It’s the air, the light, the stillness. And it’s the sun coming up over the ancient hills every morning and walking down every evening in a pink and golden blaze across the olive groves, threading through the tall cypress. Tuscany. Rosalinda Lazzeri has lived here all her life. Her grandparents, Italo and Fedora re-built the original old villa; her parents, Lilla and Virgilio extended it and now Rosalinda and her partner Stefano live here with their daughter, Virginia. There’s a swimming pool now and several other small villas on the property, all in the traditional Tuscan stone. It’s called La Maestà, for no reason, it has always just been that. These days La Maestà can accommodate twelve guests with ease in private spaces. Rosalinda can, if you want, provide all your breakfasts and some evening meals. She is happy to organize transfers or pick you up from the station. You can stay here and do nothing but be here, be tranquil by the pool, in the shade of the famous sun.

And if you don’t want to drive Rosalinda can arrange to take you on a small private tours around the area and further. She’s been doing this for two decades and knows exactly what should be seen, the famous places in this historic and artistically rich area, but also the details, so easily overlooked. Tuscany is grand, magnificent, gasp-worthy but you might need a retreat to serene, tranquil, to a quiet evening in a courtyard under the Linden trees, looking out across the olive groves as the sun, as always, steps down. Being at La Maestà is, as guests say again and again, is like being with family, there’s that ease and kindness. Guests return, they send their family. Perhaps they become family. So come and paint, write, walk through the wisteria and sunlight or just chill as you find out what all the fuss is about