and have every meal catered for with themed menus and have the housekeeping team decorate the table with sumptuous splendour.  Lucca Villa Rental specializes in making the most of your celebrations whenever the special date might be.Relax  … the hardest decision you will have to make is to select the guests who will join you,  and decide whcih bedroom you want from our floorplan on your holiday villas in Lucca the rest is as they say in Italy … FACILE.  With delicious local Prosecco and food to ENJOY you can sit, savour the view and while all the work is done for you … be merry.  You can even get married in the spacious Villa rentals in Tuscany with views that will make your wedding photos a delight to see again and again, you could also have your hen night here as suggested by Wedding Magazine.

For those who like to choose what they want and then relax while all is done for you we suggest you see the suggested menus and order to your hearts content, if you like to savour the local wine La Collina del Sole has its own organic wine which is delicious. For the celebrations that require themes we could suggest you have the Pizza experience which has been loved by all the guests that stayed at La Collina del Sole  as you can read in the feedback

You could organize either beforehand or as the mood takes you Wine or / and Olive oil tasting sessions, with our concierge and discover ruined medieval fortresses in the places of interest around Lucca villa rental

For those who require serious exercise to celebrate what about a walk in the Apuane hills where Michael Angelo came to personally select each chunk of marble he required. There is a list of suggestions that you can consider each walk in the itinerary comes with a fully accredited guide.

For those whose Idea of heaven is to go shopping there are interesting food shops, and local handicraft shops including gilded frames in the area or you can visit Florence, the beautiful city of Fashion;  you are welcome to contact us for a list of tried and tested Florentine restaurants and boutiques

If you are of an academic bent then we could suggest you engage the services of our Italian language teacher an experience that will help you all of your life,  and to add a sense of competition you could make the forfeit of the worst learner a meal in one of the fabulous restaurants in the area, or if you are felling charitable you could make the forfeit a round at the fabulous bars and gelaterias   For those who enjoy a bit of Va va Voom then an outing on your personal Ducati’s around the main roads in the valleys or the more sedate riding or mountain bike excursions in the chestnut hills surrounding La Collina del Sole all of these can be hired in the area Whatever the special date might be; consider making it a significant memory by sharing experiences with your nearest and dearest on a break you will never forget A LA ITALIANA !

More Press exposure for La Collina del Sole !

This issue of The Lady Magazine features a focus of Italian holidays and suggests places where you can rent a villa in Tuscany  it highlights the best Holiday Villas in Lucca and the beautiful 5 bedroom villa  called La Collina del Sole is given pride of place among the Villa rentals in Tuscany The header article EXPERIENCE LA DOLCE VITA ! is written by the owner of the best Lucca villa rental among all the villas for rent in Tuscany so read on here is the full piece ! The Lady writes “ Italy has been a haven for British visitors for centuries, think “Room with a View” and you will envisage what a true Italian retreat can do for you!

Italy has the friendliest of welcomes where a halting “Grazie” with an English accent elicits enthusiastic praise. Not only are the Italians super hospitable they also know how to live well, and share their knowledge enthusiastically you will find a wealth of fabulous and well-priced wines, excellent cuisine  laced with delicious fresh tomato based sauces, homemade pasta and freshly baked bread  each day. Succulent treats like truffles and Funghi Porcini are commonplace as are freshly caught fish; Italians are a race of gourmands without the fuss. There is so much to do!  from Etruscan, Roman and Medieval treasure hunting, to Olive Oil & Wine tasting, from Italian cooking lessons  to eating the best ice cream in the world; invented in Florence by Catherine de Medici’s head cook.  You can walk for miles in the National Parks of the region or laze by the pool reading your favourite book. Italy can be boisterously fun and chaotically friendly  with wonderful un-stuffy food and a huge welcome. ITALY IS  LA DOLCE VITA!

We suggest you get your skates on and book the perfect dates for you  as with all the recent Wedding Magazine Bridal exposure and The Lady Magazine press its idyllic position  incredible wealth of experiences fabulous food shop suggestions, amazing restaurant selections it is bound to be a sell out  !

