Villa Laura

Overview of Villa Laura

The property was purchased in 2006 by the owners of Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Wineries in Sonoma, California who undertook a total restoration. The original terracotta floors were lifted, cleaned and re-laid. Kitchens and bathrooms in both houses were custom made by local craftsmen, using marble surfaces and restored original stone walls. Learn more about the restoration of Villa Bramasole from Under the Tuscan Sun.

The estate is comprised of a villa with limonaia and an adjacent farmhouse that form a sheltered corner with a rose garden and a stunning travertine marble swimming pool in the center. The main villa is slightly more formal in décor than the more rustic farmhouse, and both are very comfortable and beautiful. They can be rented only together as one marvelous accommodation for large families, groups of friends, wine or dining groups and for weddings.

The yellow villa with green shutters dates back to the 16th century and although it has been carefully restored to keep its original features, it now has amenities, including modern travertine marble bathrooms, air conditioning and Wi-Fi in all rooms. There are three floors in the main villa, as well as a chapel and limonaia, the place where lemon trees once were stored in winter. There are decorative fireplaces, some marble, and interiors are light with harmonious colors. Original floors, beamed ceilings and stone steps were carefully restored. 

Furnishings are a mix of antique and contemporary, sourced from Italy and Europe to achieve a balance of charm, character and comfort. Typical Tuscan natural fabrics from nearby Busatti are often woven on the original looms used to make the uniforms for Napoleon’s troops. Busatti is highly regarded throughout Italy; visiting their workrooms in the delightful village of Anghiari, 50 minutes away, is like stepping into another world. Antique wall lights and chandeliers are mainly from Italy and the Continent and include capodimonte porcelain, wall lights from Sicily and a Baccarat crystal chandelier. The beds in the villa, mainly four-posters, were made in Spello by an artisan iron worker. All mattresses and pillows are Italian, with beautiful linens from England.

The location, just on the outskirts of the famous art city of Cortona, is central for day trips in Tuscany and Umbria. Fit guests can hike up to the center in fifteen minutes along the winding uphill country road that runs alongside the property. Or guests may prefer the five-minute drive, with parking available outside the city walls. Located near the main rail line between Rome and Florence, and at the crossroads of Perugia, Assisi and Siena, Cortona is a central location for exploring Tuscany and Umbria. Shops and restaurants are within five minutes’ drive and there is a spa hotel across the street where guests can walk for beauty treatments.

This is your chance to step into a movie set for a Tuscan adventure of your own! Cooking classes and wine tastings are available at the villa or in the area.

Villa Laura is rented as a whole to large groups for one week minimum rentals.

Featured in American Express Departures Magazine as one of the 10 top private villas to rent in Tuscany, Villa Laura offers a beautiful rose garden, stunning travertine marble swimming pool, modern travertine marble bathrooms, air conditioning in all rooms, Jacuzzi hot tub, private lake, bocce court, wood-burning pizza oven, vaulted TV room, courtyard, club and music room with billiard table, staff laundry room, private chapel, state-of-the-art kitchen with marble countertops and DeLonghi espresso maker, study with desk and fax machine, exterior security gates.