Coreglia Antelminelli holiday farmhouse: Localita La Costa

My husband and I and our 2 girls (5 and 11) stayed in this beautiful holiday farmhouse for 2 weeks at the beginning of August this year and had the best holiday we have ever had! The weather was fantastic (between 37 and 40?c some days), and we were able to combine our love of exploring, scenic drives and tasting the local cuisine with complete relaxation in the house and by the pool. Not once did the girls complain about being bored!

The house is located away from it all, in the beautiful and peaceful Tuscan mountains and has an absolutely breathtaking view over the valley and surrounding hillsides. There are lots of pretty towns, villages and areas of natural beauty within a short drive from the farmhouse, as well as a good variety of shops, restaurants, supermarkets and other facilities. There is easy access to the main roads and motorways enabling visits further afield to places of interest such as Pisa and the beautiful city of Lucca.

Beautifully and tastefully furnished throughout, the house is absolutely delightful, spacious, clean and well maintained, and contains everything you need. The garden, with its choice of seating areas, terraced olive grove and private pool, together with the spectacular views, provides the perfect environment for a relaxing retreat. The owners and agent are extremely hospitable and friendly, provided us with an excellent service, and made us feel very welcome indeed.

There are too many places to mention which are worthy of a visit. High on the list of recommendations would have to be: the picturesque lake "Laghetto Di Fabbriche Di Vallico" (just a short drive from the house); the beautiful medieval town of Barga, with its steep cobbled streets, stunning views and inviting shops and restaurants; and the city of Lucca with its delightful piazzas, numerous shops and restaurants, and meseums (a drive of approximately 45 minutes from the house).

We would recommend taking an Italian phrasebook/dictionary as many of the locals speak very little English. Parking in town centres is generally not a problem (yellow painted spaces are for residents, blue for pay and display, and white are free).

We would not hesitate in recommending this holiday home to anyone - it is ideal either as a romantic retreat for couples or as a rural retreat for families, and we most definitely intend to return as there is so much more we want to explore.