Chocolates, Roses, Underwear must be St Valentines …

Ring the changes this year instead of giving the same old gifts ... surprise your loved one with a five day break at La Collina del Sole the beautiful Lucca Villa Rental featured in this issue of Wedding Magazine  This gem among Villa rentals in Tuscany is tucked in the Carrara Marble hills with commanding views of the area. With the only award winning infinity pool in the entire list of villas for rent in Tuscany and romantic walks  - an essential requisite when you rent a villa in Tuscany for St Valentines with the most beautiful clean lined interior designed bedrooms available in the menu of Holiday Villas in Lucca

Once you are at La Collina del Sole this idyllic getaway get the low down from the Villa' s concierge as to the romantic walks and picturesque villages, consult the villa handbook to find the best restaurants in order to enjoy a candlelit dinner,  and the preferred shops to buy the red rose which is so iconic at St Valentines and for those with a fun sense of humour why not visit the Antica Pasticceria and splash out on a chocolate spanner or hammer or a chocolate liquor glass in which to sip your favourite drink together by the fireside or …

Offer a trout fishing day at the Casa del Pescatore in Isola Santa  … finished off with a gourmet meal of Black truffle laced linguini, grilled local Capella Mushrooms or battered and fried funghi porcini served alongside a delicious wood grilled beef steak Or the very different experience of Funghi hunting day trip in chestnut groves so romantic ! How about a romantic weekend with nothing much else to do but sunbathe, read, sleep walk, explore, enjoy and RELAX

Does this sound like a good idea  ? well what are you waiting for Contact us and check out all the goodies that come when you choose to be a guest at La Collina del Sole

Lights … Camera … Action La Collina del Sole magazine feature !

La Collina del Sole featured as aspirational destination ! La Collina del Sole  is the chosen Italian Villa among Villas for rent in Tuscany in this month’s Wedding Magazine profiling the ideal honeymoon or wedding venue, the best Lucca Villa Rental  amongst Villa rentals in Tuscany  gets a full two page spread highlighting the advantages of the award winning saltwater infinity pool the only amongst all the Holiday Villas in Lucca the cozy and romantic log fire and the  beautiful veranda where you can eat al fresco A MUST when you rent a villa in TuscanyWhen you open the February / March issue of Wedding Magazine whose website also includes a “thriller” on getting there you will see not only the double page spread which spells out the delights of the facilities at La Collina del Sole the Concierge service the in house dining menu  the place where you can have the wine and oil tasting experience or  recreation horse riding  or exploring the area around in the places of interest

You will also see in this issue that the front cover has a beautiful Classic double strand pearl necklace created by Coleman Douglas Pearls the business founded by La Collina del Sole s pool designer. You can also find two stories which were shot while the fashion team stayed at La Collina del Sole one in a nearby villa using several bestselling pearl designs and another showing how a bride can combine her big day with a touch of yee haaaaaaaaaaaaa ….

The next wedding magazine will feature a shoot that took place at our favourite wine and Olive Oil tasting venue il Vecchio Mulino where Andrea the owner got to feature alongside the models … For all those brides who enjoy good wine alongside their husbands. La Collina del Sole also boasts a handbook detailling the most amazing array of experiences which are introduced in the suggestions we love and include Experiences  or for the hungry the recommended Restaurants & Pizza  Stores with the most amazing Food and which stock local delicacies like wild boar sausages, truffle salt, Fughi Porcini in Oil, funghi porcini pasta  and chestnut tart. The best Bars and Cafés then there is a list of nearby Places of Interest and Recreation so you never get bored,  a list too of Special dates so you know when is best to book your holiday in order to suit your preferences and a list of general shops for all those essential necessities that we take for granted. Then there is also the floor plan for the forward thinkers who want to bag the best room in advance !

A month in the life of ...

