You know when you visit a charming little restaurant or hotel and turn to your significant other on the way home and say, “what a wonderful place. I wish them all the success in the world – I’d love to come back soon and relive this experience all over again”? Or, have you ever been so impressed with someone personally that you truly want them to succeed at whatever it is they decide to do with their life?
Well, when we recently visited Le Violette in Lucca, Tuscany; I had the rare occasion to think both of those things. Le Violette is such an inviting place and its proprietor, Elizabeth is such a warm and genuine person that it is impossible not to fall in love with the entire experience.
Last year we reconnected with a high school friend, Elizabeth via Facebook. Of course, we knew her as Beth – but when you live in Italy for over a decade, your name becomes Elizabeth once again (the name Beth doesn’t really exist here). Last year, we stayed with her family in their amazing farm home in the Tuscan countryside (HERE and HERE). So, when she told us that she had recently just bought a Bed and Breakfast in Lucca, the car was packed faster than you can say, “Brunello di Montalcino“.
Lucca is one of those truly special Italian towns; the type of place you picture when you think of Italy. I recently wrote about our amazing trip to this city, HERE. If you read the post about the city then you will discover that the city is enclosed by medieval walls, still perfectly intact. It is immediately after you cross through the main city gate beneath these famous walls that you will discover Le Violette. The bed and breakfast is nestled on a perfectly cozy neighborhood street, in close proximity to the city walls and the main piazza. A short stroll from the B&B and you will find yourself at any of the cities main attractions. And if you’re in the mood for a late night snack, a great panini (sandwich) and pizza place is literally around the corner.
Le Violette is very accommodating, offering many different options for lodging. For the single traveler, smaller rooms are available at a discounted price. Larger rooms are also available – we had more than enough space for all three of us. In fact, Beth…excuse me, Elizabeth had already set up an extra bed for Julia. Our room had large windows, which allowed a nice breeze and natural light to flow into the room. Some of the rooms offer fireplaces and other custom details. For the real road warriors, Beth makes her washer and dryer available – a real treat for people on the go.
Each morning, Beth sets out a wonderful breakfast for her guests. We would stock up on a variety of brioche, torte, fruit, fresh juice and more before setting out for the day. We tend to look for places that include breakfast in order to take one more step of planning out of the equation. We were thrilled that Beth would deliver cappuccini to her guests each morning. She even foamed some milk for our daughter, Julia so she wouldn’t miss out on the fun.
If you find your way to Italy, I would highly recommend Lucca. If you are able to stay overnight, you can do no better in terms of value, service and charm than Le Violette. Let Beth know that we sent you… I’d tell you that she would be extra nice if you deliver that message, but you’re always guaranteed to feel like family when Beth is your hostess (no matter how long you’ve known her). At least stop by for a nice cappuccino!
