Villa Campestri Vicchio di Mugello - Tuscany.

In the countryside of Vicchio di Mugello and within easy reach of Florence, the Villa Campestri Oilve Oil Resort boasts origins dating back to the 13th century, when a small fortress with watch towers was built on the site. In the late 14th century, the fortress was enlarged and a small chapel, with frescoes by Lorenzo di Bicci, pupil of Spinello Aretino, was built within its walls. Although as early as 1430 the edifice was transformed in manor house, it was not until the late 17th century that the villa was given the Renaissance architectural features which still characterize the building to this very day. The villa's façade dates back to the turn of the 20th century.

If in the hotel's beautifully appointed bedrooms and suites each and every detail, from the items of antique furniture to the sumptuous drapes, recalls the villa's Renaissance past, the careful integration of the latest technology ensures the highest levels of modern comfort. A real treat for newlyweds, the hotel's Honeymoon Suite features a magnificent 18th century four poster bed. The spacious Family Classic, Family Deluxe and Annex Dalia apartments have been designed with those traveling with children or a group of friends in mind. Almost all rooms enjoy splendid views of Villa Campestri's secular park.

Traditional Tuscan dishes, prepared using Villa Campestri's olive oil and the fruit and vegetables grown in the kitchen gardens, are guaranteed to delight the senses of all those dining in the resort's Olivaia restaurant. The dining room, featuring polychromatic caissoned wooden ceilings, stone window frames and floors in terracotta, is the perfect venue where to host elegant banquets, private dinners, wedding receptions and wine, cheese, and olive oil tastings.

The aromas and colors of the best Tuscan olive oils fill Villa Campestri's Olive Oil Center, where tastings of an incredible variety of oils are held. Rich in nourishing and moisturizing properties, the oil is also used in relaxing massages performed either in the privacy of guests bedrooms, under the great oak in the garden, or in the olive groves where the fruit used to make Villa Campestri's highly prized organic olive oil is cultivated.

Villa Campestri's garden provides the idyllic setting for the resort's swimming pool and solarium, where guests relax after a day's site seeing or an excursion by mountain bike through the countryside of Mugello. Holidaymakers interested in learning about the region's age-old artistic traditions have the opportunity to participate in courses of 14th century painting, experimenting with techniques such as egg tempera on gold leaf, charcoal and brush drawing, and silverpoint.