Our History

The Villa Borghese is a former Villa from the Medici family, located in Montevettolini: a grand hunting mansion built in the XVI century, that used to be one of the 12 regional hunting residences of the Granduke Ferdinando I, grandson of the famous Lorenzo de' Medici, that the world knows as “il Magnifico”. Built at the top of a hill among olive trees and vineyards, this villa overlooks the ValdiNievole valley, defining the village of Montevettolini, and retaining its original architectural beauty and serenity.
The area where the Granduke Ferdinando I built his hunting mansions is commonly recognized now as the Hills of Leonardo da Vinci: indeed through these same olive groves and white roads the Genius from Vinci used to walk for his long trips up the hills, searching for the best way to deviate the Arno river. One of these paths he used to walk along has recently come back to life, and it’s called “Leonardino track”, accessible to the guests of our villa.