Italian cinema

House from the film 'Under the Tuscan Sun' becomes accommodation for tourists

Published

21 July 2019

Built in the 17th century, the house has been restored and can now be rented by tourists. reproduction

Built in the 17th century, the house has been restored and can now be rented by tourists

A beautiful village and a typical house, with terracotta painting and a breathtaking landscape… This is the view in the film 'Under the Tuscan Sun', which tourists will now be able to see up close.

Much of the recording was done at Villa Laura: a real mansion, six minutes from the city center of Cortona, which served as the location for the protagonist's scenes in her new home.

The 17th century property has undergone a beautiful renovation and can now be rented by tourists through Luxury Retreats, a company that belongs to the Airbnb group.

Villa Laura Photo: Disclosure

Anyone who has seen the film knows that the character, American writer Frances Mayes, is carried away by the impulse to buy a villa on the outskirts of Cortona during a post-divorce trip.

The challenge of renovating a country house and getting used to the Italian way of life gave rise to the book 'Under the Tuscan Sun' and, later, the film of the same name with Diane Lane.

120 kilometers from Florence, the village of Cortona deserves to be included in the itinerary, whether for the view or for the charming little streets.

But fans of the film will also have fun recognizing the settings, such as Piazza della Repubbica.

Staircase of the Palazzo Comunale. Photo: Reproduction

This is where the market takes place, where Frances writes a postcard to another traveler and where the children's choir performs at Christmas.

Stay

The minimum stay is seven days to discover the attractions of Tuscany on day trips.

The villa accommodates twenty people in 10 bedrooms.

Apart from the views of Cortona and the olive trees.

The house has a modern kitchen with a central island, pizza oven, underground cellar and outdoor table in the garden, all designed to make the most of the local cuisine. Not to mention the pool and games room.

Still, with prices ranging between 2.379 and 4.079 dollars per night – between 9 and 16 thousand reais.

If you manage to convince another 19 people to stay with you, the venture becomes a little more viable, at 204 dollars per person, around 800 reais.

In the film version, the stay included the fun Poles who helped renovate the mansion and the handsome Raoul Bova, who plays Marcello, Frances' love interest in the film.

And for those curious, there is Villa Bramasole, the royal house where writer Frances Mayes still spends her summers today.