Tuscan treat

We adored this Italian stunner

IKNOW, I know, you’ve heard it all before. Where is my absolute favourite part of the world? Tuscany. Why? Its architecture, stunning countryside, history, food, wine and sunshine.

I go at least once a year, but due to the high cost of Ryanair flights from Edinburgh to Pisa in peak months, hubbie and I drove to Newcastle and flew with Jet2 instead.

There we used their Meet & Greet service, using the Fast Track car park, just 30 metres from the check-in hall. Cheap and handy – a good start to any trip.

We’d booked a villa through Merrion Charles, who runs a great company. I don’t give praise easily, but she runs a superb outfit.

The best Tuscan villa I have ever stayed in was one of those on her portfolio.

Merrion has carved herself a niche in bespoke holidays based on fabulous villas and hotels, and she is especially well known in Tuscany, where she lives.

We rented her own villa – the Casa Glyn, based in the tiny but adorable hamlet of Cotto, near Fivizzano in northern Tuscany.

Located in the heart of Lunigiana in Northern Tuscany, this house enjoys stunning views to the Apuan Alps and the Carrara hills. It’s a restored Tuscan farmhouse that still maintains its rustic style and original features.

Beautifully furnished, with two en suite double rooms and a single, it has several acres of terraced garden with olive trees and vines, and a private salt water pool, hot tub and deck area and a spectacular view across the valley.

With a kitchen that almost makes you want to cook for yourselves (I said almost…) a large dining room, sitting room with fireplace and open beams, it really is a an extremely comfortable holiday home.

If you’re based there, you’ll find Merrion on occasions pottering around in her totally separate apartment downstairs, and you’ll meet her Border terrier, Mojo.

The coast is only 40 minutes away in the beautiful town of Lerici and the scenic Cinque Terre. A little further away is the glamorous village of Portofino

The many hilltop villages of Lunigiana, with their castles and challenging walks, and the cultural delights of Lucca, are only an hour away.

Those who think Tuscany has to be expensive just need to learn the tricks of selfcatering and buying in bulk from local producers. We went on a wine tasting excursion and did exactly that.

In Fivizzano itself, the library is worth a visit. It’s an old convent with restored frescoes in the cloisters. Next door, see the Church Tower, but where’s the church?

Well, it fell down in an earthquake in the 1920s. The fountain in the main square was a gift from a Tuscan grand duke and has rather fine white dolphins and ironwork.

Restaurants there are cheap and friendly

and you’ll find no other tourists – this really is rural Tuscany at its best.

The nearby Ligurian coast is absolutely stunning. The Golfo dei Poeti (the Gulf of Poets) is where Byron and Shelley both lived. Portovenere is simply gorgeous. You can walk through the town to the ancient church and castle and Byron’s grotto – a good place to swim and picnic.

So, why book a trip through Merrion? Because she will tailor your trip to your requirements. Before suggesting which destination and which villa, she’ll chat with you over the phone or via Skype, and then she’ll create your own personalised itinerary, always maximising value.

She has a network of quality contacts throughout the world, and her concierge service is second to none. If you want a cook to come to your villa, no problem. A massage? Not an issue. Want excursions? It’s in hand.

Nothing is too much trouble. And she doesn’t even charge for it. She’ll assist you from start to finish. Plus she’s fluent in Italian and is available round the clock.

You pay no more booking a hotel through Merrion but you are very likely to be given an upgrade and/or the best room available.

You’ll need a car so you need to know the following – Rentalcars.com is the world’s biggest online car rental service, arranging vehicles in 46,000 locations in 169 countries.

They can offer the best prices on all car types. In Pisa, it can be just £10 a day.