Spread across an impressive 1,760 acres and just a 40 minute drive from Pisa lies Villa Saletta, an ideal home-away-from-home for you and your loved ones this winter. Brimming with rich history, this historic estate encapsulates hills, forests, fertile valleys, vineyards, olive groves, and meadows.
Once a medieval borgo (village), Villa Saletta offers a timeless and tranquil Tuscan experience for your festivities.
Christmas is a leisurely affair in Italy that takes place over 12 days, with the main event taking place on Epiphany on the 6th of January. During this period you’ll find a warm festive spirit in the surrounding hamlets as windows are decorated with traditional Christmas presepi (nativity scenes) and lights, and always served up with cioccolata calda (hot chocolate), vin brulé (mulled wine), and Tuscan specialities, such as brigidini (liquroice-flavoured wafers), befanini (traditional biscuits), and copate senesi (honey and nut pastries).
In December you’ll find temperature highs of 12 °C and lows of 4° C, so you get to swap your warm woollies and grey, rainy days with thin layers of clothing and crisp, blue skies.
We highly recommend you visit the renowned UNESCO World Heritage site of San Gimignano, or you could visit Florence an hour and a half away to observe this Renaissance city’s impressive life-sized presepi or attend mass in its famous duomo on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.
Alternatively, you could take a day trip to Siena, also less than an hour and a half from Villa Saletta, where you can visit the region’s largest Christmas market, Mercato del Campo, and absorb the atmosphere of craft stalls and festive food and drink.
You might like to warm yourself up in one of Tuscany’s delightful thermal springs, which are dotted around the region, such as the Casciana Terme, just a 20 minute drive away.
If you don’t feel like venturing out of the estate then you don’t have to! With its luxurious accommodation set across three traditional and thoughtfully renovated villas, Villa Saletta offers an idyllic haven. The properties are enchantingly adorned with frescoes and the noble family crests carved into the stonework.
These include Fagnana, a charming 19th century farmhouse and limonaia annexe, which sleeps 14 guests; Valle, a secluded country house complete with historic tower and restored hayloft that sleeps 13 guests; and Casolore, a Swiss chalet-style hunting lodge, sleeping six guests.
The estate boasts its working fattoria (farm), so you can tuck into its own bountiful yield, including winter tartufi, a rare Tuscan delicacy that thrives in the clay soils.
Sample the estate’s winemaking legacy, with a glass or two of its signature red the perfect accompaniment to a slice of Christmas cake!
If you time your trip well, you may get to witness the last of the olive harvest and enjoy recipes featuring its own highly prized, fresh olive oil. You can even enjoy a cooking class featuring regional delicacies, or a full wine-tasting experience with the estate’s winemakers. On request, a private chef can prepare your family meals within the villa for your perfect, hassle-free Christmas.
Villa Saletta is available to book with a minimum week-long stay. With longer-term rentals available and ample space around its secluded and unspoilt landscapes, it’s an ideal option for your family’s destination Christmas this year.
