OVERVIEW Villa Spada
Set high in the idyllic landscape of the hills north west of Lucca, this patrician country house dating back to the 1700’s was once the hunting lodge of the aristocratic Spada family. Elegantly spread out over two floors the villa is grouped around an welcoming central drawing room on the ground floor and surrounded by an extensive and enchanting well-kept garden terraced on three levels. Stone lions guard the tall villa gates and the gardens are shaded by a centuries old lime tree which is sufficiently magnificent to be famous throughout the region.
On the ground floor, French windows lead out from the sitting room to a terrace with table and chairs which overlooks a small walled-in formal garden and the panorama beyond. A few steps lead down to an extensive lawned terrace and the swimming pool rimmed with borders of old roses, irises and hydrangea bushes. Lawns also lead up to the entrance of the villa framed by cypress trees, hibiscus and lemon trees in terracotta vases and the age-old spreading lime tree. The kitchen is fully equipped and there are five spacious bedrooms all of which have a splendid view. They have been decorated in an elegant country house style with pastel washed walls, wooden bedsteads, as well as paintings and other antiques belonging to the family.
Amenities and services
Villa is equiped with:
- Pool: 12 x 6m
- Private Pool
- Internet access
- Fireplace
- Telephone
- Hifi stereo
- Satellite TV
- DVD
- Dishwasher
- Washingmachine
Rent includes:
- Maid Service
- Bed & bath linens
- Final cleaning
Service on request:
- First shopping
- Arrival dinner
- Cook
- Baby equipment
- Babysitter
- Central heating
Floorplan of the villa
First floor
Bedroom 1: King size bedroom with bathroom en-suite
Bedroom 2: King size bedroom with bathroom en-suite
Bedroom 3: twin bedroom
Bedroom 4: twin bedroom
Bedroom 5: King size Bedroom
Bedroom 6: Single bedroom
Bedroom 7: Single bedroom
2 further bathrooms
Laundry
Ground floor
Entrance hall
Sitting room with French windows to the terrace
Smaller sitting room with fireplace
TV room
Dining room
Kitchen
Cloakroom
Garden :
Swimming pool 12 x 6 m secured by a gate
Pergola with table and chairs next to the pool
Terrace with table and chairs off the main living room
Small formal walled in garden
Large lawn and secular linden tree in front of the villa
A gentleman’s retreat near Lucca
The countryside around Lucca is an enduring testimonial to the hedonistic lifestyle of Lucca’s noble families who between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries built over three hundred patrician country residences on the gentle hillsides which surround the city. This villa landscape is famous all over the world.
The elegant Villa Spada in Orbicciano built in the 1700’s with its surrounding farmhouses is the epitome of this elegant country house era. Set high in the hills twenty minutes north west of Lucca with breath-taking panoramic views on every side, it was once a hunting lodge belonging to the aristocratic Spada family. The Orbicciano estate, which produces some of the finest olive oil in the region, also includes a farmhouse which are available for holiday rentals.
The estate of Orbicciano lies outside Lucca, one of Tuscany’s most sought after spots. Many films have been made in this area.
Life in the small hamlet of Orbicciano has a fascination all its own, even attracting an American artist to set up house and her easel here. There is a small trattoria just down the road, while all around are other country villages, each with a different patron saint who is feted on a different day of the year with pageants and supper and dancing under the stars and fireworks lighting up the sky behind the next hill. This is a very fertile part of Tuscany with a patchwork of fields changing colour with the seasons, while the trees all stay the same, the dark green of the cypresses, the silvery olives and the holm oaks that never lose their leaves, all year round.
Lucca, Pisa and Florence are within easy reach of Orbicciano. The famous villas of Lucca, the Versilian beaches and the Apuan mountains with their spectacular marble quarries are all just a few kilometres away. You can go cycling, play tennis and golf or relax in the spas in Bagni di Lucca or the beauty Farms in Vico Pisano and Montecatini.
Isabella Spada, the owner and manager, will be here to welcome you and to offer suggestions and ideas to help you decide what to do and to make your stay more enjoyable.
Read more about Orbicciano Lucca
GUEST REVIEWS, Villa Spada, Orbicciano Lucca
It is nearly 2 weeks now since we have returned from our holiday in Italy. I can say without reservation that we all had a wonderful time at Villa Spada. Villa Spada is a lovely, very old and quite large villa set in the hills overlooking La Val Freddana. The view is spectacular. It is very quiet and private and there was more than enough room for our family of 5 plus 2 guests. The villa is nicely decorated and is very comfortable. Our hostess, Isabella Spada, was most hospitable. She and a local woman, Maria Luisa, prepared several evening meals for us, all delicious and many dishes were authentically Lucchese as was the wine which we requested. We spent most days touring the area (we highly recommend a trip to Volterra) and it was a delight to return in the evening to a home cooked meal. We would have antipasti on the terrazza overlooking the valley followed by dinner in the dining room. Very memorable!
The villa is about a half hour drive from Lucca, a city that we adore. We were able to hire a driver which made our trips worry free. We are not that familiar with Italian roads, many of which, including the drive up to the villa, are very narrow and winding, not at all like North American roads. We also did not have to worry about where to park and how to negotiate the toll roads. As we were only in Italy for 1 week, it was worth the expense.
We would absolutely consider staying at Villa Spada again and have no doubts in recommending it. My communication with Trust and Travel (Anke) was smooth and efficient. Anke promptly answered any of my questions and we were very pleased with the process particularly since we found Villa Spada on the Internet and rented it through Trust and Travel without anyone's recommendation - a leap of faith on our part, I know, but it did work out rather well! My correspondence with Anke was very professional and allayed any fears I might have had.
We will all look back very fondly on our trip to Italy and to Villa Spada.
Elizabeth Williamson and Family, Canada, May 2015, Canada, 13/05/2011
Villa Spada is a magical place! We have had a fantastic time celebrating a 60th Birthday. The house and setting could not have been more perfect. We very much hope to return again in the summer to enjoy the pool + garden more. Thank you from us all.
Emma Bishop., England, November 2007, UK, 10/01/2012
Isabella – Thank you for a stay in your beautiful home. What a blissful way for Andrew & me to celebrate our 40th birthdays, in the country of my birth. The house was perfect, the food was delicious, and the location terrific for both; lazy days by the pool & day trips all over ! We thought we might be a little nuts to try to travel with 5 small children, but our week here proved us wrong! Thank you as well to Gabriella, and sweet Apple!
Melora & Andrew B. USA, July 2014, USA, 10/01/2009