Halfway between Rome and Florence, in the breathtakingly verdant heart of Etruscan Italy, organic winemakers and contemporary art collectors have transformed a classified, 16th-century estate into a luxurious villa of discreet elegance.

Tailor-made to welcome 14 guests for unrivaled relaxation, wellness treatments, wine tastings and gastronomy, the exclusive country residence also offers extensive gardens of varied styles—flowering, formal, and wild, where a spirit-lifting stroll into the lush expanse leads to the surprising discovery of contemporary masterpieces signed by artists including Banksy, Anish Kapoor and Mitoraj.

Elegance and exclusivity are at the forefront of the experience offered at Villa Tirrena, a 16th-century country estate with a 30-hectare vineyard in Italy’s dramatic hilltop region of Umbria. As the property owners’ home and workplace, this villa for rent in Italy offers a deeply personal atmosphere across its seven, well-appointed bedroom suites and four, antique-filled common sitting rooms.

Seven unique double bedrooms with baths all brim with antiques, and each is furnished artistically and thoughtfully, with distinctive personal touches such as books, fixtures and decorative items precious to the owners. Views from the bedrooms are stunning, across the estate’s lush gardens onto the dramatic green slopes of Umbria. The villa’s multiple lounge areas are also each unique and plush, rooms where antique furnishings are offset by cozy, more contemporary finds for a look of casual, easygoing elegance. These are inviting places to unwind in, book in hand, enjoy an aperitif, or simply luxuriate in browsing the rooms’ varied corners, all filled with memorabilia and charming personal treasures.

Guests can enjoy the candlelit indoor pool with views of the valley adjacent to the property’s trademark lemon trees, or the outdoor pool that fills the villa’s “suspended” garden and overlooks the vineyard. Tennis courts are available, as is a yoga space in addition to a private spa facility outfitted with two massage rooms, a relaxation room and a Turkish bath with three showers.

The estate’s unrivaled gardens are the property’s highlight. The luxurious landscaping includes roses and flowering herbs, a lemon orchard, formal French gardens and wilder English-styled plantings. The entire space is lined with iconic Italian cypress trees stretching skyward in addition to a lemon orchard and the neat rows of vineyards, from which the property owners produce eight organic wines that are aged in the on-site cellar, named “one of the world’s most spectacular” by a leading oenology publication. Throughout the gardens, contemporary art is integrated into the lush plots. From Banksy to the Campana Brothers to Anish Kapoor, the dense hedges and flowery banks hide a dizzying array of prestigious works. For more on the art collection at Villa Tirrena, visit our Stories section here.

AROUND

Located in the heart of Etruscan Italy, in the border region between Umbria and Lazio, this villa for rent in Italy occupies land opposite the UNESCO-listed village Civita di Bagnoregio and is close to classified Orvieto. The estate dominates a privileged historic hillside with structures dating from the 16th century, and over 30 hectares of cultivated and ornamental gardens. 

Located equidistance between Rome and Florence, nearby day trips from the Villa also include visits to the historical villages of Orvieto, Todi and Baschi, each only about 20 minutes away, or into the heart of Tuscany (Siena, Montepulciano, Pienza) or to Assisi and Spoleto, also about 45 minutes by car. The Umbrian countryside is dramatic, with vineyards, rivers, forests and the Lago di Bolsena all in proximity. Villages and small cities with cafes, restaurants, grocers and growers, wine producers and luxurious, world-renowned gastronomical options are plentiful in the region.

LOCATION

Palombaro, Vaiano VT, Castiglione in Teverina, Italy. Nearest airport: Rome and Florence (each 1hr 15 mins), Siena (30 mins).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year-round, with spring and fall among the favorite times.