Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops
Casa Tolomei is an original, historic, and beautiful villa located in the well-known village of Bagni di Lucca, Tuscany, within easy walking distance of restaurants, cafes, shops, supermarkets and banks.
There is an in-ground swimming pool (8 metres by 4 metres, depth 1.20 metres).
The leafy walled garden with palm trees, olives and stone BBQ is a great place to relax, and there's a large, shady terrace adjoining the kitchen for easy al-fresco dining.
The spacious, elegant accommodation is suitable for groups from 4 up to 10 people, and includes up to 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (of which two are en-suites), a modern kitchen, adjoining utility room, secluded and shady dining terrace, snug/TV room, and the stunning frescoed living room.
Families with children are welcome.
Outside there is a mature, private walled garden on two levels with various trees and plants including palms and olives. Here you will find a gazebo covered with wisteria, picnic tables and chairs, a stone-built grill/barbecue.
A few features at a glance: In-ground swimming pool private walled garden - dining terrace - modern kitchen - washing machine - dishwasher - balcony - wifi internet - TV - splendid large sitting room - antique frescoes - 5 bedrooms. The villa is located in the heart of the town. Restaurants, bars, banks, supermarkets, shops & bus stop all a few steps away. Easy, free public parking with plenty of spaces, around the park perimeter and various other spots, all within a few metres the villa. On-site private parking for medium sized car, requires reversing through the gates. The nearest supermarket is about 25 metres from the house.
About the area In the immediate vicinity of the house there are nature walks in the woods, and along the river; and all services such as restaurants, banks and supermarkets. There is a famous, very large open-air pool at Villa Ada (entrance just across the park from us) and they also have a children's pool and a bar/restaurant. There are several restaurants within an easy stroll: the very well regarded Da Mamo (grilled meat, fish, pizza etc) is just a few steps away, and then there are the Circolo dei Forestieri (offering excellent, satisfying and very affordable lunch menus, as well as dinner), La Lira (a highly popular pizzeria in the style of an Irish pub), and Ristorante del Sonno which offers a selection of local as well as typical Italian dishes. Across the road is Bar Borghese which is a great spot for a cappucino, a pastry, and even lunch on their cosy garden terrace. Nearby there are quaint villages nestled among the hills and mountains, the Canyon Park (a very popular adventure park), rafting, and a famous ski resort - Abetone - which is also a popular outside of the ski season for it's nature and hiking . The nearby historic centre of Lucca is not to be missed.
English poets Robert & Elizabeth Barrett-Browning were summer residents in this house during the 1850s, writing many enthusiastic letters about their experience, and working on their poetry.
Later, the immensely famous operatic composer Giacomo Puccini was a regular guest as he was a close friend of the owner of the house at that time.
The front facade of the villa is famously decorated with Liberty period (Art Nouveau) frescoes, while the garden facade has the classical period design dating from the 1700-1800s
Inside, several rooms exhibit original antique frescoes, including the stunning grand sala which is entirely covered in frescoes. Most bedrooms have original frescoes on walls or ceilings.
About our location: We're in the historic centre of Bagni di Lucca, a few steps from all shops and services. There are caffes a few doors away and the nearest restaurant is virtually next door (it has an excellent reputation). A pleasant park with selection of specimen trees, a fountain and children's play area is across the street. Across the park you will find the entrance to the villa Ada which has a huge outdoor public pool in summer. Across the road, directly in front of the house, is a lane that leads to the riverside walk known as the poets walk, as it was here that English poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning used to stroll while staying at the villa. In the centre of the walk is a plaque dedicated to them with a sample of their love poetry. Thermal and other wellness activities are available at the historic spa establishments in the vicinity. A famous tennis club is a short walk away down the main street. All around you can admire the elegant architecture of this town which was frequented by the aristocracy and celebrities of years gone by. The well-known and popular Canyon Park (adventure park) is a short drive away. Bagni di Lucca is also a perfect starting point for trips to nearby cities such as Lucca, Pisa, Florence, or Viareggio and its beaches.
The accommodation is the entire first upstairs floor of the villa together with private garden. There are no other guests at the same time as your group.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Pool
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Have a question?
