What a beautiful spot! The perfect house for our family celebrating a special anniversary. The bedrooms allowed each couple to have privacy. The views were stunning. The photos on the website donât do it justice!
We took full advantage of the personal chefs recommended by the house information book. Wow! Best meals ever!
The only thing is, you really do need to have a car. Lucca is almost an hour walk on a busy road with limited sidewalks,and the walk back is obviously uphill all the way.
Definitely recommend this villa for a group stay.
We spent a week at the villa the last week of June. We were 2 families with a total of 4 adults and 5 kids. The villa was perfectly laid out for us all and the location was perfect for day trips to explore Tuscany. Maria cooked a delicious meal for us all to enjoy. We had a fabulous time and highly recommend staying here!
It was everything I was looking for my 50th birthday celebration. Plenty of room for entertaining guests. A true Tuscan experience. Lucca is minutes away and a true delight. Enjoyed getting to know the community. The property manager and staff were incredibly helpful in getting to know the area and the owner was a fabulous host. We enjoyed the locally produced olive oil tremendously. We will come again!
Perfect location and host to truly enjoy and experience Tuscany.
We could not have enjoyed our time at the Villa more - the property and house are stunning, the pictures do not do it justice. Fabio is a wonderful host, the welcome and support we had from him and his 'team' was ideal. We are already trying to determine when we can come back. The rooms were so comfortable, the kids played in the pool while we sipped wine under the shade of the olive trees. The location is also ideal, very short drive to Lucca and grocery stores. Would recommend this very highly to anyone.
We had a great holiday in the lovely Villa Cardinale. We celebrated our 50 years marriage by spending a week in Tuscany with our 2 children and their families, 10 persons in all.
Villa Cardinale is a charming and wellequiped House with 5 bedrooms and 5 en suite bathrooms. The 6th bedroom is a Walk-trough room with sleeping possibilities. 1 bed- and bathroom is in an Annex, which our teenager grandchild loved.
The pool area is fantastic, Also for children. Also the outdoor eating place was great and we used it every day.
We Will mention, that there are Many steps in the House, and that our 3 cars fully filled the parking place near the House. However, there is an Extra parking possibility by the lover gate.
Finally, there is a god instruktion book in the House with very valuable recommandations om restaurants, shopping etc.
Fantastic house, setting and ownership - a real joy not to be missed
We are a family of 8, including collectively 6 children and significant others in their late 20âs and early 30âs. The house was perfect for this family gathering - 4 large bedrooms, large den, well-stocked kitchen, great pool, and multiple outdoor eating and lounging areas. The views from the house are fantastic; Fabio, the owner, is incredibly responsive and helpful; Maria, the chef, cooked us a delicious homemade meal. Lucca is an easy 5 minute drive away and a charming walled city with an endless supply of restaurants and shops.
We had an absolutely terrific time and we highly recommend the villa to anyone who wants a relaxing Tuscan experience.
A well maintained property on a lovely hill. The rooms were large, with each having a bathroom. The area around the pool was great. Wished the sun was able to heat the pool enough to enjoy, but it was too cold. The two items that were slight negatives, but we aware about when booking, was the stairs and the road up to the property. The stairs were steep and the bottom two steps were sloped forward and required caution when coming down. The road to the property had some very large pot holes. But overall, a beautiful place and very relaxing site.
What a beautiful place to make lifetime memories! Villa II Cardinale is absolutely stunning: beautifully & comfortably furnished! I receive so many ooohs and ahhhs when I share photos of this historic home with friends! Every detail is so well thought out. The home, its gardens and pool are immaculately maintained. Views from every window and outside sitting area are spectacular - quintessential Italy!
The owners' hospitality is extremely generous: we were greeted by the owners' representative with a great overview of the home, sparkling wine and olive oil from their olive trees and were given hugs and cookies from a local bakery when we left! She checked in on us throughout the week and gave great recommendations for places to visit and restaurants to dine. The home is in a great central location for making day trips. Lucca, now our favorite Italian city, is perfect for tourists yet isn't touristy or crowded. It's just a short drive from the villa. We also made excursions to unforgettable towns and cities including Barga, Bolgheri, Carrera, Livorgno, Volterra, Pisa, Florence, Cinque, Terre and more.
The owners were extremely dedicated in making sure that everything was perfect for our stay - so delightful that we've encouraged them to come visit us if they come to Virginia! We highly recommend staying at Villa II Cardinale for the perfect Italian vacation!
Three married couples spent 7 nights at this wonderful home. It was so tranquil and quiet we all fell in love with the location. The sunrises in the morning, the singing birds, the cool breezes, the great gardens, the comforts of home away, - all made this villa a place that we hope to return to someday.
There are three floors in the Villa. The kitchen, separate dining, and a small office/bedroom with full bath on the ground floor. The living room and a master bedroom with large bathroom is on the next floor. The top floor has a large bedroom with small bathroom (shower only). The other bedroom on top floor is smaller, but has a sitting room, and larger bath with tub.
There is a separate building (the annex) with a 5th bedroom and large bathroom. The clothes washer and dryer are also in the annex.
The building location is high on a hill, which resulted in pleasant breezes most days. We could see the buildings in old Lucca as well as the aqueduct that runs across the valley. This Villa is the highest home on the hill â so there is absolute privacy.
We never ate in the dining room as the weather was so nice â there is a table for 10 located outside under a freestanding roof. Additionally there was three other areas outside to sit (patio outside kitchen; table for 6 under olive trees; Cabana next to pool) which meant there was always somewhere in shade or sun to relax.
