La Fattoria Mansi Bernardini in the hills outside Lucca, Italy is a beautifully lush piece of property consisting of four separate villas for rent, each a pool and garden, an olive tree orchard and olive oil press, and a vineyard. The views are extraordinary, overlooking peaceful valleys and other Tuscan estates.
Thirteen of us have come to stay for one glorious week. The first day it rained so hard it reminded me of that movie "Enchanted April" where the British ladies arrive from rainy London and are so depressed to find Tuscany just as wet and gloomy. But in the morning they open their shuttered windows to glorious sunny views.
Our first few days were spent exploring the area with rental cars. For example, driving to
Torre del Lago the home of Puccini; then to
Viareggio's seaside resort area which was completely empty of people with rows and rows of empty beach chairs ~ as if an alien spaceship had beamed everyone up. Very odd. And also to
Pisa a wonderful town in itself even without the leaning tower; the hilltop village of
Barga; and course my favorite little medieval walled Tuscan town of
Lucca.
This place make you forget about the past and enjoy each moment, Italian style.
[Photos copyright by M. J. Milne, 2011]
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