Inside Valentino's $20 million Tuscan holiday home
If you like your luxury with a side of history, the Tuscan holiday house of iconic fashion designer Valentino Garavani has just listed with Christie’s International Real Estate for $19.6 million.
Built in the mid-1700s and located in the idyllic medieval town of Cetona, the 27-acre property boasts panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, 15 bedrooms, a swimming pool, gym, sauna, tree-lined running track, olive groves and direct access to the town’s main piazza. Beneath the surface, there is a labyrinth of underground tunnels covered in stalactites and stalagmites, as well as an ancient Etruscan tomb dating back to 7 BC. A stone outdoor amphitheatre that seats 200 is also on-hand, in case you feel the urge to recite some Shakespeare on a sunny day.
It is a property with a pedigree. Beautiful Rome-born actress Sophia Loren once stayed there, prompting Valentino to name the room she slept in after her. In 1849, Italian revolutionary hero Giuseppe Garibaldi and his troops stayed at the villa and were treated to a lavish banquet – a stone commemorating his visit still stands in the garden today.
Valentino Garavani, 87, and his partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, have owned the holiday home for 33 years. Real estate agent Riccardo Romolini of Romolini Immobiliare (an affiliate of Christie’s) told South China Morning Post, “They would escape here from Rome’s frenetic lifestyle. It’s a retreat where they could find peace, silence and relax, and occasionally hold fashion events and parties.”
Originally built by the nobleman Salustio Terrosi as a present for his wife, the manor house was extensively renovated in the 1980s by Genoese interior designer, Renzo Mongiardino. The property feels open and airy with extensive views, but it is also very private, which will likely be of interest to high-profile buyers seeking refuge from public life.
The interiors are extravagantly neoclassical, with a few Middle Eastern and Moorish elements – for example, the round structure that serves as the pool pavilion today was built in 1837 to house a visiting Turkish dignitary and make him feel at home.
Design details within the villa are lavish. There are multiple marble fireplaces and floors, hand-painted wallpapers and frescos.
“The setting is ideal,” says Romolini. “The residence overlooks the sunny main piazza and is walking distance from the cafes and restaurants, but at the same time, it is hidden and tucked away far into the Tuscan countryside, within a fully fenced piece of fertile land granting unrivaled privacy.”
To view the full listing visit christiesrealestate.com
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