The Place
Villa Casalecchi is an 18thC villa standing on a series of terraces between woods and vineyards, just south of Castellina in Chianti. It’s no architectural gem, but its secluded position and attractive location compensate for the exterior’s somewhat austere appearance. Originally a hunting lodge, the interiors are furnished with heavy, bourgeois antiques, giving the place a hushed character. The dining room is frescoed with elegant old light fittings, and a more pleasant place in which to eat is the terrace with views of open countryside (breakfast, lunch and dinner available). Bedrooms are either in the villa or in the extension. There is a swimming pool, and below it a terrace where you can lie on a sun bed beside a vineyard. The glories of Chianti are on the doorstep.