La Collina del Sole ! ... Have you ever wondered what happens to a Lucca Villa Rental house or Villa rentals in Tuscany when autumn sets in … well if the Villas for rent in Tuscany happen to have vineyards, then wine takes over the focus of activity, if the Luxury Villa happens to be picked among the Holiday Villas in Lucca for its outstanding beauty and amazing services, then Photo-shoots take place, and if you rent a villa in Tuscany to enjoy serene beauty and unspoilt charm  then you take photographs like Rebecca Jensen did this year. The Wine at La Collina del Sole has now been decanted, as after approximately 10 days of the squeezed grape juice along with their skin being allowed to settle a crust has formed and the “juice” is ready, then when the moon waned the juice was  “svinato” or transferred into 5 gallon glass demijohns, the skin crust is now used as fertilizer. The organic wine at Lucca Villa Rental has now been left to settle for just under a year, as sediment within the wine demijohn settles the wine needs to be transferred into a clean demijohn every 2 months roughly, this transferring of the wine is always done when the moon is waning. Good wine like women are best left to get on with life peacefully and not rushed. One important point is that you need to keep an eye on what the moon is up to as when the moon is waxing the fermenting wine augments and gently re-boils. During October Wedding Magazine visited La Collina del Sole and did several shoots this week we would like to share the Cowboy themed shoot. Yehaaaaaaaaa

Now for the beautiful images from Rebecca Jensen, they show La Collina del Sole in different moods, the images speak for themselves

Here is the feedback from the Jensen’s stay at La Collina del Sole. It says it all:

We so loved the house and our whole Italian experience.  The leisurely dinners where the five of us sat outside and talked for extended periods of time was completely worth the trip! You have found gems in the whole staff.  Everyone was so nice and helpful!  And that pool!!!  It is to die for!! Absolutely loved it!! We were in it every day!!

Thank you again for opening up your home to us and being so gracious!! … It was amazing! Beautiful house, pool view! Best vacation ever ! We really had a wonderful time – Thanks !

… so what are you waiting for !  book your stay at the most beautiful Lucca Villa rental the one and only La Collina del Sole  !

Would you like to take a step back in time?

This week La Collina del Sole your favourite Lucca Villa Rental hosted several bridal shoots for Wedding Magazine it was chosen because of the awesome scenery surrounding the best Villas for rent in Tuscany It is perfect to mirror the amusing and  diverse aspects of a wedding with Italian flavour, and while considering other Holiday villas in Lucca  the editor at Wedding Magazine chose  La Collina del Sole as it stood out among all the villa rentals in Tuscany due to its stunning views, the charming villages that surround Lucca Villa rental and the character filled local shops that you expect to find when you rent a villa in Tuscany This choice was an endorsign mark of the Luxury Villa as many fabulous photographers have been inspired by the area surrounding Lucca Villa rental . Last week we brought to you the best recipe for a Pizza Experience and while we await to bring to you the action shots of the week long fashion shoot we concentrate on the beautiful photos of Rebecca Jensen and give you the link of this week’s pick of her amazing body of work. We would like to introduce this lovely old working dog, he is old and has gone nearly blind, he is Gina’s Dog and has done a lifetime worth of service as a shepherding dog This is Gina she is the last of the older generation of Shepherds in Fosciandora she wanted Rebecca to take these pictures of her dog so she might remember him when he dies.

Gina and her husband were both shepherds and they lived in the house just over the hill from La Collina del Sole they walked every day along cobbled pathways, verdant paths and roads to reach their grazing fields between the historical villages of Fosciandora. Gina’s husband died a few years ago.

Gina has a dry and witty sense of humour honed from many hours spent alone and reflecting on the stunning view around her, she has an unfailing directness about her and will not flinch at informing you that you have put on too much weight at the top of her voice, in the middle of a crowded room,  a fabulous frankness that only comes with freedom from conventional modes of behaviour. Gina knows the area of Fosciandora like the back of her hand, she lives simply and would wake up to beautiful views every morning, she is now retired and lives on state pension she often goes into Castelnuovo to do her shopping as this affords human company. We remember the early morning tinkling bells of the goats that belonged to Gina walking behind La Collina del Sole in the “ sentiero “ behind the Villa, very early in the morning and then late in the afternoon back home again. It is these gentle routine happenings that make life at La Collina del Sole so idyllic, relaxed and peaceful with regular punctuations in the day like church bells that let you know what time of day it is, or if there is wedding happening. Every cloud has a silver linning  and in rural Italy and Garfagnana in particular the new economic climate and social awakening in Italy has meant that a new generation of shepherds and land workers is emerging striving for a self-sufficient and organic way of life an example of these is Francesco who with his fiancée Alina are our guides of the region a trip out with them is a real treat as you can learn many of the innermost secrets of the region. Would you like to take a step back in time ? visit La Collina del Sole the most beautifully situated and appointed Lucca Villa Rental