Ai Frati Villa
, Garfagnana
Ai Frati Villa Reviews
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Not applicable
Was this review helpful? Yes
Although this says 2005, we actually went in 2002. As it was an old monastery, the rooms are plain but the furnishings and furniture are good.
We weren't very lucky with the weather - rain - but if it had been sunny, the grounds and pool would have been a lovely place to spend time. Still, we enjoyed it.
You can drive or park near the station in Castelnuevo and take the train to Lucca which is fantastic. Pisa isn't too far and the Caves of the Winds is good for a rainy day. Castelnuevo is very scenic and has an interesting market on Thursday I think it is.
Other good trips are to the Devil's Bridge and a ruined castle -can't remember where but it is in a book in the foyer with other helpful literature. Good food can be had at the Belvedere further up the hill, Triti in Castelnuevo and Il Pozzo in nearby Pieve Fosciana where there is a supermarket, deli, bakers etc.
It is certainly worth a visit and a good base for travelling around.
The owners are pleasant and friendly and the un-restored cloisters are beautiful. I don't think it is in the Crystal brochure any more.
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Crystal
Was this review helpful? Yes
- Tuscany Hotel Deals
-
Tuscany: Find the perfect activity!
Book early before things sell out. Skip long lines and save on tickets! Expedia.com -
Tuscany: Great Prices, Great Rooms
We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835 hotels.com -
Italy: Great Prices, Great Rooms
We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835 hotels.com -
La Lanterna: Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices Expedia.com - Sponsored links
Do you own Ai Frati Villa?
- Promote your business with Holiday Watchdog content.
- To respond to a review, use the management response form.
We had three wonderful holidays at Ai Frati between 2003 and 2005, and hope to go back. This is the place to go for peace and tranquility. It is a converted monastery up a track in the Garfagnana, between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines, so go there for the countryside, not if you want to see Florence or Siena, though they can of course be reached.
You stay in part of the old monastery, which has been tastefully converted, but there are modern facilities, including a lovely outdoor pool; and there is plenty of land, with natural grasses, plants and trees. The owner is charming, and the nearby town of Pieve Fosciana is a gem, with excellent restaurants and handy shops.
The thing to do is to visit the small towns and the hills all around. This is the real Italy, with castles, forests, high peaks and a national park. If you drive over to the coast, you can see the Carrara marble quarries, but watch out for the mountain roads. You can walk the mountains, or hire a bike. There is a pass nearby which the Tour of Italy sometimes crosses, though I wouldn’t attempt it myself - and I am a cyclist. Try the ride up to San Romano instead, or up to the lake at Vagli di Lago. Take the train to Lucca - a fortified city which makes Berwick on Tweed look like Toytown. And have a meal at Il Pozzo (The Well) in Pieve Fosciana.