Princess Alexandrine
and Earl Vincenzo

Villa Valentini Bonaparte

The favorite residence
of Princess Alexandrine Bonaparte.

Set in a scenic location between Cortona and Montepulciano, in Tuscany, Villa Valentini Bonaparte boasts a long history featuring great personalities that further contributes to enrich its charm.

This is the place where the story of Saint Margaret of Cortona and the stories of Princess Marie Bonaparte and Earl Valentini, weaving together, are retraced.

The history of Villa Valentini Bonaparte began in the mid-nineteenth century when Princess Marie Alexandrine Bonaparte, Napoleon's niece, purchased in 1853, from the Oddi family, the estate of Laviano, between Tuscany and Umbria, with the aim of being closer to her beloved husband, Earl Vincenzo Valentini, who was forced into exile from the Papal State to the city of Florence. Princess Bonaparte entrusted the famous architect Giovanni Caproni with the task of designing the villa.

Apart from the imposing main body of the villa, the magnificence of the park surrounding the whole estate catches the eye of attentive visitors. It was the princess' favorite place to go for a walk and spend pleasant moments of retreat while waiting for her beloved spouse. In the current project, apart from the centuries-old park, the property was enriched with big gardens that are in blossom all year round.

Maria Alessandrina Bonaparte

The History of Villa Valentini Bonaparte | Wedding Venue and Suites on the shores of Trasimeno Lake

A gathering place
The literary salons

The residence of Mr and Mrs Valentini-Bonaparte, in the County of Laviano, soon became a gathering place for men of letters and the most authoritative leading figures of the patriotic movement of Perugia. From here, Marie Bonaparte used to write to her friend Louise Colet, a well-known French poet and writer, updating her on the main political events and changes of the period.

The poet Colet herself spent a long time at Villa Valentini Bonaparte, as she was really interested in the story of Saint Margaret, who was born in the County of Laviano, to whom the little chapel inside the villa was dedicated.

Today, thanks to careful restoration works, the villa was brought back to its original splendor and has become a prestigious venue for receptions between Tuscany and Umbria.

From the beautiful gardens to the 19th-century imperial staircases that lead to the terrace, every corner of the estate was accurately designed to bring the villa to its former glory.

…in front of us, the villa appeared in full light under the vault of heaven, the beautiful uniform blue of the sky; cultivated fields, woods, and hills ornamented the expanse of landscape.
Louise Colet
Poetess

Princess Alexandrine and Earl Vincenzo

A gathering place The literary salons

Princess Alexandrine
and Earl Vincenzo

A gathering place
The literary salons