Description
Villa Belle Vie truly does enable one to "live the good life". Located in the picturesque hills near Florence, the historical origins of this villa to rent near Florence date back to the 13th century. Originally the convent of the Church of San Biagio, the home has been lovingly and painstakingly renovated to its former splendor, with careful attention paid to every detail and modern comfort.
The Villa is furnished with beautiful, antique furniture dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, and the delightful bedrooms are decorated thematically according to their previous functions within the former farmhouse. The landscaped grounds create an idyllic setting for a relaxing holiday; fragrant gardens, meandering olive groves, a refreshing pool (with separate pool house, barbecue, lounge chairs and umbrellas), a covered eating terrace, two lovely gazebos, and panoramic views of the Tuscan hills are but a few of the features awaiting your arrival. Within a ten minute walk is the charming village of Bacchereto, offering shops and restaurants, and, in the summer/fall, numerous lively, crop-themed festivals.
The caretakers live on-site and look after the gardens, pool, and house cleaning. Elisabetta, the concierge, (also on-site), is available to assist with any arrangements needed to make your holiday a great one, including airport transfers, cooking class, chef services, wine and/or olive tastings. With all it\'s beauty and amenities, Villa Belle Vie certainly is the perfect place to enjoy an idyllic and relaxing vacation. Upon entering Villa Belle Vie , one is immediately struck by the thick wooden doors, the massive stone walls, wood-beamed ceilings, and geometrically tiled floors. But as your eyes adjust, you begin noticing the finer details, such as the Renaissance painting resting languidly over the antique bar, the coat of arms adorning the traditional Tuscan fireplace, the enticing figurine hiding in a wall niche, the ornate, 18th century chairs resting by two stone pillars, or the lavish silver candelabra in the reception area. The living areas are filled with comfortable furniture and interesting art pieces.
One of the living rooms features a large fireplace in which to gather for good conversation and cozy evenings. The dining room seats 16 and also offers a large fireplace for warmth and ambiance. Visit the music room and listen to the selection from the self-playing piano or attempt your own concerto. Arrange a tour of the impressive wine cellar and stay for a private tasting of the delicious estate wine or olive oil.
After dinner, try your luck in the billiard room, with it\'s beautifully restored 18th century billiard table. Or, procure another drink from the antique bar located in the former cattle shed and retire to the TV room for movie night on the 42" plasma screen TV with comfy viewing chairs and fantastic sound system.
Those in the group who love to cook (and, indirectly, those who don't) will be pleased with the well-equipped kitchen, featuring a fireplace, wood-fired pizza oven, fridge/freezer/ice maker, gas stove, oven, microwave, and dishwasher. Cooking classes and dinners with the Chef can be arranged upon request.
Upstairs you will find the library with an antique, handcrafted, iron-framed table, a selection of books, information about local happenings, and a peaceful view of the Tuscan countryside with which to enjoy it all. Also upstairs are the seven exquisitely decorated bedrooms (four with queen beds, three with twin beds) replete with ensuite marble bathrooms with showers, Frigo mini bars (an additional cost), electronic safes, air conditioning, and satellite TV.
Thanks to its location, situated in the heart of the Tuscan hills, between Florence, Prato, and Pistoia, surrounded by splendid vineyards and olive groves, the villa offers the possibility to spend a relaxing vacation in an exclusive and comfortable environment, and to be in touch with the traditional nature of the area. The property is a great starting point for nature and cultural excursions.
The territory of Carmignano is famous for being concerned, in ancient times, by the Etruscans (Comeana excavations). The hills around Carmignano are famous for producing high quality wines. Between the fifteenth and sixteenth century Cosimo the Elder and Lorenzo the Magnificent (of the famous Medici family) purchased different areas in the region, building the luxurious residence in Poggio a Caiano today known as Villa Medici, and later Villa of Artimino.
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Bedroom 1 - Queen Size (plus extra bed) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 2 - Queen Size (plus extra bed) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 3 - Queen Size & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 4 - Queen Size & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 5 - Twin beds (can be made into a Queen) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 6 - Twin beds (can be made into a Queen) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 7 - Twin beds (can be made into a Queen) & Ensuite bathroom
Reviews
Bruce M.
Extraordinary and Authentic. The property was as advertised - good location and well equipped to handle a group of 12-14 for 4 weeks. We enjoyed all aspects of the property from the individual room,, kitchen, sitting room, outdoor dining and pool. The laundry service was an excellent touch. in addition, the property manager - Miguel was fabulous. He checked in every morning to ensure we were enjoying our stay, Finally, the "owners" were in the midst of harvesting grapes for three weeks. It was so touching and endearing when they would either bring us trays of grapes or invite us to observe the grape processing - while sharing stories about the property and offer some wine or food. What a lovely and welcoming visit. All our guest were absolutely thrilled with their experience at Villa Belle Vie. Grazie Millie.
