Le Gusciane is a country house between the Apuan Alps and the sea in northern Tuscany.
A Tuscan owner-hosted retreat
In a region known for grand villas and sprawling country estates, Le Gusciane offers something increasingly sought after by luxury-seeking travellers: a Tuscan owner-hosted retreat where personalized hospitality, thoughtful design and authenticity matter more than size.
Private and highly personalized stays
Located in the hills above Camaiore, between the beaches of Versilia and with the historic cities of Lucca and Pisa (which has an international airport) some 30 kilometres away, one of the principal appeals of this restored 19th-century farmhouse is its exclusivity. With just two individually designed suites it caters to guests seeking privacy, discretion and a highly personalized stay. It is particularly well suited to couples, honeymooners, repeat visitors to Tuscany and affluent travellers who have already experienced the region's classic luxury hotels and are now seeking something more authentic and intimate.
"Le Gusciane...is a way of living"
The limited accommodation also allows owners Luca Calvani and Alessandro Franchini to take an active role in the day-to-day guest experience. "Before anything else, Le Gusciane is a home,- says Calvani. -It is a way of living, a small world that we have built slowly, season after season, around the things we love most: nature, food, hospitality, design, silence and beauty." 
The relaxed elegance of an English country house
Each suite has been designed to feel like a private residence rather than a hotel room, with original stonework, antique furnishings, natural linens, curated books and carefully collected decorative pieces in rooms that blend Tuscan architecture with the relaxed elegance of an English country house. "We believe hospitality today can be intimate, authentic and deeply personal. It doesn't need to be grand to be memorable. Sometimes the greatest luxury is simply feeling that you have arrived somewhere real."
An excellent base for exploring the surrounds
Breakfast beneath the pergola, afternoons exploring olive groves, woodlands and nearby villages in the surrounding hills, and evenings around the communal table encourage a slower pace of stay. The property is also an excellent base for exploring other Tuscan towns - Florence is an hour and a half away by car - as well as the Versilia coast with bucket-list attractions like Forte dei Marmi's exclusive beaches.
A cookbook with recipes and personal essays
At Le Gusciane the seasonal vegetarian dinners showcase produce from the gardens and sourced from local producers, and Franchini manages some 40 beehives producing organic Bee-O honey. The estate's lavender, rosemary and other botanicals are the base for Lovely Tuscan Spirits, a range of artisanal gin, amaro and liqueurs, and Calvani's recently published cookbook, A Tuscan Table, celebrates vegetarian cooking, seasonal living and contemporary Tuscan culture through recipes and personal essays. For information: www.legusciane.it
