Umbria - A 15th century farmhouse with a swimming pool (available from June) on a hill just outside Perugia - in open countryside, but a stone's throw from the historic centre of the city. Cooking lessons. Villa Nuba, Perugia
Casa Mary is a pretty house within walking distance of Lucca's mediaeval walls. It offers accommodation for 2 to 4 in a bright, compact apartment. Italian lessons. Casa Mary, Lucca
Sleeps 4
Holiday rental house offering wonderful views from the swimming pool. Close to Lucca, Falampa. Falampa, Lucca
Artistic Holidays offers intensive courses in sculpture and marble work as well as holiday accommodation in western Tuscany, Italy. Based in the artistic centre of Pietrasanta, you'll be well placed for visits to the beaches of the Versilian Riviera and the cities of Lucca, Pisa and Florence. Artistic Holidays, Lucca
Sleeps 5
This Tuscany Bed and Breakfast accommodation is a beautiful house sitting within 6000m? of gardens. Not an old house, the use of terracotta and local woods means it blends beautifully into the Tuscan countryside. Lessons in Italian and Tuscan cooking are offered. Bed and Breakfast Rosaspina, Florence
Sleeps 2 to 7
La Francesca Vacation Village, Liguria — A friendly and self-contained vacation village offering apartments and houses for rent in a marvellous spot on the coast of Liguria, not far from the Cinque Terre. Diving courses are available. La Francesca Vacation Village, La Spezia
Sleeps 2 to 10+
Villa Casanuova is a luxurious, old-fashioned country house in the beautiful, rolling hills of southern Siena. All mod cons including central heating, a sauna, en-suite bathrooms with hydro-massage tubs, satellite TV and internet access. A large professional kitchen is used for occasional cooking courses. Swimming pool and extensive grounds. Sleeps 14. Villa Casanuova, Siena
Sleeps 10+
Swimming pool
