La Rocca By Boutique

A Hilltop Farmhouse in Colline Lucchesi Wine Territory

The Lucchese aristocracy built on these hills from the late 1400s onward — the silk-trading families of the Republic of Lucca, reinvesting their commercial wealth in hilltop estates with gardens and vineyards. La Rocca inherits that logic without the formality. The renovation preserved the bones, the beamed ceilings, the thick-walled coolness that makes these old farmhouses workable even in the heat of August.

The interior runs across 650 square metres on two floors. The ground floor holds the entrance, living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry area, a bedroom with two single beds and a dedicated bathroom, plus a guest bathroom with shower. The upper floor opens onto the terrace and contains three further bedrooms with private bathrooms.

Throughout, the palette is pale, with off-white walls against the warm ochre of cotto tile and the natural grain of exposed timber. Floors are resin on the upper floor and reclaimed stone on the ground floor. The sitting room has a fireplace. The kitchen is fully equipped with induction hobs and a dishwasher. Air conditioning runs throughout the house.

The pool (17 metres long, four metres wide, with a depth range of one to 2.2 metres) sits on a terrace above the main house, framed against the valley, and is open from April 1 through October 31. A furnished terrace with a dining table and gas barbecue is accessed via stairs in front of the kitchen door, making it the obvious place to eat, once you've seen the view. There is also an additional table with chairs in the garden in front of the kitchen.

The plot runs to 10,000 square metres of grounds, with open-air parking on site.

Layout

This vacation home for rent in Arsina, Lucca sleeps up to 10 guests.

Ground floor: double bedroom, two bathrooms with showers, kitchen, laundry area, living room, and dining room. This floor opens directly onto the garden.

First floor: two double bedrooms each with a private bathroom (bathtub and showers), one double bedroom with a private bathroom (shower), and one double bedroom with an en-suite bathroom (bathtub in the room and separate showers). This floor opens onto the barbecue terrace and the exterior (back) of the house, from where stairs lead through the olive grove path down to the pool.

Experiences

Colline Lucchesi wine estates are within a short drive, and several offer direct tastings with the winemaker.

Good to know

Linen, towels, air conditioning, and heating are all included. The access road to the property is partly unpaved and unsuitable for vans or large vehicles. A car is essential. No smoking. No pets.

Amenities & services

Pool (17m × 4m, Apr–Oct), air conditioning, heating, wi-fi, fireplace, fully equipped kitchen (induction), dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, oven, microwave, washing machine, dryer, TV, garden, terrace, outdoor dining, garden furniture, sun loungers, open-air parking, bed linen included, towels included, hair dryer, iron, coffee machine, toaster, kettle, juicer, baby high chair (on request), cot (on request)

Around

Arsina sits on the western arm of the Colline Lucchesi DOC territory, a compact, terraced wine zone that has been cultivated since the medieval period, producing Sangiovese-based reds and Vermentino whites. Arsina is also a Lucchese hill with several farms offering tastings (ask for details and pricing).

The hamlet is 7.7 kilometres from Lucca's historic center and far enough above the plain to feel properly apart from it. In town, Buca di Sant'Antonio on Via della Cervia, a Michelin Guide restaurant operating since at least 1782, remains the benchmark for traditional Lucchese cooking, with handmade tordelli, slow-braised meats, and a wine list that gives the local DOC its due. The Versilian coast, with its long sandy beaches, is roughly 30 kilometers west. Florence is about 90 kilometers southeast.