The area is rich in history. and culture. Pistoia where Cataline died after battling with Cicero, the passes where Hannibal force marched his armies to get behind the Roman legions, the farms and streams where Leonardo learnt to draw and to consider harnessing the forces of nature.and more recently where the German Army set up the Gothic Line to halt the Allies advance north in the Second World War. But most famously this is the lad of the Renaissance where the Medici rules and the artists, architects, writers and scholars all flourished.

 

Villa Montalbano is located in the small hamlet of 'Baco' whose origin can be traced back to Roman times when it was the place merchants would change their beasts of burden carrying their commercial loads over the Montalbano hills. But during the medieval renaissance period 'Baco', which means 'worm', was where the silkworms were kept to supply the famous Florentine silt industry. In fact, the villa was originally called 'Villa Baco', but this was changed in the early 20th century because the owners did not like the name's association with worms!

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Local records state that the Villa was built by a rich priest who was eventually laid to rest in the small chapel he had built. The property was then acquired by the wealthy Florentine Count Bastogi. His family and descendants then used Villa Montalbano as their summer retreat to escape the heat of Florence. The villa is adorned with the Bastogi family crest and here are other reminders of them, such as then ring the generations of  Counts would tie up their horses when visiting.

 

During the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the making of wine and olive oil was the main activity of the Villa's 8 farms, as it was for most of Tuscany. Pistoia, however, became famous for its nursery gardens which supplied the Medici family and also as a metal working town; the 'pistol' takes it name from the city.               

 

British and recently retired (early), Mark has now settled in Italy on the property his parents bought in 1965. Mark's career has been in a multinational environment and he has lived in many parts of the world including several European countries, Cyprus, Turkey, South America and he has also spent significant time in the Middle East. Since Mark retired, he works just as hard as before on the olive farm. His assistant, Olga, helps in hosting guests. Mark's  interests include history, travel and Italian culture and gastronomy.