Coastal Retreat. Tuscany.

Coastal Retreat covers the Exclusive Tuscany properties on the Tyrrhenian. Bolgheri, Castiglioncello, the Argentario peninsula, the inland side of Capalbio, plus the small handful of inland houses with a private path to the beach. The defining promise is short access to the sea; the unifying constraint is that the salt air and the south-facing exposure ask a different architectural answer than the Chianti country house.

These villas read differently from the rest of the collection. The colour palette runs pale; the floors are pale travertine or cool stone; the windows open wide and stay open. The pools are larger and saltwater. The kitchens are built around catching the morning's fish.

The category is the strongest match for July and August, when inland Tuscany hits 35°C and the sea is the answer. Several houses are also quietly available in May and September at significant discounts, the water is warm enough, the crowds have left and the producers in the Bolgheri area are deep in harvest.

Coastal Retreat villas typically sleep eight to sixteen, with the larger compound-style properties on the Argentario topping out at eighteen. Boats, small day boats, larger crewed ones, are arranged separately and we have a small list of captains we trust.

Tell us the dates, the size of your party and whether the category fits. If we have a house that holds up, we will say so directly; if we do not, we will tell you that too. Replies come from the founders, usually within a working day.