The Cottage is plunged in the beautiful hilly landscape that surrounds the ancient medieval hamlet of Montecarlo, in the province of Lucca.
“Cottage Merlot”, is an holiday house to the inside of an elegant residence immersed in a peaceful countryside in one of the most spectacular corners of Toscany. The cottage lies on a hill and is surrounded by gentle hills covered with vineyards and silver tipped olive groves. This holiday home is an ideal choice: you have the advantage to rent cottage in the country where you may relax in the sun in the pool enjoying the splendid views on the never ending wine yards or have a walk or have fun at the beaches of Versilia (25 minutes) or visit the historic centre of Lucca (15 minutes) and the art town of Tuscany such as Pisa and PISA AIRPORT (just 35 minutes, Florence (40 minutes), San Gimignano or Siena are within an easy reach. Going further north, the CINQUE TERRE can be reached.
Historic Village : Montecarlo: Montecarlo is a typical medieval village placed on the hill that overlooks Lucca's plain. Since the Middle Ages, when the cities of Florence, Lucca and Pisa battled to control the territory and up to the unification of Italy, Montecarlo's area has always been deep-linked with the cultivation of vines and olive trees.
Of particular interest are the fortress, the church, the tiny 18th century theatre and the evocative view from Piazza Carrara and has recently received the 'Bandiera Arancione', the Italian Touring Club's symbol of quality for tourism and environment.
Montecarlo's wine comes from a mix of Italian and French grapes, as our vineyards are the result of local Trebbiano vines and other vines imported from Bordeaux, Rodano and Bourgogne during the XIX century. Since 1999 the “Strada del Vino delle Colline Lucchesi e di Montecarlo' has been created: an ideal path for wine-tourism as a way of discovering and appreciating Montecarlo's area and its culture.
Historic Towns : Lucca: A vast number of visitors are drawn to Lucca's surrounding region of Tuscany. Lucca itself is a fascinating provincial mediaeval city surrounded by a wide historic city wall on which people Promenade or cycle during the early evenings. Lucca is a very beautiful city of art which is worth discovering: completely surrounded by the town walls, rich in Renaissance buildings, churches, squares, picturesque spots, little old shops, elegant boutiques and typical restaurants. Numerous events taking place in Lucca makes it the perfect choice for your holiday all year round. To name just a few: the international Comics and Games exhibition at the end of October, lyrical music concerts in October and November, the “Settembre Lucchese” with its traditional festivals and cultural events during the whole month of September, the Summer Festival in July and August with famous foreign singers performing rock and pop concerts right in the town centre.
Historic Towns : Florence: UNESCO estimates that almost 10% of the world's art treasure worthy of preservation is located in Florence, the capital of Tuscany. Florence is in fact a shrine to the Renaissance with numerous churches, monuments and galleries overflowing with paintings and sculptures. The city of Florence is easily explored on foot due to its relatively compact nature. The historic centre is built around two main squares; Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria. However the central point of Florence is the breathtaking cathedral, at which master builders such as Giotto and Brunelleschi worked, and which towers over the city.
A good place to start a tour is this focal point of the Piazza del Duomo where you can climb the Campanile (cathedral dome), and see the Baptistery and Museo dell’Opera. In the same area are the Museo Nazionale del Bargello housing Italy’s greatest accumulation of Renaissance sculptures. There is also Via dei Calzaiuoli, Florence’s pedestrianised main street.