Date of arrival -
September 6, 2025
Date of review -
October 4, 2025
Isolda C.
If you like history, wine, great olive oil, art books, Netflix at night in your own small movie room, plus comfortable clean white sheet beds with bedrooms that have their own bathrooms and all this inside a former XII century convent, this is the place for you. It was winter so we could not enjoy their lovely pool. We had an additional request which was to have their amazing chef, Sabrina and Lara, bringing us previously set menus for every dinner. On top, our hosts were present 24/7 for anything we needed since they live nearby. At daytime we either enjoyed staying in playing games, relaxing or enjoying Florence with its musuems and fine restaurants. Evenings we stayed in savoring Sabrina's lazanhas, eggplant parm, vegetable stews, chicken etc and so many other meals. She also makes delicious pavlovas, tiramisus and other desserts. Our laundry was done by the hosts and was included in the price which ended up being an amazing perk.
Date of arrival -
December 19, 2025
Date of review -
December 26, 2025
AA, USA
Absolutely amazing stay. Everything was perfect and our host Miguel was beyond helpful and kind. Bedrooms AC was strong, kitchen was very well equipped and the pool and grounds were immaculate. Can't put into words how great this place is - it was a trip of a lifetime.
ES, USA
Amazing villa with a great history. Grounds are beautiful, owner is lovely. The pool is great. This is a top notch property and look forward to hopefully visiting in the future.
CJ, USA
Emmanuel,
We just returned from our 3 week stay in Villa Belle Vie and it could not have been any better. The property is superb and the grounds, pool and al fresco dining made it the perfect place to stay. The staff went above and beyond on everything, and we had the chef make dinner several night which was great after a day of sightseeing. We all agreed this property exceeded our expectations and we plan to return.
Many thanks
Charles and Brian
MY, Roswell, GA.
This was an amazing location and property. The caretaker was fantastic! I will definitely go back.
R.D., Portland, Oregon
This is an excellent property. It was the highlight and most memorable of our 6 week trip to Italy. We would recommend this villa to ANY visitor. It was picture perfect!"
JB, USA
My husband and I stayed with two other couples at this house for one week. It exceeded our expectations in every way! The wines were great. We are planning to return to this beautiful villa as it is so relaxing and inviting.
JC, Redmond, Washington
This is an awesome property. the host was wonderful and made herself available for any questions or problems.
CZ, USA
We had a wonderful stay at "Villa Belle Vie". The house was in great shape, despite its beginnings in the 13th century. Everything worked. We were especially grateful for the AC in the bedrooms.
The house manager, Remo, was fantastic, making any arrangements that we requested within minutes.
We took advantage of the offer to hire a chef to make several meals for us. The food and presentation was consistently superb. The owners' family were involved in the preparation of the meals, and a wine tasting.They also washed our clothes.
The grounds and pool were beautifully maintained and the vistas were excellent.
RA, USA
My wife and I and family had this splendid historical villa to ourselves for 3 weeks. In the middle of vineyards, spectacular vistas and complete relaxation. Miguel, the house manager, MADE the vacation, assuring our every need and request was taken care of. We enjoyed a few chefs dinners (excellent) and the wine tasting was a real treat, lead by the owner of the winery. They will take care of everything. Most of us had rented cars which were handy, but taxis and van driver was arranged when and as needed. Nearby restaurants were very good, and shopping for food was easy...at the huge COOP in Prato, or at the smaller COOP in Seano. Housekeeping as often as you desire (we had every other day). All in all, a once in a lifetime holiday for me and my extended family. We would return in a heartbeat. Thanks again, especially to Miguel!
Rooms
Rooms
Living room, Dining room, Kitchen, Library, Family room, Terrace, Balcony.
Bedrooms
Bedroom 1 -
Queen Size (plus extra bed) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 2 -
Queen Size (plus extra bed) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 3 -
Queen Size & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 4 -
Queen Size & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 5 -
Twin beds (can be made into a Queen) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 6 -
Twin beds (can be made into a Queen) & Ensuite bathroom
Bedroom 7 -
Twin beds (can be made into a Queen) & Ensuite bathroom
King size bed: 180 cm, Queen size bed: 160 cm, Double bed 140 cm, Twin bed: 80-100 cm.
Bathrooms
Full bathroom with tub -
2
Full bathroom with shower -
5
Separated Toilet -
1
Total number of Toilets -
8