Villa Le Barone (Chianti - 26 miles from Florence)
Central Tuscany, Chianti, and Siena, Italy
Set amongst the timeless landscape of Chianti, in the hometown of Mona Lisa, Villa Le Barone has been in the famous Della Robbia family since the 16th century. The old manor house has been renovated becoming an inviting and intimate home, maintaining the character of a private house with its cheerful bedrooms and sitting rooms, furniture, paintings, books and romantic objects of the family past.
The swimming pool, tennis court and terraces are set amongst large rose gardens, with views on the surrounding countryside, olive groves and the vineyards of Chianti Classico. In the old winery, the restaurant serves typical Tuscan food and famous local Chianti wines. Villa Le Barone is ideal for those who love peace and relaxation, as well as for those who want to enjoy the pool, tennis court and sightseeing in the Chianti region.
History
Villa Le Barone was built as a tower in the middle ages and was the seat of a Baron, hence the name "Le Barone". During the Renaissance, the tower was torn down and converted into the main Farm building. A residence of the famous Della Robbia family since the 16th century, it was restored after the First World War by Marchesa Maria Bianca Viviani Della Robbia as a wine estate. Maria Bianca was the granddaughter of François de Larderel, a French 18th century industrialist, who discovered and developed the extraction of boric acid from the geothermal vapors in Tuscany. (From Le Barone you can visit Larderello.) Marie Bianca's daughter, Duchess Franca Visconti, converted the Villa into a charming hotel, retaining the refined atmosphere of an old private house, with its furniture, paintings, books and romantic objects from the past. Le Barone has been renovated to offer all the modern necessary comfort and is now the property of Duchess Franca Visconti's heirs, who are spending part of the year in Le Barone.
Rooms
Villa Le Barone has 28 individually decorated rooms, and each of them has a unique character, with antique furniture, old prints on the walls, pretty fabrics, brightly colored spreads, and terracotta floors. Some of the rooms have rafters and beams. Rooms are in the Main Villa or in renovated cottages and barns. Some have their own terrace. Two of the rooms have retained their historic character. One was Maria Bianca Vivani Della Robbia's room, which has kept its original furniture. The other is located in the tower, overlooking the vineyards, with 16th century tapestries. To maintain tranquility and authenticity, the rooms have not been equipped with TVs. However, there is a TV lounge in the common areas. Fresh flowers or fresh seasonal fruits are offered in every room.
Common Areas - Drawing rooms and Lounges
Villa Le Barone offers a number of rooms for guests to relax, read or write. On cooler autumn days, during the grape harvest, guests can sit by one of the two fireplaces. During all seasons, large fresh bouquets are placed in the various rooms. Guests can also gather at the bar. Internet services and TV lounge available.
Gardens
Guests of Villa Le Barone can relax in the large rose gardens, vineyards and olive groves, scented with lavender, rosemary and sage. The swimming pool is located in one of the rose gardens with a view on the San Leolino church and hamlet. Snacks and salads dressed with Villa Le Barone olive oil can be served by the pool. The tennis court has a panoramic view over the surrounding countryside. A tennis table is also available. Sunsets from the gardens and from the swimming pool terrace will make the joy of the romantics.
Dining
Villa Le Barone pays a high level of attention to the quality of its food products to offer guests the best fresh, local and natural ingredients.
Breakfast (including croissants, various sorts of breads, cereals, fruit juices, homemade jams, ham and cheese…) is served in the Main Villa or on the terrace. For lunch, salads dressed with Villa Le Barone olive oil and other snacks can be served on the terrace or by the pool. Dinner is served in the restaurant in the old winery. It is a four-course meal with a choice of menu, including many typical Tuscan dishes prepared with local products. An abundant and varied “antipasto” buffet is served every night. The wine card includes a large choice of Chianti wines, many of which come from the famous nearby wineries. Dining at Villa Le Barone can provide a variety of meals and a chance to sample excellent local wines, without having to drive.
Sightseeing and excursions organized by Villa Le Barone
With its ideal location in the heart of Chianti, Villa Le Barone is a peaceful haven from which to explore the well-known Tuscan cities famous for their artistic treasures: Florence (at 29km from Villa Le Barone), Siena (at 33km), San Gimignano (at 40km). Closer to Villa Le Barone, other smaller cities are worth seeing for their atmosphere and architecture, such as Lamole, Castellina, Montefiorale or Greve (hometown of Mona Lisa, the model of Leonardo Da Vinci, and of Giovanni Da Verrazzano (who discovered the Hudson bay of New York).
Villa Le Barone organizes tours for their guests on request, with qualified guides in Florence. These tours allow you to visit places usually not open to the public:
- Culinary Tour (discover the secrets of the Italian cuisine)
- Five-Sense Tour (see, smell, touch, hear and taste like Lorenzo Il Magnifico)
- Michelangelo Tour (follow the steps of the Florentine genius)
Festivals, concerts and location events
Concerts and festivals are organized in San Leolino, Greve and other nearby historical churches and villas. Villa Le Barone will be pleased to book for its guests seats for the Florentine Maggio Musicale and for the Palio of Siena as well as other local events. Near Villa Le Barone, there are many attractive weekly local markets, such as Panzano in Chianti, Greve, and Siena. . One can also visit Impruneta’s terracotta factories. Olive picking to make olive oil usually takes place in October.
Wine tasting
Visits to nearby wineries can be easily arranged including tasting of the best Chianti Classico. Wine festivals are held in Greve and Panzano during the first two weeks of September. Every 2 weeks, Villa Le Barone organizes free wine tasting on its premises.
Sports
In addition to tennis and swimming at Villa Le Barone, guests can go golfing at the 18 holes Golf dell' Ugolino (19km from Villa Le Barone). Through Villa Le Barone, one can also rent a 4 rooms (2 bedrooms) cottage in front of hole 15 of the Golf. It is possible to rent mountain bikes at Le Barone to discover the magnificent Tuscan countryside. Guests can also hike through the numerous nearby paths. All information is provided at the Villa.
From the Owner of Villa Le Barone: "We are very keen on guest satisfaction -- and this year was no exception. Both our ongoing internal survey and TripAdvisor, give us excellent ratings pursuing the improvement trends of past years. The three items guests liked the most at Villa le Barone were location and the gardens, the overall ambience, and the service. We had a very good year at Villa le Barone. Our guests have appreciated our preserved environment, the traditional (and fresh) Tuscan food we serve in our restaurant or on our open terrace, our several initiatives designed to help discover the many facets of Chianti, the many improvements we have made, while keeping the authentic atmosphere of a Renaissance Manor.
Call or e-mail for rates and availability
Classic Room
Superior Room
Historic Room
Client Comments
"Next time I wouldn't stay in Florence at all, it's very close to Le Barone and I just go for the day. The setting there was very special and the staff was excellent too, very accomodating, I would highly recommend it!"