I was very pleased when the Trustees of the Hands Family Trusts told me of their intent to resurrect the Estate, breathing life into it and restoring it to its former glory as an exceptional authentic Tuscan property.

The planned development will honour and respect the past whilst blending it with the best of the present. For the people of the region it will mean a new and exciting future in which they will play a key role. And for those fortunate enough to visit or reside in this bewitching place, it will provide a beautiful haven and an opportunity to experience a different, more serene way to live.

Set within the golden triangle of Florence, Pisa and Siena, and yet in a part of Tuscany that remains largely undiscovered and unspoilt, Villa Saletta, once owned by the Riccardi family, bankers to the Medici, covers approximately 1,760 acres. The vision is to restore it, sympathetically, transforming its farmhouses into bespoke, luxury homes offering the best in design and modern services. There are also plans to create a range of outstanding holiday apartments, a world-class hotel, restaurants of internationally recognised excellence, extensive leisure facilities, and if possible a state-of-the-art conference and business centre. These elements will combine to make this extraordinary Estate, once more, a truly exceptional environment in which to live, work and relax.

I hope that you will enjoy discovering Villa Saletta and that you find the shape of things to come as inspiring as I do.