A philanthropist’s summer villa with pool between Florence and Pisa - CLASS LISTED / LANDMARKED BUILDING

OVERVIEW Villa Gioli

Set high in the idyllic landscape of the hills southeast of Pisa, this patrician country house is approached by an age-old alley of birch trees which, beyond the tall gates, leads into the spacious and well-kept gardens of the villa.

This was once home to two brothers, renowned artists and philanthropists – Francesco and Luigi Gioli – who for many years invited leading exponents of the Italian impressionist movement “the Macchiaioli” to spend their summers here. It was from here that these painters could venture out into the open countryside, capturing the play of light on nature in all its many hues and facets and transferring them to canvas.

On the ground floor, the large living room opens onto an extensive lawn bordered by English roses and hydrangeas. Spreading holm oaks lend their shade to a magical outdoor living area. Above the painter’s atelier, on top of the tower of the villa, a stunning loggia with arches on all four sides gives you marvellous views onto the surrounding landscape.

There are six large and airy bedrooms, all of which enjoy a splendid view. They have been decorated in a traditional Tuscan country house style with iron bedsteads, lively cotton print upholstery as well as with paintings and other family antiques.

The private pool of Villa Gioli is located in a sunny and secluded part of the garden.

Amenities and services

Floorplan of the villa

Ground floor
Entrance hall
Living room with French windows
Drawing room
Study with TV
Dining room
Kitchen
Laundry
WC

First floor
Upstairs living room
1 twin or double with en-suite bathroom (tub)
1 double bedroom
4 doubles or twins (as requested)
3 further bathrooms (two with shower and one with tub)

Top floor
Painter’s atelier and loggia

Garden :

Mature garden with century old trees, roses and hydrangeas
Sheltered Swimming pool 11 x 4,5 metres with child-proof fencing
Table and chairs for outdoor meals

ESTATE: Villa Gioli

Impressionist’s summer residence

In the summers of a century ago aristocrats and academics from the ancient University of Pisa, as well as naval officers from the nearby port of Leghorn retreated to their patrician country residences rising on the gentle hillsides shouldering the city of Pisa. One of these, the Villa Gioli, was built in the 1700’s. Originally a hunting lodge, villa Gioli acquired its present style and dimensions in the second half of the 1800’s when the brothers Francesco and Luigi Gioli, descendants of a wealthy aristocratic family from Pisa, whose life was dedicated to the arts, added the tower which was to become the artists’ atelier at their country house villa in Tuscany.

This was the golden era of Italian impressionists, known locally as the “Macchaioli”, derived from “macchia” which means as much as dot or stain and is a reference to the impressionistic stroke of the brush. This powerful, though at the time controversial, movement embraced some of the leading painters of the day, many of whom had studied in Paris. This was a time when artists were venturing beyond the confines of their studios into nature and the constantly fluctuating light and colours of the surrounding countryside, breaking with academic traditions, seeking new frontiers. There was a pressing urge to congregate among fellow artists to exchange ideas and derive strength from each other’s inspiration. Matilde Bartolommei Gioli, wife of one of the two artist brothers, offered these striving artists a haven. Intelligent, cultivated and well-read, she flung open the doors of the Villa Gioli to the most avant-garde artists, intelligentsia and writers of the time. Among these Fattori, Lega, Signorini, Kienerk and Cecconi came and stayed in the villa Gioli for many a long summer.

The present owners, the Marquis Cerrina Feroni family, are direct descendants of the Gioli brothers. The spirit of those times has remained to this day.

ACTIVITIES

• Lucca: At forty five minutes by car from Villa Gioli, Lucca is one of the most enchanting towns in Tuscany. Whether you stroll along the wide avenues cresting the top of the ancient city walls or wander through the narrow streets punctuated by its ninety nine churches, visit one of the richly endowed museums or browse among the old-fashioned little boutiques, sip a cappuccino at one of the many traditional coffee houses and sample some of the best ice cream in Tuscany, this is a sheer delight.
• The celebrated villas around Lucca: Some of these historic villas are open to the public and a few have internationally renowned gardens, offering an inimitable glimpse of gracious living which has endured until the present day.
• The seashore: the nearest sea resorts are at approximately 20 minutes from Villa Gioli. At a 40 minute drive north are sandy beaches along the coast of Versilia at turn of the century Viareggio and fashionable Forte dei Marmi with their trendy bars, designer shopping and some of the best seafood restaurants in Italy. You will find amore natural coastline in the Maremma, which is at a 40 minute drive to the south.
• Carrara: visiting the marble quarries of Carrara are a fascinating excursion. After having been up the quarries, stop at Pietrasanta, a charming town between mountains and the sea where many sculptors have come to work.
• The Puccini festival is held every summer in July and August at Torre del Lago, the summer residence of Giacomo Puccini, at 45 km from Villa Gioli.

RATES

GUEST REVIEWS, Villa Gioli, Villa Gioli

LOCATION

Lucca: At forty five minutes by car from Villa Gioli, Lucca is one of the most enchanting towns in Tuscany. Whether you stroll along the wide avenues cresting the top of the ancient city walls or wander through the narrow streets punctuated by its ninety nine churches, visit one of the richly endowed museums or browse among the old-fashioned little boutiques, sip a cappuccino at one of the many traditional coffee houses and sample some of the best ice cream in Tuscany, this is a sheer delight.