Even My Boisterous (aka Loud) Family Went Quiet Experiencing the Serenity of this Tuscan Villa
Sun-drenched shingles and stone façades greeted us as my family and I arrived at Le Pratola, the Tuscan villa Airbnb that is a postcard of Italian country life realized. Continuing up the gravel drive, we weaved through a neighboring vineyard, and a few more turns revealed the cypress trees and olive groves you’d expect from an idyllic villa in paradise.
Once we got to the home itself, we spread out across the villa’s main structure, which has five bedrooms surrounding a courtyard, while a smaller cottage off the outdoor dining area houses two additional bedrooms. Even for our large group of 11, there was plenty of room to accommodate us (and it was just enough space to hide away when you need a respite from so much quality time). Going on an international vacation with that many relatives may seem like a Home Alone logline, but my being from a big and self-appointed “loud family,” that craziness has always felt somewhat comforting. When we were seeking more of that craziness, an extensive outdoor dining setup that looks over the surrounding landscape provided the perfect backdrop for alfresco meals.
From the outside, the villa was almost a carbon copy of the Tuscan farmhouse (renovated by Crosby Studios) that graced AD’s October 2025 cover, though with a lot less chrome in the interior. A design ethos built on communing with the landscape manifests in the classic stone walls and terra-cotta tiled roofs to the warmth of the interiors. Wood beam ceilings and rustic red tile floors adorn almost every room, while the furnishings rely on simple silhouettes and an earthy color palette to blend with the pastoral surroundings without feeling antiquated.
The rural geography of Gaiole in Chianti makes cars a necessity for the stay if, like my family, you have a lot of activities planned. Car rental or driver arrangements are offered as an add-on through the Airbnb booking process, so sorting out the logistics is relatively simple. Speaking from experience, having a driver was invaluable—navigating the rolling Tuscan hills in a huge camper van was certainly not something anyone in my family had the confidence to attempt.
Desirably situated between Florence and Siena, the Tuscan villa Airbnb served as a home base for various day trips during my family’s week-and-a-half stay. A quick hour-and-a-half ride north, and we were viewing the works of Florentine masters at Uffizi Gallery and drooling over the sandwiches at All'Antico Vinaio. A shorter ride south, and we were in the medieval hilltop town of Montepulciano, known for its red wine and late-Renaissance architecture. My sisters and I delighted in the fact that it was the filming location for Volterra in the climax of Twilight: New Moon. After we reenacted our favorite scenes, naturally, we started to notice the promotion of the town’s cinematic cameo all around—Edward Cullen stickers on memo boards, vampire puns for garlicky pizza offerings, you name it.
For the days we had no plans other than to lounge, eat, and repeat, the outdoor spaces of the villa were certainly the most frequented. An infinity pool is the main attraction of the spacious patio area, which we made plenty use of, Aperol spritzes in hand. Dotted with planters sprouting fresh lemon trees, the interior courtyard was a nightly gathering spot.
A lot of our free time revolved around food (when in Rome!). We had a pizza night using the wood-fired oven in the courtyard, learned how to make fresh pasta during a cooking class in the kitchen—with fresh truffles we hunted for ourselves (well, dogs did the hunting, but we followed them around!)—and ate our weights in bread and olive oil. Nearly every meal was shared at the outdoor dining table, simultaneously trying out our knowledge of the Sangiovese grapes that make up the wines in the region.
With countless spaces to gather and admire the natural beauty that Italy has to offer, the Tuscan villa Airbnb Le Pratola is a celebration of togetherness: glasses of wine in the courtyard, shouts echoing off the walls of the living room as a game of trivia got out of hand, smiles growing sleepy while the sun set over the edge of the pool. The villa felt like a part of the group itself, a doting nonna shepherding our family to enjoy time with one another.