Maria came one night to serve a wonderful home cook Tuscan style meal. The left overs were great the next day as well.
The beds were very comfortable, water pressure is good, and everything in kitchen was functional and well stocked with every dish you need. Given it is an old building â there are quirky things such as un-level floors, a low kitchen doorway (watch your head), and minimal electrical outlets, it is very well done from the perspective of plumbing and kitchen appliances.
We had rented a large Fiat Talento van (9 passenger). Driving up the road to the Villa meant brushing up against the olive trees along the road. Also the parking area at the Villa required some back and forth to turnaround the large van â small car would be ok. Canât imagine not having a vehicle â while close to Lucca â it is not walkable.
With Lucca 5 minutes away we frequently went there for meals. We drove to LaSpezia (1 hour) to see Cinque Terre via train. Florence is only an hour away (park at Villa Costanza parking on autostrada and take Tram into town) and Pisa is only 20 minutes
The property exceeded expectations! The villa is charming, a wonderful combination of old and new. It has been renovated to excellent modern standards with respect to appliances and facilities, without losing its old-world charm. There is ample and excellent help. The owner Fabio was completely accessible by phone or email, and was always helpful. The proximity to Lucca, a charming walled city, and to the rest of Tuscany, made wider visiting east. We had a wonderful stay.
Wir waren mit 10 Personen (Erwachsene und Teenager) eine Woche in der Villa und haben den Auftenthalt sehr genossen.
Alle fĂŒnf groĂen Schlafzimmer haben sehr gute Betten. Auch das Zimmer neben dem Esszimmer hat ein richtiges Doppelbett (kein graues Schlafsofa wie auf den Fotos). Das Zimmer im NebengebĂ€ude ist etwas dunkel, aber ok.
Besonders toll fanden wir die verschiedenen Sitzmöglichkeiten rund um Haus und Pool. Die KĂŒche ist gut ausgestattet und groĂ genug.
Danke an Vivian und ihr Team!
Vi var en familie med 6 voksne og 3 bÞrn, og huset passede perfekt til vores Þnsker og behov og med en beliggenhed tÊt pÄ Lucca, en af Toscanas smukkeste og mest velbevarede byer.
Den lokale kontaktperson var yderst hjĂŠlpsom og imĂždekommende. Alt i alt et meget vellykket og mindevĂŠrdigt ophold.
Visited Villa della Cardinale with my family and another; 10 people total. The Villa had more than enough space as our kids were able to room together easily. Beautiful property with a stunning view over Lucca.
Fabio and Beatrice were both very responsive and easy to work with. Our families had an amazing time and loved the ease of seeing much of Tuscany from our home base. The Villa is very well positioned for day trips.
Air conditioning and the swimming pool were great on the warmer June days. La Pearla, a coffee shop and pasticceria at the bottom of the street is a hidden gem as well!
Die Lage der Villa ist wirklich auĂerordentlich. Absolut ruhig gelegen schaut man ins Tal und die herrliche Landschaft der Toskana. Die Villa hat viel Charme.
Von der Villa aus erreicht man in wenigen Minuten Lucca und auch Pisa ist praktisch um die Ecke.
Beatrice war immer fĂŒr uns zur Stelle und hatte immer Antworten auf unsere Fragen ( wo gibt es schöne StrĂ€nde, welche SehenswĂŒrdigkeiten usw. ).
Wir waren begeistert und wĂŒrden die Villa jederzeit wieder buchen.
JĂŒrgen Bartmann
First of all I would like to thank Beatrice for being absolutely beyond amazing with making sure everything was perfect during our stay.
The property is located a mere 10 min drive from Lucca and close to the motorway which is convenient for excursions and day trips to Pisa, Florence, Volterra etc . Lots of space in and outdoors and a lovely pool are a beautiful setting for a tranquil holiday.
Thank you very much for a great stay
We enjoyed one week of holiday in Villa Cardinale. The villa was very clean when we arrived. The pictures on the website give a good view of what to expect, although it is even more beautiful in reality. The view from the hill is spectacular.
Beatrice, the lady coordinating the maintenance of the villa, was very helpful and gave us a lot of advice and help with selecting and booking restaurants and places to visit. We had the private diner prepared by Maria twice during the week, this is highly recommended! To summarize: we had a wonderful stay with our family.
We spent two weeks at Villa Cardinale and had a wonderful time all the way through! The house, the interior, the location but most of all Fabio, Beatrice, Martina and Isabell were fantastic! Questions were always answered promptly and always with a smile!
Tuscany is one of the nicest regions in the world but in combination with this property, with all the amenities it offers and the people who care for it and itâs guests a holy place to be!
Warm Thanks to all for this too short âescape to heavenâ!
Nicola & Family & Friends
Fabio and his wife Mari live partly in Norway (where they are resident) and partly at the Villa del Cardinale. Fabio is a business advisor, coach and mentor; together with his wife he also started "Paradiseintuscany" - an initiative to help Non-Italians to buy a residential property in Tuscany, without experiencing the hassle that Italian laws and business practice often imply.
Fabio is originally from this area - born in Pisa, lived in Lucca before moving to Norway over 30 years ago. For Fabio, buying this property has meant coming back home.
Fabio and his wife fell in love with Villa del Cardinale both because of the location - with stunning views - and because of the energy and harmony that this place emanate. One really feels why the Cardinal Buonvisi built this house as his meditation and retreat haven.
In March 2022 Kristian and Kjerstin joined Fabio and Mari in the ownership and management of this amazing property. Also Kristian and Kjerstin live in Norway, are both physicians based in Bergen and good friends of Fabio and Mari.