AI iconBetaBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
Similar properties
Lovely villa near Lucca, sleeps 15, ideal for pool, beach or sightseeing holiday
San Ginese di Compito, Capannori
Lovely villa near Lucca, sleeps 15, ideal for pool, beach or sightseeing holiday
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts cash
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Property Registration Number IT046002C2RK5E2SDH
Frequently asked questions
Does Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops have a pool?
Yes, this property has a pool.
How much does it cost to stay at Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops?
As of 8 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops on 17 June 2026 start from AU$520, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops?
Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Beautiful Historic Tuscan Villa with pool, a few steps to restaurants, shops located?
This family-friendly Bagni di Lucca villa is located in the mountains, within 1 mi (2 km) of Casino' delle Terme and Bagni di Lucca Thermal Spa. Prato Fiorito and Ponte della Maddalena are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
9.4
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
A stunning historical villa in a lovely Italian village. We loved it and hope to go back.
Martin P.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Sept 2025
Dear Martin, thanks for your beautiful review. You were excellent guests. We are very happy that you've enjoyed your stay and hope to welcome you back!
We had a perfect time in that beautyfull villa, with a true familly spirit in
Marie D.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug 2024
Thanks for you review Marie and Olivier, we are very happy that you enjoyed your holidays in our villa! It was a pleasure to have your family here.
Verified
6/10 Okay
Sara s.
17 Sept 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication
The house was clean and reasonably well equipped and we were met by Giulia who showed us around when we arrived. The house has a lot of history and was likely once an elegant home but is now a little tired and in need of some maintenance (electrics and bathrooms need attention) and TLC. It has a well maintained pool.It is well located for a local supermarket, bars and cafes but the restaurant offering was poor. There are a number of good eating places within a short drive.Communication with the host was good.
Sara s.
Stayed 12 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 17 Sept 2025
Thanks for the review, Sara. We did our best to meet your demands, and we are not aware of any problems with electricity. As for the bathrooms, they are actually all quite new - we know there's one shower that has a small leaking at the base, but unfortunately we can resolve that issue only at the end of the season, otherwise the guests wouldn't be able to use it for several days.
As for restaurants, there are several places at walking distance (at least 6), but of course we are not responsible for the variety of their offering.
We are thankful for your stay, and appreciate that your group left the house in good order after your departure.
Not just a large and comfortable villa with refreshing pool, Casa Tolomei boasts a fascinating history. Sleep in the same room as famed poem Robert Browning, explore the hill top towns and villages of Tuscany and the wonderful walled Lucca is just down the road to wander through.
Edward B.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Aug 2022
Dear Edward,
Thank you so much for your beautiful review and your stay at Casa Tolomei. You've been a great guest, highly respectful and appreciative. We're so happy that you have enjoyed and truely hope yo have you all back!
Laura
We had a great week at Casa Tolomei. The house retains its traditional historic feel though benefits from an updated kitchen and bathrooms. We stayed during a particularly hot week so it was great to have the new pool to keep cool! The family really enjoyed the space of having ante-rooms to their bedrooms too. The hosts were helpful and responsive to our requests too! Many thanks.
Jonathan S.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Aug 2024
Dear Jonathan,
Thank you so much for your review. We are glad that you enjoyed your holidays at Casa Tolomei and grateful that you took such good care of it. We would be definitely very happy to welcome you back!
Laura
Pool was good but ladder was unsafe for any older personBed linen was on very poor quality side.Ripped doors, thin bedsheets & poor quality towels….Suggest attention be given to these items.Kitchen knives, glasses etc were limited and of poor quality.
Phillip M.
Stayed 42 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Nov 2025
Thank you for your review. We did do our best to accomodate your requests during your stay.
The pool ladder is a standard one and we have quite a well equipped kitchen for a holiday home. We are not aware of any ripped door, unless someone has ripped them during their stay without notifying it. Unfortunately at the end of the season there might damages or missing items that we had no time to attend to. Thank you for your feedback.
Mooi groot oud huis op prima locatie nabij winkels, restaurants en eigen parkeerplek. Slaapkamers aan de voorkant wel erg gehorig en erg warm binnen. Geen airco aanwezig
Joris D.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Sept 2025
Thanks for your review. We are pleased that you enjoyed the villa and its location.
