The Breadbasket

It may be less than a thirty-minute drive from the spectacular Renaissance city of Florence, but this home feels like another world. Located up in the hills, you'll discover a spectacular villa – complete with a clock tower – just outside the small village of Cellai, where time seems to stand still.

Pad across terracotta-tiled floors, with wood beam ceilings above, and discover rooms filled with character and charm, where period features and modern touches sit effortlessly alongside one another. Nowhere is this better displayed than in the contemporary kitchen and adjoining dining room with its antique stove. Each of the four bedrooms blends rustic charm with supreme comfort, while the bathrooms are fitted out with beautiful tiles and gleaming marble for a touch of luxury.

Step outside and you'll discover a lush landscape of terraced gardens, an inviting pool and breathtaking views over the Tuscan terrain. Your hosts recommend making the trip to Forno La Chiocciola, where you can stock up on Florentine speciality flatbread, schiaccata, each morning. Afterwards, place yourself poolside and settle in for a day of sunbathing, interrupted only by refreshing dips in the water and trips to the kitchen to get some more of that delicious bread.

Home truths:
*We'd recommend a car to explore the area – there's ample on-site parking
*For those who can't drive or fancy doing some solo exploration, there's a bus stop ten minutes' walk away that will take you into Florence
*The gardens and pool are shared with another apartment on the site
*Access the home via a private entrance
*The dining table doubles as a laptop-friendly workspace
*For larger groups, there is an additional eight-person apartment that can be rented alongside this one
*One of the bedrooms does not have a door