The nucleus of L'Aia Country Holidays is contained within a larger complex of buildings of mediaeval origin that was once a hospice on the Via Francigena (or Romea), a route opened by the Longobards to join Rome and France.


The hospice was founded by Pietro Colombini, a fabric merchant who became a convert and founding father of the Jesuit order. Their aim was to help the poor and pilgrims, and they eventually went on to build the Hospital of S. Maria della Scala in Siena in 1363.

The hospice continued to offer help and care to the sick, until a decree of 1751 by the Grand Duke Leopoldo II of Tuscany forced it to close.

In the nineteenth century the hospice was acquired by the painter Francesco Nenci, and it is his work that decorates the impressive main room of the principal villa.

The inspiration for the scenes comes from the surrounding countryside, and his work can also be seen decorating the annexed chapel of Santa Croce. The main building is now a country villa belonging to the owners, and it, along with the chapel, can be visited on request.

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The original name of the Soggiorno Lo Stellino come from the ancient silver coin (Testone) of the time of Cosimo I dei Medici duke of Florence, marked by a star behind the head of the Sovereign.

The weight bigger of the other testoni, valued 43 moneys, its issue has been ordered in the 1554 to make easier the payments to the State and especially those ones of the ducal troops; considering many of these coins had been done with coins of Genova it has been wrongly thought that they have been coined to pay back the loan done with the Republic of Genova by the duke.

The Soggiorno Lo Stellino is a building of the first half of the 20th century, a part of the old distillery Rosi-Di Lorenzo, whose sign can be seen yet in the little tower just behind the building by whom has been obtained a bedroom from which you can have a nice view of the town.