Heading out of Florence through Coverciano, this long winding road climbs the hillside affording lovely views of the countryside and the magnificent houses bordering it. Halfway along, Villa Contri di Mezzaratta overlooks a little valley to the left ..

This plain 17C villa is surrounded by a superb garden, comprising a formal layout of yew, cypress and box trees, grassy walks flanked by hydrangeas, azaleas, camellias, pots of lemon, grapefruit and mandarin trees and also grottoes with rock gardens...