Architectural/Minimal Villa in Forte dei Marmi, Roma Imperiale

Casa Pergola was designed in the 1970s by the renowned architect Lorenzo Papi, who worked alongside Aalto and Le Corbusier and once directed Luigi Nervi’s studio in the US.

The villa’s architecture is genuinely unusual — a spacious, light-filled modern house that draws architecture historians and students on something of a pilgrimage to see it. The section available to rent faces the Alpi Apuane mountains, where hikers can explore the famous marble quarries and take in the views from the top — including the Carrara quarries once used by Michelangelo himself. The house takes its name from the striking arbors that wrap around the building, and a lovely porch offers a secluded spot for dining. It sits on Via Carrà, a quiet, tree-lined street of villas, with a park and running path nearby open all day.

The villa sits in Roma Imperiale, Forte dei Marmi’s leafiest and most exclusive area, and has a beautiful garden of pine trees, bamboo, roses and oleanders, tended weekly by the owners’ own gardener.

True to a design philosophy of ‘from within outward,’ the indoor and outdoor spaces connect seamlessly through glass walls and travertine terraces, and every ceiling in the house is painted sky-blue as a nod to the sky above. Sitting in the living room, you can catch the sea breeze drifting in through the huge windows.

The villa sleeps 8 across 4 bedrooms, with extra beds available if needed. There’s a large living room with sofas, chairs, WiFi and a TV, a dining room connected to it via a modern glass table, and a small but fully equipped kitchen with a washing machine. Both the living room and kitchen open onto the villa’s terraces, so you’re never far from the outdoors.

A striking teak staircase, framed by two large glass windows, leads up to two master bedrooms sharing a bathroom with a tub and white-and-blue floor tiles. Both bedrooms have closets, chairs, and a large shared terrace facing the bamboo.

The ground floor is fully independent, with its own separate entrance and key: two further bedrooms, one with a king bed and one with a queen (in the east wing), both with closets and their own terrace accessed via the garden.

At the back of the villa there’s an extra fridge, a laundry area, and space to dry clothes. Parking is available for up to three cars, and bikes are welcome too.

The owners spend their summers next door and are always helpful, though rarely home. It’s a 10-minute walk to the beach (5 by bike, 3 by car), and downtown Forte dei Marmi is just as close — giving you all the area’s amenities while staying private and quiet. Children, pets and smokers are all welcome.