Rent Villa Leonard Italy

Step inside to relax in the delightfully furnished interiors; on the ground floor, you can find an open-plan living room with velvet sofas inviting you to sink in and enjoy the company of your family or friends. The spacious kitchen boasts enough equipment for every aspiring chef, with a bar table, stools, and a dining table to allow big groups to gather for a home-cooked meal. All three suites – one on this level and two upstairs – exude elegance and taste, with king-size beds, walls adorned in art and wallpaper, plus en-suite bathrooms for extra privacy. The upstairs bedrooms also benefit from access to private terraces offering picturesque country views.

There’s plenty of space outside to get a sense of honest pastoral living, with a neatly manicured lawn backed by a vineyard and stone steps leading to the large private swimming pool. Framed by a spacious terrace with sun beds, umbrellas and outdoor furniture, this is where you’ll spend most of the sunny days soaking up vitamin D and taking in the fresh air. Why not prepare your dinner al-fresco on balmy evenings using the large barbecue? The outdoor area is also the perfect spot to enjoy your morning coffee or sip a glass of wine while watching the sunset.

Just a short walk away is Monforte d’Alba, one of Italy’s most beautiful historic villages. With restaurants and bars aplenty, it has a tiny uphill street that leads to a central square famous for its open amphitheatre overlooking the vineyards: a small yet marvellous borgo with a millenary history.

Other fascinating places are also a stone’s throw away, including towns and cities such as Bra, Asti, Alba, Turin and Genoa. Asti is home to a 15th-century palace Palazzo Mazzetti – Pinacoteca Civica, and a pretty historic centre filled with bustling cafés. In and around Alba, you’ll discover Piedmont’s excellent gastronomy, with regional specialities such as white truffles, agnolotti pasta and regional cheeses on many menus. The city is also one of the main cities in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont and is fantastic to explore on foot.

A bit further away, discover Turin, Piedmont’s capital that looks more like a romanticised ode to Paris with its moody streets, ancient ruins, grand boulevards, charismatic coffee shops adorned with chandeliers and world-class museums to discover.

Although surrounded by vineyards and fields, you’re never too far from amenities such as restaurants, bars and shops. In fact, you can enjoy a change of scenery plus a dish and glass of fine Italian wine in just 5 minutes by walking. The area has officially been named one of the finest Borghi d’Italia and is the new Piedmontese entry for 2020 awarded by the Spighe Verdi, a recognition assigned by Fee Italia to rural centres based on the relationship between environment, quality of life and agriculture.

The closest village, Monforde d’Alba, is also just a 20-minute walk away, with more restaurants and wineries to discover and a small touristic centre, supermarkets and other amenities.

Nestled in the hills of the Roero and the Langhe in southern Piedmont, Bra is another town close to home worth visiting. It hosts the biennial international cheese festival and is one of the most important centres of Piedmontese Baroque architecture, with plenty of sights to see – such as the St. Andrew’s Church and the Church of Santa Chiara, as well as the Town Hall, the Palazzo Garrone, and Palazzo Mathis.

Asti is a lovely town located just a 45-minute drive away. It is great for a day spent strolling around its glided palazzos, cobbled squares and historical landmarks. Art lovers shouldn’t miss the 15th-century palace Palazzo Mazzetti – Pinacoteca Civica, with beautiful artwork and Renaissance paintings, too.

In just one hour by car, you can discover Turin, a large city once Italy’s capital. Its streets are filled with Baroque architecture, exciting museums and restaurants which cement the region’s culinary heritage. Walk up the staircase of Mole Antonelliana, a grand landmark offering sweeping views of the city or visit the Automobile Museum devoted to Turin’s primary industry, where you can marvel at old-school and prestigious new cars.

If you have time, why not take a scenic road trip and head to Genoa? The port city is well known for its 12th-century harbour, which, apart from large ships and yachts, also houses an expansive aquarium full of marine species. On a sunny day, walk around its historic centre to discover shops, restaurants, cafés and delis full of the best Italian cuisine, marvel at the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and visit the Piazza De Ferrari, renowned for its grand fountain.