Ask locals where to lunch on Sunday or to escape the city's stifling summer heat and the reply is invariably this dreamy salmon-pink mansion with a stone-balustrade verandah, 7km west of Lucca. The grand old villa overlooks olive groves and has a wonderful tree-shaded terrace where diners feast alfresco on Tuscan cuisine with green views of soft rolling Lucchese hills.
Pasta is strictly homemade and traditional dishes enjoy a creative seasonal twist – red-cabbage risotto with gorgonzola fondue, saffron-scented tagliatelle (ribbon pasta) with prosciutto and prawns. Come winter, dining is all about snuggling up, glass of wine in hand, in front of a roaring fire. Its tasting menus (€35 and €45) are good value. Reservations are essential, especially on Sunday when Lucchese families flock here for Villa Bongi's outstanding-value lunch.
