Reviewed by Nadine Mellor
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RELAIS MARIGNOLLE - REVIEW
Florence is jam-packed with things to see, but also with people seeing them, especially in summer. So you might prefer to escape to verdant hills just outside the city, and end your day with a dip in an olive-shaded pool, or a walk through fruit groves. If so, there's no better place than Marignolle, the country retreat turned relais de charme, run by the impeccably mannered Bulleri family. Only 3km from the centre, it feels a whole world away.
Blossoming almond and peach trees, bright geraniums and scented lavender surround you as you park at the end of the gated, gravelled drive. Walk through manicured gardens, eyes peeled for hoopoes, and the olive trees give way to a sun-facing terrace with an outdoor pool. Low rustic rambling buildings with cream walls and red-tiled roofs reveal a picture of elegant cosiness inside: vintage rugs on parquet floors, antique bureaus, gilt-lacquered lamps, family heirlooms. With long windows and deep sofas, the large 'relaxing room' washes you doubly clean of city-fatigue. |
