“I do not have adequate words to convey how much we enjoyed our stay at Ashleigh's stunning villa in Tuscany. Palazzo di Chiantina is a breathtaking property... honestly, the stuff dreams are made of! The building itself has been painstakingly restored and updated to meet every modern need, and the grounds are equally beautiful and cared for. When I saw the photos Ashleigh featured here on LHS, I honestly thought that maybe some of them had been "borrowed" from travel magazines or something. :) To my surprise and delight- all of the photos are indeed taken at the villa and don't even come close to doing it justice. What the pictures are NOT able to convey is how grand and sweeping every vista is, how many different shades of green surround you -from the bright green of grape vines overhead, to the deep green of cypress trees in the garden, to the gray greens of Tuscan hills fading far into the distance. Photos do not convey the sweet aromas of the Italian countryside- roses and fresh grass and honeysuckle and scotch broom, nor the melodic sound of countless birds singing. They don't show all the wildlife that surrounds you, like jack rabbits and deer, pheasants, cu cu birds, crows, swallow, wild boar, little frogs and lizards (and yes, maybe even a snake or two...). All of this must be experienced *in person*, sitting at Palazzo Chiantina, preferably with an Aperol Spritz or glass of local wine in hand!!! And if you do decide to leave paradise during your stay- adorable small towns are close by, as are outstanding restaurants, vineyards you can visit, museums, old castles, and more. Ashleigh and her partner Nigel facilitated every aspect of our trip and made planning a very special trip feel easy. My entire family is deeply grateful to them for their graciousness and hospitality and we feel honored to have been able to experience such a place together. Grazie dal profondo del mio cuore, Ashleigh. Non dimenticheremo mai il nostro soggiorno al Palazzo di Chiantina! ”
