Villa Sofia

The Residence

On the Garavicchio estate near Capalbio, a villa above the fields and the sea

On the Garavicchio estate near Capalbio, at the southern tip of Tuscany, Villa Sofia stands on a hill of olive groves, with wheat fields and vineyards running down to the sea. It sleeps 10 in five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and its infinity pool looks out over the whole of that view.

At sunset the loungers on the terrace turn towards the sea; later, after dinner under the vine pergola, a fire is lit in the fire pit among the grasses.

Inside, the rooms are high and full of light under white beams, with glass doors onto the view. Every piece of furniture was designed for the house and made by Italian craftsmen, and the walls carry a collection of work by women artists from around the world. The great room opens onto a dining room with an antique chandelier, and there are a drawing room, a winter garden, a cinema room and a gym with a sauna. The master suite has a walk-in wardrobe, a bathroom with a rain shower and a freestanding bath, and a terrace of its own. Two more double bedrooms have terraces too, and two have twin beds, one of them under the roof.

Outside there are covered lounges round the pool, a veranda for long lunches and tables for dining under the stars. A cook and maids look after the house, and much of what reaches the table is grown on the estate's farm. A personal trainer, a tennis coach for the estate's own court, yoga, massages and a babysitter can be arranged. Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden is a few minutes away.

A house in the countryside, with the sea at the end of the view.

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