This is a rare opportunity to spend time in a historical and well-loved family home. We felt transported to another existence entirely. Paolo and Silvia were fabulous and super helpful. They sent us to some wonderful regional restaurants. The town of Zoagli is great for going to the beach/swimming and has the best gelato. We would go back in a heartbeat. Thank you Silvia and Paolo.
We booked this over a year ago for three couples. We stayed there for eight nights. It is in a small town tucked away by the sea. But the location is perfect. It is a quick car or train ride to Portofino, Santa Margarita, Rapallo, and Chiavari, and the Cinque Terra. The hosts were great at communicating prior to our visit which included sending a box of clothes To someone who would be traveling prior. While there donât appear to be many restaurants in Zoagli, a block down from the house is a great coffee bar, grocery, wine bar combination that not only met our needs, but the service was fantastic and the prices were perfect. The house is older as it was built in 1888 but both say very rich history. It is decorated with all kinds of artifacts from many different centuries. The kitchen is fully stocked with every pot or pan imaginable, we even ran a Cooking class there with a Local chef. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. There is a pool downstairs at one of the owners residences which you can use Monday through Friday and ask to use on the weekend. You definitely should have either a car or a taxi on demand. The hills are steep, and the roads are narrow. But this was an extraordinary Fine and I would stay here again in a minute
Villa Bianca exceeded expectations in every way. The villa has an authentic charm and warmth that cannot be duplicated at a modern 5-star hotel. Donât expect everything to work perfectly as the villa was built in 1888 and shows its age gracefully. If you are wondering what it would be like to actually live is a small village on the Italian Riviera this is the place for you. The views are amazing and the villaâs gardens are lovely. The neighborhood is very quiet. Zoagli is a sleepy little town without the insane crowds of Portofino and Cinque Terre. Those places are easily accessible for day trips but it was always a pleasure to return to the villa at the end of each day.
Silvia and Paolo were extremely helpful in arranging meals and private boat transportation to Portofino. There is a tiny grocery store and wine shop a few doors up from the villa, Antica Bottega Barca, which was very helpful. The shop owners were very friendly and trusting as you would expect if you actually lived in this little neighborhood. Again, very authentic. There is a wonderful little restaurant, Il Tagliere Toscano, which was a short walk from the villa. It should be noted that this is a hilly area so be prepared for a steep walk back to the villa from Zoagli. Lastly, Paolo assisted in having a local chef come to the villa to prepare an excellent dinner for us.
Overall it was an amazing experience and one of the highlights of our 3 week driving trip.
Everything about our experience at this villa was perfect. The villa itself is breathtaking artistically, historically, and experientially. Frescoed walls and a marble staircase integrate with personal photos over decades of time, giving a sense of awe throughout the interior. Outside, the house sits at the top of a hill that overlooks the Ligurian sea and the village of Zoagli. A very short walk brings you to a store with all the basic groceries needed to be secluded in this idyllic space; alternatively, ambitious hikers can climb down to the village at the bottom of the mountain, or some great seaside beaches and towns are simple drives away. Silvia and Paolo are fantastic hosts -- they were immediately responsive to every question or need we had. The entire experience was like a wonderful dream!
The villa , propert was beautiful. The view from the gazebo was astonishing. We spent most of our t
The view from the gazebo overlooking Portifino was spellbinding. The local general store 100 yards away, was classic. Not easy or cheap to get downtown for public transportation but otherwise a breathtaking villa!
A beautiful villa in a peaceful location with incredible views! Paulo and Silvia couldnât have been nicer. The villa and grounds were very unique. One of a kind. Thereâs a little store/coffee place very close by where you can get breakfast or sandwiches and sit outside enjoying the surroundings. Thereâs not a lot else you can walk to, but we did fine with taxiâs when we wanted to go explore. Great experience, exceeded our expectations, and weâd go back in a heartbeat!
Die Villa ist riesig und wir hatten mit 9 Personen sehr viel Platz. Die Terrasse mit der atemberaubenden Aussicht ist etwas vom Haus entfernt und lÀdt jederzeit zum Verweilen ein. Das ist das absolute Highligh! Ca. 100 Meter vom Haus kann man zu Fuss in einem kleinen Allerleiladen das Nötigste einkaufen. Auch frisches Brot am Morgen.
Der Garten ist auch sehr schön. Leider waren praktisch alle StĂŒhle am Esstisch draussen stark verwittert und defekt. Es hĂ€tten neue geliefert werden sollen, was nicht geschah. Zu unserem grossen Erstaunen erfuhren wir bei der Ankunft, dass der Pool (welchen wir ja auch mitgemietet hatten), am Sonntag fĂŒr uns nicht verfĂŒgbar sei, dann hĂ€tten sie jeweils Eigenbedarf. Der Pool befindet sich nĂ€mlich im Hausteil unterhalb, welcher von der Vermieterin, Silvia bewohnt wird. Das Ă€rgerte uns doch sehr! Wir dutften uns dann wenigstens einmal kurz abkĂŒhlen.
Leider ist die wunderschöne Villa mit ganz viel Nippsachen, Souvenirs, Spielsachen und BĂŒchern beladen.
Alles in allem hat es uns trotzdem gut gefallen und wir konnten unsere Ferientage geniessen.
Photos just donât do justice to the beauty of the location.
Quirky, homely, classically Italian, spacious family home. Located with a spectacular view of the bay and Portofino. Wonderful gardens, perfect for lunches, evening dinner or barbecues or simply relaxing.
Convenient for local shop, bar and breakfast.
We loved it and would recommend!
What a perfect vacation! The villa is wonderful - clean, spacious, well-stocked and full of character, art and music. The views from every window and from the beautiful garden were breathtaking - even nicer than the photos. The only problem with this villa is that it was hard to leave the place to go sightseeing, really :)
Silvia and Paulo are great hosts - very helpful and easy to communicate with (both by e-mail beforehand, and after we arrived).
All in all - this place is amazing. We were a family of ten, ages 1.5-70, and Villa Bianca had something for everyone. I cannot recommend it enough.
Wir haben den Aufenthalt in der Villa Bianca sehr genossen. Das Haus ist wirklich liebevoll eingerichtet und der Garten und die Aussicht lassen sich nicht toppen! Wunderbar!
Beautiful home perched on a hill overlooking an amazing bay view
This is a home. Not one of those made up rental properties you often find which makes this place special. Across the bay from Portofino, the house commands an impressive spot overlooking the sparkling blue water sitting some 170-200 metres above sea level. The hosts are ver friendly, speak perfect English and are attentive yet discreet. We really enjoyed our family stay at Paolo and a Silviaâs ancestral home. Especially the terrass at the end of the property where we spent warm summer evenings playing board games with the kids (and enjoying a glass of Italian vino!)
Villa Bianca is located high above the Mediterranean, with extraordinary views in three directions. One can pass the entire day watching the ships, birds, and water, admiring Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, or catching a glimpse of Corsica. Because the house is at the end of a point, itâs also quiet. The gardens are peaceful and amazingly fragrant.
The house itself is charming, with large rooms and fantastic frescoes on every ceiling. We slept on antique beds with new mattresses and hand ironed, lace trimmed linen sheets. The kitchen had everything we needed. We loved the marble sink and eating breakfast at the marble table. Lunch was al fresco and dinner in the grand dining room with sea views.
The icing on the cake were our hosts, Silvia and Paulo. They were kind to us in countless ways. The most memorable was when I dropped my husbandâs two week old phone off the terrace and down the cliff towards the sea. Silvia brought in a mountain climber who retrieved the phone!
We also enjoyed the generosity of the family who owns the store and bar just down the street. Excellent wine choices, fine produce and delicious baked good are all offered. The apero is delicious too!
If you are looking for gorgeous views and a comfortable home as you visit the Italian Riviera , you cannot do better than this unique site.
This Villa is a magically place. Family history, a gorgeous view, great hosts in a wonderful unspoiled village. This house is not for everyone. Charmingly quirky, a grand staircase to the bedrooms( all with glorious views, it is an old house- if you are looking for modern conveniences this is not for you. But if you love history & want to step back into time, this is the rental for you.
5 bedrooms, one with bath, two other bathrooms, fabulous dining room, quirky kitchen that is well equipped. Silivia & Paulo are very responsive & helpful. Recommed the villa highly.
Amazing views, lovely garden, unique villa everything we needed for our family catch up. Our grandsons enjoyed the pool and had great fun, plenty of alfresco dining and a relaxing glass of wine(or two) on the terrace with the fantastic panoramic views of the coastline to end each day. We were made most welcome in the village everyone so friendly and helpful. We enjoyed visiting the neighbouring resorts via the local train. A really enjoyable holiday was had by us, our children and grandchildren. Many thanks to Sylva & Paolo for all their help during our stay to make our holiday complete.
Pauline & John & Family
Yorkshire, UK
Many many thanks to Paolo and Sylvia for our stay at their wonderful home. The villa was perfect for our group of 10 including 4 kids. The garden and terraces are spectacular and the house oozes charm and elegance. Special thanks to Paolo for bringing us dinner on the first night when we arrived, tired from driving down from the Alps. We would readily stay here again.
Ash, NYC
I live with my husband, my three children and our 2 black dogs not far from the property we intend to rent. My brother Paolo lives in Genova but he comes here as often as possible. The property has been in our family since it has been built by our great great grandfather more than 100 years ago. It's such a wonderful area that we never regret the decision we made more than 10 years ago to leave the city to come and live here.
Built in 1888, Villa Bianca is a privately owned residential villa wonderfully situated high on the ligurian coast perfect for the discerning guest. It is a perfect place for those wishing to escape the stress and enjoy a little quiet time Italian style! Villa Bianca also provides a great base from which to head out and explore the magnificence of all major sightseeing areas on the eastern riviera like the Cinque Terre and Portofino. With 100 years of history and character , the villa offers 4 very comfortable rooms with antique furniture and a spacious and stylish living area all with frescoed ceilings and typical cement tiles and marble flooring. It offers inside and outside dining for up to 20 people. The Villa is surrounded by a well kept garden and a beautiful terrace on a cliff