Eigentlich wollten wir auch ans Meer fahren, aber es hat allen so gut im Haus und am Pool gefallen, das wir nur zweimal nach Lucca gefahren sind. Ganz gut hat uns die zentrale Lage des Hauses innerhalb des Dorfes gefallen. Supermärkte, Bars und Restaurants konnten bequem zu Fuss erreicht werden.
Mit ein Highlight war die wunderbare Terrasse vor der Küche, die kühl und abgeschirmt war und zu jeder Tageszeit ein Genuss war.
Das Haus selbst ist zwar in die Jahre gekommen aber dabei sehr gemütlich und unglaublich geräumig.
Wir können die Villa unbedingt weiter empfehlen.
Sebastian M.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Sept 2024
Dear Sebastian
Thank you so much for your review. We are really happy that you've enjoyed your stay and truly hope to have you back. Thanks for taking care of the house so well and being great guests.
Laura
We loved the history of this villa, the location and the coolness of the house. I gave 3 stars for accuracy of description since we hadn't been told planning permission hadn't been given for the in ground swimming pool we had expected. There is a pool which is adequate for cooling off in and there is a fantastic communal pool complex 5 mins walk from the house. Furnishings were a bit tired but the building itself is fascinating, gracious rooms with high ceilings and loads of history Our bed was very comfortable and the bathrooms all very modern. Lovely being walking distance to all you need and 2 very good restaurants in the village, one literally next door.
Great for exploring the region particularly by train as parking easy and free and train very cheap and reliable. Highly recommend Bagni Bernard, excellent massage and beautiful 1800s facilities.
Andrew and Laura are the warmest, kindest hosts you can imagine, and they are extremely knowledgeable about the region and the history of the house. The village is picturesque without being overly commercial—it’s still feels like a real place where people are living their lives, not catering to strangers, and yet you can find everything there for hiking, walking, dining, exploring, and simply enjoying the beautiful house and river.
Verified traveller
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Oct 2021
Thank you for your beautiful review, we are very happy that you have enjoyed your stay. Having you here was amazing, your live for the house and the surrounding warmed our hearts.
We had a magical time! A great place to stay. We spent a few days in Bagni di lucca and a few taking day trips around Tuscany.
Drinking coffee on the cool Terrasse in the morning and jumping in the pool in the evening we’re our favorite moments! The hosts were spectacular!
Katherine G.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Aug 2021
Dear Katherine,
thank you so much for your beautiful review, you were great guests too!
Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt, die Lage ist perfekt in der Ortschaft. Restaurants und Supermarkt sind zu Fuß erreichbar, Ausflugsziele sind ebenfalls in der näheren Umgebung vorhanden - hier sollte man jedoch ein Auto zur Verfügung haben. Die Vermieter sind sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Wir haben die Zeit dort sehr genossen. Vielen Dank
Laura and Andy have a beautiful home in Bagni Di Lucca.
They have worked diligently at restoring this historic property. We stayed for a week In September and loved the home, town and it’s environs. There were only 4 of us, so the living space was more than ample. Andy and Laura could not have been nicer. It is a beautiful spot in Italy, the perfect place to explore Tuscany. Besides the restaurants in the town, we enjoyed discovering out of the way restaurants not too far away. Also, the tourist office is across the street is a great place to get information on the region!
3 nice Restaurants within walking distance (5 mins) Villa Fantastically Restored Laura and Andy (Owners) could not have been more helpful and obliging. Only negative was the overground pool. Difficult to enter but Fantastic Communal pool 5 minute walk away € 8 Entry for the WHOLE day. Spotless and with all facilities (little cafe with snacks and wine/beer ..very reasonable. Had a wonderful holiday.
The villa is full of history situated in a very convenient position in Bagni di Lucca,close to supermarket,buses ,and short walk to great family swimming pool.Owners met us on arrival and extremely friendly and helpful. Would definitely go back.The best family holiday we have had for 10 of us.
The place was beautiful. Centered in a great location. Right around the corner from just about everything. The outside living space was beautiful and perfect for dining. The house itself is beautiful. Laura and Andy have done a great job of modernization while ma aging to keep the treasures of eras gone by known through out the villa. We will definitely stay here again,
teri l.
