Interview with a Tuscany villa owner

Bookings For You are super proud to work with some of the best villas in Tuscany. A big part of this is thanks to the wonderful villa owners themselves. As a result, we thought we should introduce you to some of them. Today we’re letting you get to know Tuscany villa owner Laura who owners the beautiful Villa Anghiari.

Laura lives with husband, Dario, and Lamy, a kitten that appeared years ago from nowhere looking for hospitality and who has never left! They live in Anghiari, a small medieval village in Tuscany. 2025 actually marks a pretty special year for Laura and her family – it is 25 years since she first welcomed guests to her beautiful Tuscany villa.

Things have changed a bit since she welcomed her very first paying guests on 1 January 2000. Back that, she was still assembling furniture when guests knocked on the door looking for a room for 4 nights! Despite not quite being ready, Laura went out of her way to host them, albeit it meant quickly running around to her parents’ house to borrow some linen and crockery! Rest assured – she has everything ready for you these days! Over the years, she has hosted such a wonderful variety of guests. Another memorable group included an important Italian Director and his crew of actors who chose Villa Anghiari for their film shoot. Since they turned up unexpectedly, Laura laughs at the memory of being dressed in gardening clothes when they arrived. Luckily her attire didn’t seem to put them off – they ended up staying for the whole Summer!

But, for Tuscany villa owner Laura, every single guest is special and memorable. When guests choose Villa Anghiari for their Tuscany holiday, the team at Bookings For You work closely with Laura to ensure that we tailor-make the guest’s perfect trip. Some are looking for an active stay and we can help organise excursions and activities. For others, they’re just looking for peace, quiet and privacy. All are welcome.

It’s not a surprise that Laura has clients who return year after year to Villa Anghiari. Just like us, she feels it an honour and privilege to have been able to play a small part in the creation of someone’s holiday memories.

Over to Laura to tell her story in her own words…

Tell us about your background

I have always lived in this valley – I was born in the town of Sansepolcro just a few kilometres from Anghiari. Even as a child, I was always curious and loved meeting new people to share experiences with. This was my motivation when I started to travel. I had graduated in tourism sciences and took the opportunity to work not just within hospitality businesses in Italy but also abroad. I then increasingly cultivated the idea of having my own home which I could open to those I met on my travels. The idea actually started just like this.

With my parents help, I searched for somewhere I could call my ‘corner of paradise’. I must have viewed over 200 properties, all within a 50 km radius of my hometown. Then, on a cold, rainy day in November, I discovered a new listing in a local estate agency. This real estate agent must have been sick of me by then – he had been showing me a different place almost every day. But I knew straight away I had found the home I was looking for. I immediately fell in love with the original stone, the wooden beams and terracotta floors. I loved every corner of this house and the splendid views of the countryside that surrounded it.

This was only the start of the hard work. There were so many renovation works to be done but my enthusiasm never wavered. I lived in the house whilst I was renovating it which was certainly an adventure. For a long period of time, there was no electricity or kitchen. I lived using candlelight and warmed myself at the fireplace. It was a simple life. But it meant I could follow every single step of the renovation process. I used to work long into the night drawing out the layout of the rooms. Friends would come and help and lie on the floor so I could picture how a sofa would look there! And, of course, the added complexity of Italian bureaucracy further added to the challenge! It was hard work but, even when I look back now, nearly 30 years later, it just brings a smile to my face.

Friends came to visit me and then friends of friends. Over time, every guest I have welcomed has become part of this original dream of mine.

Tell us more about Villa Anghiari

The property dates back to the year 1000. It was originally a convent inhabited by friars of the Camaldolese congregation. These friars hosted pilgrims who were visiting the various hermitages and convents in the valley. As I see it, this was a place dedicated to receiving guests since ancient times. As a result, I am simply continuing this tradition. In the woods there is a centuries-old cypress tree that despite the passage of time seems to have been there when Saint Francis of Assisi passed by during his journey to the monastery of La Verna.

The property is just 1 km from Anghiari itself. This is a small medieval town rich in history. It is also considered one of the 100 most beautiful villages in Italy. The famous battle of Anghiari depicted by Leonardo da Vinci was fought in the Anghiari plain on the road that connects us to Sansepolcro (where Piero della Francesca was born). Just 10 km from Villa Anghiari you can visit the house where Michelangelo lived.

Despite being so close to the town, Villa Anghiari is firmly in the countryside, surrounded by nature and sunflower fields. It has 7 delightful suites. Having originally started as a B&B, all these rooms are designed for single guests and have splendid views, TV, mini bar, telephone, air conditioning and en suite bathrooms. At Villa Anghiari we’re striving to offer the best of both worlds – the benefits of a self catering villa with many of the services of a boutique hotel. Guests definitely appreciate the professional kitchen which is at their disposal. They also love the outdoor spaces, the pretty poolside pergolas, the rose corner and terrace set up for al fresco dining, the pool for daily relaxation, the park for walking, the library stocked with books in multiple foreign languages ​​and the Steinway piano that music lovers adore.

Because of the layout of the villa, it can work equally well for small or large groups. It’s also often used for weddings, vow renewals, birthday celebrations, anniversaries and more. 

What does the future look like at Villa Anghiari

I have invested not only financially but with my whole being in this project. As a result, I hope, with all my heart, to be here for many years to come. This is my life and I can’t picture myself not being here. I hope I have the continued privilege for many more years to open the door of my annex and to greet guests. I want to be here to see the caper plants that I planted with my family grow, along with the roses and hydrangeas that we have cared for across the years.

I love the nature that surrounds Villa Anghiari. Every Spring, I look forward to seeing the swallows return to the nests they left just months before. For me, this place is paradise. I could never give up the starry sky I look at every evening, the breathtaking sunsets, my centuries-old oaks or the chirping of the birds that wake me up in the morning. Every month is a sweet surprise. In Autumn there are the first rains and the colours of the falling leaves. In Winter I love the days spent in front of the fireplace. In the Spring, the awakening of nature envelops me and I impatiently await the fireflies of mid-May along with the crickets and cicadas that sing with the warm temperatures of Summer. I want to continue to see the olive trees that we planted grow, to see the flowers we take care of in the summer bloom. And, above all, I would like to continue to experience all of this and share it with as many people as possible. In a world that is increasingly busy, everyone should have the chance to unplug and immerse themselves in nature, in the peace and tranquility that you can breathe here.

What advice do you give to your guests?

My advice for guests is to simply try and let themselves be enveloped by the history, nature and landscape that surrounds them here. To leave everyday thoughts behind for a moment, to breathe the pure air, to listen to nature, to savour the sunsets that surround us, to watch the swallows that drink in the pool each evening. All these are things that I hope will remain in their hearts forever. Savouring the slowness of time, reading a book, painting a picture, sipping and chatting with friends by the pool, organising a dinner or aperitif in the rose porch… this is what guests enjoy here with us.

How has tourism changed in the past 25 years?

Over the years, tourism has changed a lot. The tourism market has become a bit of a jungle for want of a better word. I worry that the sheer volume of second homes now available means that not all are managed professionally. The Italian authorities have recently introduced a CIN code. All holiday homes in Italy must now legally have a CIN in order to be rented out. I hope that this will ensure that all homes provide a better standard of accommodation for their guests.

We’re delighted that we’re able to offer a 25 year anniversary special offer on Villa Anghiari so that you can stay for less in 2025. Book a 2 week stay for any dates in 2025 before 31 March and we will give you a 1000 euro discount on the cost of your stay. Just quote ANTICA10 when booking.

If you’d like to find out more about Villa Anghiari, please do take a look at our website for more details or get in touch with the team at Bookings For You.