Indoor: The villa has multiple areas for guests to relax, gather and entertain. There are six living areas -rooms:
Three on the main floor - a very large sitting room (with a connected, but separate dining area) and a huge arched window which completely opens to a spectacular view over the property, valley and surrounding hill-towns. The room has a wood stove. There is a separate study/TV room with fireplace. aAthird smaller sitting room adjoins the one bedroom on the main floor: this has a fireplace a desk, and comfortable chairs.
Two on the upper floor - one of the main bedrooms, has a sitting area, desk and wood-pellet fireplace. The second bedroom has an adjoining loggia - another large open window opening to the same views as the living room below. This has a work, table some comfortable easy chairs and a small - fully equipped secondary kitchen. A quiet spot, to read, work, or just enjoy the view with a cup of coffee or drink.
Lower Floor - this has a large sitting room “playroom” that opens onto the lower courtyard with it’s ping-pong table, gym, and foosball.
There are three indoor Dining areas. Directly under the arched window, and adjoining living room, with a large dining table that seats 14: A second dining area is part of the kitchen and seats 8: The table in the loggia is also suitable for dining - also useful if using the smaller kitchen.
There are 3 outdoor dining areas: Outside the kitchen - part of the kitchen herb garden - is a table for eight which particularly nice for breakfasts or al fresco dinners. The upper courtyard (area with BBQ’s and pizza oven) has a large stone table that seats 14: this is tented during the summer and suitable for both lunch and dinners. The pool has a large table, under a wisteria pergola, that seats 14+
The villa has seven bedrooms: two on the top floor - each with en suite bathrooms: one has a pellet fireplace and views in multiple directions. the other adjoins the loggia withs its seating area & smaller kitchen. This bedroom can be used as a suite. Both bathrooms have separate showers and tubs, double sinks bidets, and finished with marble and Italian tiles. Both bedrooms queen-size beds & have air conditioning & ceiling fans.
The main floor - This has just one bedroom, en suite bathroom - separate tube and shower, double sinks; bidet and finished with marble and Italian tiles. One of the smaller living rooms - with fireplace - is directly connected to this bedroom and can be used as a small, private suite. The bedroom has a queen bed & air conditioning.
The lower floor: This floor has four bedrooms. Three surrounding the large - lower floor - living room; the largest, has a queen size bed, frescoed walls & it’s own private terrace, with views over the fields, & air conditioning The other two, smaller bedrooms each have two twin beds & frescoed walls. These do not have air conditioning, but there are fans, and views from both rooms. There are 2.5 bathrooms for these rooms. - a full bathroom with tub, bidet and shower and a separate toilet and sink. Another full bathroom for these rooms is up a flight of stairs. The fourth bedroom - the former chapel - is in another section of the villa. It is completely private & can be accessed through separate entrances - one leading to the lower courtyard - if desired. It has an en suite bathroom and incorporates a large sitting area It is air conditioned.
Pool:. The 13m x 3m (40' x 10’) pool sits on its own terrace above the house with amazing. views over the hillsides, fields, chestnut forests and hill towns. It has mosaic tiles, a salinator filtration plant and a “baby pool” paddling area. The pool terrace has a large dining table under a wisteria pergola: a separate, small, dining table lounge chairs and other seating. There is also a separate grape pergola with two hammocks. The pool is totally private, has a gate for safety , and the Sonos music system and internet work on that terrace.
Hot-tub: A large hot-tub is in its own private - gated - courtyard, adjacent to the upper courtyard. The pool is mosaic tiled, and heated by a combination of solar and gas and water electronically purified. The tub can easily accommodate 6+
Gym: Opening onto the lower courtyard is the dedicated gym, equipped with a treadmill, recumbent bikes, a cross-trainer, and a multi-purpose full body trainer. Some weights, TV and internet, yoga mats, etc.
