Weekly vacation rental villa near Lucca, Tuscany...

Vacation rental Villa Aquilea is located just north of Lucca, Tuscany, among a series of cultivated hills dotted with small Tuscan villages, farmhouses and churches.

People come from all over the Lucca area to hike or bicycle in Aquilea (pronounced "ah-kwee-LAY-ah") and to visit the ruins of Castellaccio at the top of the hill. Villa Aquilea, which is considered the oldest home in the area, sits above the village with a sun-filled southern exposure and looking over rolling hills of olive groves and vineyards, the Serchio river winding by, and Lucca in the valley below.

The villa is completely private but not isolated. It is near a small group of farmhouses, so you are likely to meet the neighbors, mostly local farmers, as they tend the land or gather water from the local spring. Almost all of them have strong and happy connections with the villa — half the village has an ancestor who was born in the villa or farmed its land. Many times guests have enjoyed being invited to tour the neighbors’ wine-making cantinas, have a coffee, or visit their rabbits and chickens. Some have even helped with the local grape or the olive harvests.

The village of Aquilea has a coffee bar and small grocery (1km) while other coffee shops, baker, butcher, restaurants, shops and a large grocery are in the bigger village near the river at the bottom of the hill (3.5km). The drive is very pretty, as the winding paved road passes olive groves, farmhouses, vineyards and cypress trees. Lucca itself is 12 km (7 miles) from the villa.

Book early for the last weekend in July and the first weekend in August, when Aquilea hosts its annual "sagra," an outdoor village festival including dinner among the vineyards and then ballroom dancing to live music under the stars. The children generally run around underfoot. It’s always been our guests’ favorite part of the summer and you might enjoy it, too.

…Aquilea was a dream, and I have passed it on to many friends, including the link to your website.  We enjoyed it so much.  Thank you….  in wiser years, we find ourselves in beautiful places like “downtown” Aquilea, enjoying caffe and pane, with our own butter and marmellata that Vanda kept in her refrigerator just for us.  Unbelievable.  Staying at the Villa gave us the chance to live, just a little, as a native.  I call it the advanced experience.  Our families have seen many of the beautiful highlights the cities Italy have to offer.  Now, we have stayed in a home, in a village, among great people.   The question I got most often on our return was, “How was the wine of Tuscany?”  My response never varied: “incredible, and it only cost 1 euro for a refill.”  I thank you also for the insight into the history of the area.  Aquilea’s ordeal during WWII was frightening.  One of the women we usually met at Vanda’s each morning remains thankful to this day to the British and Americans for rescuing her during that time.  She is the woman in photo #4 that I have attached... As you said in your email to Ernie, it’s about the people…  we will return soon.  Vincent “Pino” C., New Hope Pennsylvania (guest 2006)

Our wonderful week at your lovely villa ended all too soon.  We cannot hegin to thank you enough for you most gracious hospitality, helpful information, and outstanding accommodation.  We enjoyed the local restaurants, wine, most of all, the friendly people.  Your GPS was so helpful and all we had to do after a long day was touch “home” on the screen and it brought us there safely.  We saw and experienced Tuscany at its best.  Jane and Paul, Donna and Greg, Arlene and Fred, Babs and Dick, Hilton Head Island (guests 2007)