AA Accomodation

We welcome you

to stay with us

Welcome to our home

The Building

Our home is a 900 year-old castle-looking villa perched on a Chianti hill overlooking Florence…

just 20 minutes away from the Renaissance capital of the world.

It has been in our family for 6 generations, and we want to honor it’s legacy of opening to strangers by hosting guests from all over the world.

 

The whole building is inhabited by family members. 3 of the 8 apartments are available to guests, who can stay here overnight,

for a short vacation,  a creative retreat, or a digital nomad stay.  

Each apartment is completely private, has its private entrance and its own kitchen.

The Steinway piano and the garden with its BBQ, pingpong table, basketball hoop, hammock and picnic table are available to all house guests.

There is a little forest adjacent to the property, for private and safe walks. Ample private property 

An ideal location to take day trips to the center of town, explore the countryside, hike the area, or simply retreat  for a few days of peace and quiet, and find inspiration.

  • 40 minutes from Florence Intl. airport
  • 20 minutes to Florence center
  • 1 hour from Siena
  • 50 minutes from Chianti Classico
  • 3 hours from Rome

Choose the listing that is best for you:

2 glasses of wine on top of a tower

The TOWER Apartment

Romantic, family friendly, historically unique, magical atmosphere, 360 degree views of the countryside and Florence. Perfect for honeymoon/anniversary, family trips, Chianti and Tuscany explorations.

A/C in 2 rooms, too!

Cooking class and wine tasting available. 

Sleeps 4 + 1

penthouse dining room

The PENTHOUSE Apartment

This loft is a magical, sun-filled open space that combines 900 years of history with the comforts of modern living.

High ceilings, picture-perfect views over sunrise, sunset, and the village; wood-burning stove, central heat, cosy ceramic stove for the long winter evenings.

Sleeps 4 + 1

The TOWER PENTHOUSE Apartment

This is the  Tower + Penthouse combination. One of a kind, spacious & super-scenic home combines magical atmosphere with space, light, character, convenience, for an unforgettable family vacation.

Sleeps  8 + 2

The GARDEN MINIHOUSE KITCHEN (coming soon...)

This was the old wash house of the villa, located in the orchard: the sunniest spot on the property. WE ARE ABOUT TO CONVERT THIS INTO A SUN-FILLED KITCHEN SPACE FOR OUR COOKING CLASSES! THERE WILL BE A VEGETABLE GARDEN IN THE FRONT so we can pick our ingredients right there and then, AND A BACK DECK TO ENJOY THE SUNSET OVER FLORENCE.

The CASA ALTA Apartment

If you are looking for a more remote, affordable, outdoor heaven on the Alps and near the beach, try our newly renovated CASA ALTA!

Sleeps 7

The Village

Our village is called SAN DONATO IN COLLINA, and sits on top of a hill in the heart of Chianti Colli Fiorentini, about 12 km south from the center of Florence. Because of its location, close enough but far enough from the city, it has become a very desirable residential area around the city.

It has a community center, 2 small grocery shops, (one of which bakes bread twice daily and has fresh ricotta, and the other one which also makes cappuccino), a newspapers shop which also sells fresh veggies and fruit, a post office, a village clothing shop, a butcher’s shop, a church, a very old fashion (very inexpensive!) mechanic, and the postman’s farm, informally open to young visitors.

There is a bus service that will take you straight to the center of Florence in 30 minutes (which we recommend if you are planning a day trip to the city); however we suggest having a car, for evening outings and out-of-town excursions.

From the village, there are numerous hikes that you can take to explore our romantic countryside. We have a book in the apartment that illustrates all marked hikes in Tuscany, which you are welcome to consult, as any other book in our library.

A little bit of history

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT RODOLFO

The article is titled: “Blond, tall, almost German: The nazi’s false friend who saved Jews and Partisans” and describes my grandfathers active involvement in 

The home’s central tower was built in 1146 while later additions were built in the 1400s, 1600s and 1900s.

It was built by the Bardi – the family that dominated the region before the Medici family.

Later it was purchased by David Curiel, who died without heirs and left the building to the orphanage of the “Innocenti”.

From there, it was purchased by the Carpi family, who then in the early 1800’s sold it to the Paoli family, who still own it today: 

from Michelangelo who left it to his son Galileo, who left it to his son Rodolfo, my grandfather, who lived here with his wife, 6 children,

2 aunts and a variable number of domestic helpers.

 

During WWII, many people’s lives were saved in this building, thanks to Rodolfo’s courage: he played double and entertained the Fascists and Nazis in his formal living room, while partisans, allied soldiers and people from all paths and different nations were hiding in the many nooks and crannies of this villa.

Rodolfo, died in 1978 and left the estate to the 5 children who survived him, who have divided the villa in 6 independent apartments

of different sizes.

 

Today, there is a total of 12 residents, all related.

We are very close, and appreciate the privilege of having each other as neighbors and family.

Majla and Marco’s children – Eva and Giotto – are the 6th generation of Paoli living in this place. 

 

It’s family playtime in the garden!

If you are looking for an affordable family stay in the Ligurian Alps, by the river, sorrounded by mountains, not far from the beach, one hour from the French Riviera

CLICK HERE

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