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2019
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Lucas A.
24 Aug 2017
Beautiful villa full of history providing perfect mix of traditional culture & modern convenience.
Casa Tolomei is amazing! A beautiful villa, with amazing frescos both inside and out, and a rich history to match! It is perfectly located in the town so walking to shops, restaurants, bars, gelateria etc. is easy and convenient and it also has a lovely garden so you still feel that you are in the countryside. Although it is a historical building, the rooms are comfortable and the kitchen and bathrooms are modern and very nice. We stayed with 2 families- 4 adults and 5 kids ages 6-14, and had plenty of space and found it super liveable and comfortable.
Laura and Andy are great hosts and made registration and check-in/check-out super easy, even though we had a few complications on our side during the booking process. They were very understanding and accommodating and made booking the holiday as enjoyable as the actual holiday itself.
Everything was fantastic. Highly recommend it.
Lucas A.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Mar 2020
Thank you for your excellent review - we enjoyed having you as guests and are glad that you enjoyed the villa. We appreciate all your kind comments and hope to welcome you back in the future!
Archival
8/10 Good
Yael E.
10 Aug 2017
It was an amazing holiday! the house is very big, inspiring and special. We loved it.
The area is beautiful, lots of nature ,swimming in the river and sea. Small pretty villages. Laura and Andy the owners are charming , warm and very helpful. They did an amazing job with the house. Definitely will recommend it to friends and family .
Yael E.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your review. We truly enjoyed having your group at Casa Tolomei and we do hope that you will be coming back!
About the host
Hosted by Laura & Andy
We'll be there to greet you on your arrival, and afterwards we're contactable if you need help or advice. Andy is English and Laura is Italian, also speaking fluent English, German, and Spanish.
Why they chose this property
Casa Tolomei is a very special house, known to everyone in the area, many of whom seem to have grown up playing inside the house or in the garden. We found the house in neglected condition and spent almost 4 years performing a sympathetic restoration, retaining all historic features including ancient tile floors, frescoes, doors and windows, etc.
The house is internationally known because the English poets Robert & Elizabeth Barret-Browning were summer residents here in the 1850's and wrote many surviving letters from this address, while working on their poetry. The house contains much reference material concerning the visits of the poets. Elizabeth drew a map of the floorplan as the house was at the time, which survived in her letters and is represented as an enlarged artwork.
Furthermore, the world-renowned composer Giacomo Puccini (Madame Butterfly, La Boheme, etc)was a regular guest as he was the lifelong best friend of the villa's owner at that time, Adriano Bastiani. Puccini is known to have regularly slept here in one of guest bedrooms (which now has some of his opera posters and a portrait hanging), played piano in the grand sala, and played with the children of the family in the garden after arriving in his motor car, of which he was one of the earliest proponents.
What makes this property unique
Staying here is an experience in itself. This is an original noble Tuscan villa which allows guests to experience the lifestyle of a different time, thanks to the careful preservation of the original features. Important services such as bathrooms, kitchen and electricity, are all modern.
Wonderful frescoes adorn the inside and outside of the house - the main facade of the house had its early Liberty-period frescoes uncovered and retouched during the recent restoration, and several rooms have frescoes on walls and or ceilings. The main living room (sala grande) is entirely decorated with frescoes and is truly unique.
The house is located in the historic town centre of Bagni di Lucca with a lovely cafe a few steps away and a well-known restaurant virtually next door. Banks, bars, all the well-known restaurants, the Irish Pub, and supermarkets are all within a short walk.
Despite the convenient location, guests will find the mature walled garden to be a tranquil and private spot, and from here one can admire the impressive garden monument, the palm trees, and the neo-classical facade on this side of the house. In summer there is a pool (8 x 4 metres, depth 1.3m) plus picnic tables, chairs and gazebo.
In the immediate vicinity of the house one can find nature walks (including the Poets Walk along the river, accessed via steps across the road from the house) and all services such as restaurants, banks and supermarkets. In the locality there are adventure opportunities such as kayaking, horse-riding and the Canyon Adventure Park.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests