Nestling in the wooded hills overlooking the elegant spa town of Bagni di Lucca, Casa Isabella is a former farmhouse with many characteristic features, including chestnut beams and windows, shutters, terracotta floors and Carrara marble surfaces. Because of its elevated position, the house is light and airy, and enjoys a lovely view through the trees over the town’s rooftops, and the surrounding mountains. It’s within easy reach of historic art cities like Florence, Pisa and Lucca - as well as ski resorts and sandy beaches. Although detached and secluded, Casa Isabella is not isolated. Friendly Italian neighbours are close by, and the town, with its shops, tennis courts, restaurants and spa treatment centre, is only ten minutes’ walk away. The house is on two floors, with living room, kitchen and cloakroom on the ground floor. Though it has modern essentials like a washing machine and a dishwasher, it’s simply furnished in traditional Tuscan style. The first floor is reached by a spiral staircase, and has three bedrooms – all featuring fantastic views. The newly-fitted bathroom has a bath with hand shower and a separate wall-mounted shower. The terraced garden has fabulous viewpoints, shady fruit trees, sunny sitting areas, and a dining terrace with fig trees. Bagni di Lucca is around an hour’s drive from Pisa Galileo Galilei airport and Florence Amerigo Vespucci airport. Cheap flights with low cost airlines make Genoa (driving time to house, around three hours) also worth considering, especially if you want to stop off and explore the lovely Ligurian coast along the way. From Pisa or Florence airports, take the motorway or main road to Lucca. In Lucca, follow the ring road round the city walls until you pick up signs for the SS12 to Abetone, and stay on this road until you reach Bagni di Lucca. From Genoa, follow the A12 down to Viareggio, then take the A11 to Lucca, and continue as above.