The road to Locanda al Colle leaves the plain behind Viareggio and climbs a short lane, Via la Stretta, through olive trees to the top of a hill. The house at the top is an old Tuscan farmhouse, rebuilt as a guesthouse, and from its terrace the view runs down over the hills of Camaiore to the sea of Versilia, with the Apuan Alps rising behind. Ancient trees and olive groves line the way in; the terrace is planted with lavender, flowering rosemary and sage.

Inside, the owner's taste sets the tone. Rooms are furnished with vintage and Art Déco pieces from the 1940s to the 1970s and hung with contemporary art, so that no two are alike. There are nine double rooms and three suites, each named after something outside the window, from Orizzonte and Cipresso to Mare and Tramonto. All have king-size beds; the larger rooms and suites have a bathtub as well as a shower, and every floor shares a living room and a terrace.

Days are slow by design. Breakfast, sweet and savoury, is served at the table; a light lunch can be had on request, and the chef cooks a two-course dinner with dessert for resident guests. On Wednesday afternoons there is a cooking class for a small group, ending with a three-course dinner and fresh pasta made by hand. Below the house, a salt-water pool heated to 32°C is open from April to the end of October, next to a large whirlpool set among the olive trees.

The coast is close. In summer guests have a gazebo and a private cabin at a beach club in Marina di Pietrasanta, about fifteen minutes away, with towels and bikes. Lucca is about twenty-five minutes by car and Pisa airport about thirty-five; the house can arrange a private transfer. Locanda al Colle is open from the end of March to October.