Luxury, Villa, Pool, Gardens, Tuscany, Child friendly

A patrician country residence, once home to impressionist artists of the 1800’s, Betulifolia Gioli is situated in the hills south east of Pisa and is a delightful and idyllic home with mature gardens and antique furnishings.

Built in the 1700’s as a hunting lodge, Betulifolia Gioli became a ‘villa’ in the second half of the 1800’s when the Gioli brothers, descendants of a wealthy aristocratic family from Pisa whose life was dedicated to the arts, added the tower which thus became their atelier. Mathile Giol, wife of one of the brothers, opened the doors of the villa to the most avant garde artists, intellectuals and writers of the time creating a home full of spirit and life, not to mention the legacy of a memorable ‘visitors book’!

From Betulifolia Gioli’s remarkable location high in the hills south east of Pisa impressionist artists could spend their summers here creating their works of art and today, little has changed as one gazes at this Tuscan scene. The gardens at Betulifolia Giolli are abundant and extremely well kept including an extensive lawn bordered by English roses and hydrangeas. Large holm oaks provide shade for the outdoor living area where one can enjoy dining al fresco savouring the fresh fruit and vegetable from the garden and the sheltered swimming pool area even has gates for children and a bamboo pergola. Here one can while away the days reading or maybe try one’s hand at painting before strolling down the road to the excellent trattoria for some tasty Tuscan cuisine.

Inside Betulifolia Gioli all is elegance and light. The large living room has French windows which open onto the lawn and there is an excellently equipped kitchen in which to experiment with one’s Tuscan cooking! Upstairs the six spacious bedrooms all have wonderful views and are decorated in traditional Tuscan country house style with metal bedsteads and cotton prints as well as paintings and antiques belonging to the Feroni family who now own the villa and are direct descendants of the Gioli brothers. Marquess Cerrina Feroni really treasures the inheritance of Betulifolia Gioli and its memorable heritage and its value as having been an impresionists summer residence.

And for those guests who do enjoy painting or would like somewhere to escape to then what could be better than the artist's atelier and loggia at the top of the villa!