Matthew Freemantle
Writer & Editor
South Africa and United Kingdom
Pieve di Monti di Villa is a small village near the top of one of Tuscany's innumerable hills. There are few residents in peak season; out of it, there are so few people you will come to recognise each voice and its owner within two days. You don't so much see other people as hear evidence of their presence; they exist in coughs and sneezes, arguments, shooing of pets. 
The house itself is perfect. There is small living room with a fireplace, a spacious enough kitchen with a marble counter, ideal for rolling out fresh pasta. Upstairs, there is the sort of bedroom you wish you owned. More than once I was woken by the breaking dawn and floods of new light through the bedroom window. There is a small writing room and a bathroom upstairs and a basement to store firewood and a washing machine below. In short, there is all you need.

I went days without saying more than 'Buon giorno', or 'Buona sera';  some days I said not one thing. The silence at night is moon-like; you will hear your heart beating and feel each pulse of blood in your lips. Presumably, you will have company, but if not there are moments when the silence threatens to interfere with your sanity. For such moments there is a merciful stock of old VHS tapes and an all-in-one TV-video to play them. For some reason there are several bad thrillers with Dutch subtitles in the collection, so pace yourself lest you get to the bottom of the barrel too early.
The walks are breathtaking. I walked most days, sometimes all day. At the summit of Prato Fiorito, about a three hour walk from Pieve, you can see across Tuscany and, on a clear day, a smudge of blue to the west that is the Mediterranean sea. On my way down from the peaks I found an apple tree surrounded by windfall apples. I had forgotten to bring water on the hike and ate one on the spot. It was extraordinary. There are many moments like this; simple joys, small miracles. One evening I visited Pieve's only store, a tiny bar run by an elderly couple whose smiling faces will thaw out even the frostiest soul. It was the second day of my visit and I needed tomatoes. The signora, whom I had not met, disappeared, then returned with a bottle of her own, saying only 'famiglia' and smiling. Did she mean it was a family recipe? Or that, because I was staying nearby, I was family now too? I only know that I walked home cradling the bottle as if it contained liquid gold, and couldn't stop smiling.

If seeking an authentic Tuscan experience has become like finding a needle in a haystack, Pieve di Monti di Villa, as much as it pains me to share this, might just be that needle.
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Lyndall Dawson
Pianist
United Kingdom
What makes this house so special - apart from its stunning location, views and simple comforts - is that it belongs to one of the most inspiring and generous families one could ever meet. Every room is a testament to Mike's and Shona's creativity, imagination and self-expression. It is a unique, restful haven in the mountains that buzzes with a vibe of quirkiness, artistry and love.
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Melanie Lodge
Opera singer - Mezzo Soprana
United Kingdom
"Four years ago a chance meeting put me in touch with this family and despite having only just met I was invited to stay in their home. I loved the spontaneity of their invite and when I was shown the house I could not believe the opportunity I was so generously being given.

When you meet this family you quickly realise that they are very special, they infect all they touch and meet with love and creativity and are a huge inspiration and so within days of returning to England I had booked my return flight.

It is hard to put in to words what makes their home so special. It is clearly a much loved place in which people have expressed their artistry whilst respecting the rustic charms of the houses original features. On top of this there are stunning views all around and unspoilt mountain villages to explore in every direction.

This is one of those amazing places where you could choose to visit on your own and have a very calm, reflective time or a very sociable one. I have visited every year since this wonderful secret was shared with me and I can not recommend it enough."

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Lucie, Calipso and Lise
Landscape, Literature and Fine Art' students
Narbonne and Nice
France
The place is so amazing! A real cosy nest with the same confort and the same point of view, (at three metres from the house, montains are under your nose)!It's a house not too big not too small that you access by a winding road, and when you arrive by car you just have to walk among a pretty little houses' labyrinth kept by some cats.
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Debra Little
Interior Designer
Dialogue ltd.
Hong Kong
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