Bocce: A bocce court is set in the olive groves and has lights for nigh-time play
Other Games: A ping-pong table sits between terracotta pots of lemons in the lower courtyard, together with a foosball machine. Balls, bats, some inflatable pool loungers also available.
Outdoors: The villa sits on 20 ha (~40 acres) of land and set on a hill, among terraces of lavender, olives, a vegetable garden, and chestnut & acacia forest and guests can walk around the property on paths - including a medieval, cobbled, donkey path that runs up beyond the house. We do have cinghiale (wild boar) in the surrounding forest, and some deer, seasonably, around the property: the cinghiale do not bother guests, although some caution is recommended during the hunting season- November December.
Hiking: & Biking: La Fronzola is situation in the foothills of the Apuan Alps - the cooler summer temperatures accounting for its popularity over the centuries. This means that the area is hilly and subsequently a very popular area for outdoor activities. There are many hiking trails - marked and some with refuges - and maps are available. Biking is equally popular - bikes can be rented in the area, although - unless you are used to biking hills, some quite steep - and roads can be narrow, this is probably best suited if you have some experience with these conditions.
Other sporting activities: Because it is a popular destination area, there are many other choices of local outdoor activity including tennis, in public courts in the local village; river rafting; horseback and Quad-bike riding; paragliding; visiting a complex of local caves; & river swimming and the Abetone ski resort is about 45 minutes form the house, are amongst many others.
Food is central to Italian life or an Italian holiday - and eating at Fronzola makes every meal memorable. The Garfagnana valley - where we’re situated - is famous for its local produce: hams from local pigs raised on chestnuts and acorns, to cinghiale (wild boar living in the surrounding forests) to cheeses, porcini, chestnut tarts, olive oil, acacia and chestnut honey (our own honey is particularly good) and vegetables from our own gardens - cooked in water from our mountain springs - make even the simplest meal special. Preparing meals in the main kitchen is a joy, with its complete battery of gourmet and premium equipment, from food processors, to juicers, to decent knives and local herbs from the herb garden. (And yes, there’s even a microwave.) Whether cooking with local ingredients on the 7 burner/two oven chefs’ stove , the gas or charcoal grills, or the pizza oven — used since 1737 — your meals will be unforgettable. And, if you’re staying during warmer months you have access to the villa’s vegetable gardens too.
Naturally, if you’d prefer not to cook yourselves, we use a wonderful chef (do reserve Paola in advance of your stay as she gets booked up) who can also teach and work with you to cook the meal you’ll eventually eat. Ivano, is a professional pizzaiolo (pizza-maker) who will come up and cook pizza’s to your requests and keep surprising you with his skill and unusual pizza toppings tastes... until you have to beg him to stop.
Internet: The villa has a reasonably high speed, satellite, internet system. The service covers all rooms, the pool and upper terraces, and sections of the lower terraces. Speed is dependent on usage - both by guests and the service itself - but is normally well in excess of 20 Mbps.
TV: Two “smart” TV’s both with CD players and connections to various news and entertainment apps. There are cables to connect the TVs to your computer as well as wireless connections. Note: that some services require VPN connections to change IP addresses for other national locations. There is a large - eclectic - selection of DVD movies.
Music:. Sonos music system with speakers in all living areas and some bedrooms ,as well as at the pool, hot-tub and courtyard. A large - eclectic - collection of music CD’s.
Books, Indoor Games etc: Guests have access to numerous games, including both backgammon, chess, along with a broad variety board games, puzzles etc. for all ages. There is a large, eclectic library - guests are welcome to use these facilities.
Security: Guest security - both personally and with possessions - is not an issue. In general, the whole area is extremely safe with virtually no personal injury and very few robberies - and then, only in more urban areas. The property is totally private, gated, with electronic access on the driveway and difficult to access. Our neighbors live on the property and take care of the grounds, olives etc. as well as their own fields. Thus, there’s usually some activity around the property, both day and night. Our neighbors, Giuliana & Fabio, are the second generation of the family that has looked after the house for us for over 35 years. Simonella, our housekeeper, has worked for us for over 10 years, the same applies with respect to the maintenance staff. In the 30+ years of owning the property, nothing has ever “gone missing”.
