Villa Joba is situated in the small hamlet of Ponte-a-Diana and stands totally secluded and detached in its own extensive grounds, with Bagni di Lucca just 2 km away. This delightful small town has all the necessary facilities.. banks, restaurants, shops, bars, cafes, open-air pool, tennis courts, etc .

The villa itself is a small, ancient singlestorey farmhouse which has been converted by the present owner into a comfortable cottage which commands breathtaking panoramic views across the Lima Valley to the mountains beyond.

The sitting room is floored with antique terracotta tiles and has an open fireplace, comfortable three-piece suite, radio/cassette player and satellite TV. Leading from the sitting room is a Fully Fitted Kitchen with gas hob, electric oven and fridge-freezer. All crockery, cutlery, glassware and utensils are provided, plus a dining table for those occasions when it is unsuitable for eating outside. Behind the kitchen is a Utility Room which has an automatic washing machine, iron and ironing board, etc., whilst to the right is a Fully Tiled Bathroom with shower. The cottage has Two Bedrooms one is twin bedded (and has a Z-bed if needed), the other is a double. All towels and linen, etc. are provided.

The Patio has a barbecue, table and chairs for eating and parasols & loungers for sun bathing or just relaxing on those wonderful warm evenings. A small but delightful swimming pool (7.2m x 3.6m) is available for use from May 1st to September 30.

Access to the villa is up a steep asphalt road with two sharp corners, the road is 240 metres long. For those not wishing to take their own car up the hill, our 4WD vehicle (no charge for this) is available for use after leaving your car at the bottom. (More photos available on request)

The garden

The terraced garden surrounding the house is an area of 7500sq.M.and is very private. It is a mixture of wild and cultivated flowers and trees (sweet chestnut, cherry, apple, acacia, cypresses & fig). It is visited by many different animals, which stray in from the surrounding forest, we have seen foxes, badgers, deer, porcupine, lizards, toads & among the bird life we frequently see eagles and woodpeckers.

  From the top terraces there is an extensive view down the Lima valley as far as the marble mountains at Carrerra. The peace & tranquillity of the garden is the perfect place to unwind from the stresses of modern life.

There is a foot path leading directly from the garden which climbs steeply up to the neighbouring village of Brandiglio                                                                         

Activities

Touring

 The major cities of Tuscany are within easy reach, Florence 1hr15mins, Sienna and San Gimignano 2hrs, Pisa 1hr. Lucca is the nearest city where you can spend a whole day exploring the medieval centre and hire bicycles to ride around the walls in a traffic free environment.

Viarregio and the coastal resorts of the Versillia are an hour away. On the coast 1.5hours to the north are the picturesque villages of the Cinque Terre.

Bagni di Lucca is situated at the southern end of the Garfagnana national park which extends as far as Piazza del Serchio to the North, this area is a valley of  outstanding natural beauty flanked by high rugged mountains.

All around the Villa are many small villages, some of which seem to cling to the hillside others along the valley floor, most have a small bar and a shop where you will be made very welcome. The island of Elba can be easily visited by ferry from Livorno or Piombino (ferry bookings see www.viamare.com). For Ferrari Fans the 2.5hr journey to Marrenello to visit the museum (closed Mondays)  is a must .

Other activities available locally and have been enjoyed by our guests are tennis, swimming in the river, canoeing, visit to the spa, cable car trips to the top of the mountains from Cutigigliano and Abetone. Also skiing from December to April at Abetone

Many of our guests have enjoyed the horse riding & trekking which is available a property only 300m away- with riding lessons for novices to rides high into the hills or lessons or shorter rides for children (see our guests comments).

Gastronomy

In town there are many restaurants most of which include local dishes of the Garfagnana region. The nearest restaurant is at the house at the bottom of our road. A small family run place serving very good typical Tuscan dishes from local produce. The most popular with our guests has always been the Antico café Del Sonno which offers a very good choice of classic Italian & regional dishes. This is located in Bagni di Lucca

One restaurant in town rated by Michelin is the Corona where it is possible to enjoy top quality cuisine served in the dining room or on the terrace overlooking the river.

There are two excellent restaurants in the small town of Ponte a Moriano The Locanda di Sesto has good food at reasonable prices and Ristorante La Mora has one Michelin rosette