1间卧室历史性公寓, 32 m²

Casciana Terme Lari, Pisa (省)

Charming one-bedroom apartment, with exposed beams and original terracotta floors, on the first floor of a medieval watchtower in a quiet hamlet in the Western Valdera. Just 25 minutes from Pisa, it’s set among olive groves and offers soothing views of the rolling Tuscan landscape beyond.

Borghettino di Ripoli, a farmhouse and watchtower dating back to the Middle Ages, has been converted into seven apartments, and a separate hayloft, by a team of well known architects, using period materials and traditional techniques. All have use of a pretty, shared garden and a stunning, 10-metre infinity pool. All but one are holiday apartments, so it’s rare to find more than a few people around the pool.

This small, but lovely flat on the first floor has a private entrance, private parking space and big South-facing windows, with pretty views from each one. It’s an ideal bolthole, a place you can lock up and leave and return to for holidays and weekends. It has a review rating of 4.93 out of 5 on Airbnb and 4.8 out of 5 on HomeAway. It has been a writer’s happy retreat for 13 years, a perfect place to think, write and dream.

Ripoli is on the edge of Cevoli, a picturesque village with a church and a couple of bars. It’s a few minutes’ drive to Lari, famous for its medieval castle and to Casciana Terme, well known for its thermal spa. Within an hour you can be in Florence, Lucca, Volterra or Siena. If you prefer, you can leave the car in Pontedera and get the train to Florence, which takes just 45 minutes. In about half an hour, you can be on the beach at Livorno or Terrenia. In about an hour, you can be in the dramatic mountain landscapes of the Garfagnana or, a few minutes on, La Spezia. This is an excellent base for exploring the whole of Tuscany and beyond.

There’s a huge choice of restaurants, cafes and bars in Ponsacco, Pontedera, Palaia, Lajatico, Chianni and other nearby villages and towns. There are shops and supermarkets, including a huge Conad, within a five-minute drive. This delightful little apartment combines the convenience of a a 25-minute drive from an airport with the tranquillity, beauty and sense of history that has made Tuscany so loved around the world. This is an excellent opportunity to get a bolthole in Tuscany of your own.