Villas inside and out

I'm going to reveal a secret. The secret for the perfect family holiday in Tuscany.  

It costs me a lot, obviously, because it will cease then to be a secret. But when you discover such a treasure the need to talk about it is too strong.

The place is called Pineta di Roccamare and it's located on the west cost of Tuscany, near Castiglione della Pescaia. Just a one hour drive from Siena. "Pineta" means pine wood and that's basically what the place is: a  huge pine wood along the sea, where every house is no more than a five minute walk from the beach and where you can leave your shoes in your suitcase because you won't need them at all.

I must say that it is a well known secret in the circle of lovers of peaceful holiday destinations. Many famous people own or have rented a house here. The fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo owns two houses there. Richard Gere and Robert DeNiro have rented houses there for their Italian holidays. The King of Spain Juan Carlos every year travel to Roccamare to then go sailing in the nearby Punta Ala. And Italo Calvino, the world-famous writer, has been living and writing there for many years.

What makes the place so precious and unique in all Italy, however, is its history. Almost all the huge area that is called Maremma was owned by noble families, but after WW2 these families gave away the whole estate as a gift to the nation, managing, though, to protect one piece of it under a special statute.

The Statute says that only certain kinds of construction are allowed inside the boundaries and a high percentage of the natural environment must always remain untouched. The area forms a "gated community", made up of stunning villas which perfectly blend in with the surrounding woodland.

The main features of Roccamare are its private beach and the fact that the area is accessible only to authorised people, making it completely safe for children. The beach is long about 4kms and the use of ugly sun umbrellas it's strictly forbidden, so these are replaced by big and elegant wood shades placed at the top of the beach.

The sea at Roccamare has been one of the best in all Italy for the last ten years. It received "5 seals" for its cleanness, the same as the best spots in Sardinia.

I don't even have to say that in the local food is among the best in the world and the nearby town of Castiglione della Pescaia is the perfect venue to try it.

So, I guess you should start checking out availability and prices for renting an amazing villa at Pineta di Roccamare.         

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