Villa Lena

We knew we wanted to get married in the Italian countryside because of Raana's love for Italy and Charlie's Italian heritage. Not to mention, the natural beauty, incredible food and wine the region is known for. We fell in love with the venue for its modern artistic take on a rustic countryside estate and can't wait to share it with you all.

The Villa Lena estate is located in the Province of Pisa, secluded amongst 500 hectares of woodland, vineyards, olive groves and organic vegetable gardens. A 19th-century villa sits at the heart of the property, originally built for an Italian aristocratic family.

It now houses the Villa Lena Foundation and artist-in-residence program. Surrounding the villa, converted historic agricultural buildings—former farmhouses, stables and hunting lodges—house guest rooms, apartments and shared facilities.

If you care to learn more about the history of Villa Lena, feel free to keep reading!

About Villa Lena

The area of land on which the villa is situated is named San Michele, after the archangel to whom the chapel inside the villa is also devoted. The estate was purchased in the 19th century by an Italian aristocratic family, Augusto and Tereza Del Frate.

Guests can spend their days exploring the woodlands or visiting nearby legendary towns and cities such as Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena, or Florence.

Creativity and collaboration underscore life at Villa Lena with a program of events ranging from artists’ talks to al fresco film screenings to cooking workshops and candlelit concerts to poolside DJ sets.

Villa Lena History

The neo-Renaissance villa was completed in 1890, and a member of the family completed the frescoes with some of the female family members immortalized on the ceilings. The villa experienced its heyday in the early 20th century, becoming a favored spot for parties and meetings and a major centre for hunting, until the original owner died in 1931. 

Eventually a bank repossessed the whole property after the son of the owner fell into substantial debt. The property was then purchased by San Giorgio di Roma Bank and redeemed by Mr. Luisi a few years later. Numerous property transfers followed throughout the decades.

Villa Lena is so excited to welcome us to their home and show us the beautiful Italian Countryside.