Celestina offers speedy and super easy access to a host of destinations in northwestern Tuscany including the coast and even a day trip to the fishing villages of the Cinque Terre is possible. Located in the small town of Orentano, a 10 minute drive from the A11 autostrada, this spot is halfway between the walled city of Lucca and the thermal spas of Montecatini Terme with either being 20 minutes by car.
In a residential community built around Orentano, sits this beautifully restored, 300 year old home comprised of two externally connected floors. A gated entrance and lush high hedges bordering a large and level lawn do a wonderful job of partitioning the house from the neighbors. The well cared for outdoor area includes olive, fig, cherry and lemon trees, a furnished gazebo lit for evening use and a vine covered dining pergola. The friendly, English-speaking owner resides in a home directly behind Celestina and welcomes guests to use his patio with a large gas grill and to visit his duck and chickens in a fenced area 30 yards away. He has three small friendly terriers that like to wander over into Celestina's yard.
Inside, Celestina is comfortable and spacious with large windows and an abundance of sunlight. Each floor has its own fully equipped kitchen. All of the bedroom windows have screens. The first floor bedrooms are air conditioned at no extra cost and the ones on the ground floor have ceiling fans. If requested when booking, the owner can provide cleaning services, meals, a cooking class, the use of three bicycles and with a couple days advance notice, he can even book a masseur to come to the house. A mid-week change of towels and a USB Internet connection are included in the price.
If you need additional space, the same owner rents "Dorato", a small apartment for up to three guests in a residential building just around the corner.
One hundred yards away at the end of Celestina's street is a pizzeria and a hairdresser. Orentano's main square, less than half a mile away, offers two restaurants, a couple of cafes, a grocer, a fruit store, a pharmacy and a butcher. A 10 minute drive to Altopascio reveals a few more dining options, cafes, a bakery, a large supermarket, the entrance to the autostrada and a train station that reaches Lucca in 15 minutes or Florence within 90. By car, Montecarlo, with its delicious white wines, is a 15 minute drive; Lucca, Montecatini Terme or the Grotta Giusti thermal spa: 20; San Miniato: 30; Pisa or the beaches of Viareggio: 40; Florence: 60; San Gimignano, Volterra or Greve in Chianti: 80; Siena or the Cinque Terre in Liguria: 90; Bologna: 100.
The owner of Celestina also rents the Dorato apartment 30 yards away. Here is the link:
- Dorato for 3
Technical Description
Ground floor: Living room with ornamental fireplace, TV with PlayStation and CD player. Eat-in kitchen with stovetop, oven, microwave, fridge and dishwasher. One bedroom with a queen size bed, ceiling fan, door opening to the garden and en suite bathroom with shower. One small bedroom with two single beds, ceiling fan and en suite bathroom with shower.
First floor: Separate entrance from external stairs into living room with fireplace and TV. Eat-in kitchen with stovetop, oven, microwave, fridge, dishwasher and washing machine. Two air conditioned bedrooms each with a queen size bed and French balcony. One bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and separate shower.
