Your 2026 Italy Bucket List Starts At This Luxurious, Romantic Tuscany Retreat

Views from the Arno River to Chianti hills at Villa La Massa. Image courtesy Villa La Mass and Fani Kurti

Italy is always a good idea. And with 2026 just around the corner, it’s time to plan that next dose of la dolce vita. The best place for an idyllic (and romantic!) base: Villa la Massa, a circa 13th-century secluded Tuscan retreat that stuns from show-stopping emerald vistas to rambling rural grounds on the banks of the Arno. Plus, Italian opulence at every turn. Even more, it’s just a super-short jaunt to Florence’s centro storico. Here, a few highlights that make this luxe hideaway next year’s must-visit splurge.

R&R in a real-life Renaissance painting. Sure, picturesque Italian countryside retreats abound. But Villa la Massa arguably boasts one of the most storybook panoramas. Backdropped by Chianti’s rolling hillsides blanketed with centuries-old cypress trees, vineyards and romantically weathered villas, the paradisiacal Arno river-setting paints the perfect Tuscan dreamscape. You can savor front-row seats to this fairytale from the heated, infinity swimming pool—primely set on the manicured greens. Or bask in vistas strolling the property’s 25 acres of olive and lemon groves where serene paths weave to gorgeous gardens bursting with colorful florals. And it’s all within 15 minutes of the Ponte Vecchio and Michelangelo’s David (via the comp shuttle). Now that’s amore!

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