Laundry & Other Personal items: The villa has a complete laundry as well as irons, a steamer and we provide detergents for guest’s use. Outdoor drying racks and washing lines are in the lower courtyard. Bathrooms all ae provided with hairdryers.
Safety: Pool, Alarms, Fire, First Aid: The pool has a gate at the bottom of the steps leading to the pool terrace that should be kept closed. The hot tub has two entrances and two gates which should be kept closed.
There are fire and carbon monoxide alarms in the house and fire extinguishers located in various locations. A First Aid kit is kept in the kitchen pantry.
Health: There is a small health clinic in the village with trained paramedic staff and an on-call physician. The clinic handles basic injuries or minor issues, and operates an ambulance service which serves the local community and comes to the house and more serious cases are transported by ambulance to the hospital in Lucca. (We do keep bees on the property, not near the house - and they are not aggressive - nonetheless, for guests with serious bee/wasp sting allergies, we do recommend bringing an epipen as the lavender terraces and clover in the pool lawn which do attract bees.
Linens: Of course all bed and bath linens are provided and changed once per week. (More changes per arrangement with the housekeeper.) Pool towels are provided.
Kitchen /Bathroom supples:. All basic cleaning materials, paper towels, toilet paper, soaps, spices etc are provided.
Staffing: The housekeeper comes in for four hours 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Her duties include cleaning bathrooms and kitchen, vacuuming, dusting and general tidying up. She is not expected to wash dishes or clothing, make beds or do individual laundry, (If clothes, towels etc are left on the floor, those the housekeeper will not clean those areas.) However, if she has available time, Simonella is willing to provide additional services. Arrangements for this needs to be made with her and she is paid directly, in cash.
Gratuities: Whilst these are not expected, the staff does appreciate this, particularly when they have been particularly helpful or attentive.
Arrival and Departure/Property Manager: The property manager will meet you a the house on arrival and will orientate you, and provide instructions or information on the villa and its systems. (There is a comprehensive house manual in the study.) PLEASE NOTE: It is critical that you contact her (phone or text) when you are in your car and on your way to the villa. Alessia lives in the village, and - unless she has to be there for another reason - will not be there if you arrive unannounced.
She will also provide you with keys and remote control units for the gate. Additionally she will provide you with the current meter readings for gas and electricity. During the course of your stay, she is available by phone or text to answer any questions you may have or problems with the house. Subject to other obligations, Alessia is very willing to take on other tasks — making dinner reservations, translating, making travel arrangements etc.
The manager will also be at the house on the morning of your arrival to collect keys and remotes, deal with any damage, and read the gas and electric meters
Water, Electricity, Gas: Our water comes from mountain springs and an aquifer. It is untreated with chemicals - filtered - and particularly clean and pure. We drink, and use it, for all cooking bathing etc. (Bottled water is available from all supermarkets.) The system is pressurized to provide adequate pressure in all parts of the house. Unusually for Italian houses we have an adequate power supply to allow for the use of multiple appliances, lighting and other equipment. The manager will show you the location of the circuit breakers in the unlikely event of a loss of power. Gas for cooking, heating the tub, BBQ etc. comes from a large propane tank along the driveway
Car Service + Courier/Parcel Deliveries: Paolo Citti runs an excellent car service - as well as owning “our” local bar/cafe. He speaks excellent English and is very familiar with taking guests for sightseeing, wine tastings, or other activities. He also does long distance airport runs e.g. to/from Rome & Milan, in addition to the usual Florence or Pisa trips. He does get busy during summer months, and we’d recommend booking him in advance if you plan on using his services.
Deliveries - Fedex, Amazon, etc.: You can have deliveries made to the bar by contacting the bar prior to shipment