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17 Jan 2026
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Description
Please, check our calendar availability before mail and we would like again to underline that it is not a business and/or we are not asking for help with any business activity: it is a mutual benefit based on cultural exchange experience.
Next open periods:
- FROM JUNE 2026
We appreciate to hearing you 2-3 months before a free (green) periods of our calendar availability; if we will agree the stay, we will reply you 1-2 months before the stay to organize your travel.
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We are looking volunteer workawayers who would like to spend a holiday in Tuscany and help 2 hours by day (5 days by week, 10 hours by week) for very small gardening activities and for the housesitting of a historical frescoed villa, minimum one month or more,
It is not a business and/or we are not asking and you will not involved for a help with any business activity.
Saturday and Sunday are total free days.
We propose a volunteer exchange of knowledge and experiences that is a two-way street where workawayers from different cultures can share Italian traditions, customs and values, connecting them to local history and traditions with a lot of time to travel around the Tuscany.
Cross-cultural volunteer exchange experiences can significantly increase career value with an experience inside a monumental real estate: benefits could include enhanced problem-solving abilities, improved adaptability and flexibility, developed cross-cultural communication skills and expanded professional networks in housesitting/gardening.
It is NOT and MORE THAN just a working housesitting and gardening abroad.
The volunteer workawayers will also approach to the Italian language acquisition and could build confidence in speaking and comprehension.
The criteria we use to evaluate the applications are:
1). reviews from other Workaway hosts
2). references for other gardening experiences
3). length of the chosen period (min 1 month)
About me and my family:
My family is owner of a historical/monumental real estate (like a small village) in Tuscany since 1536: it is 7 Km from Pisa and 10 Km from Lucca, close to the Vecchiano beach, inside a nature park.
I am retired executive, married with Rosanna, with two sons, Teresa living in Pisa, Paolo living in Barcellona (Spain). I managed international companies in the past and I ereditate the historical/monumental real estate from my uncle since 2005.
I live in Pisa with my wife, 15 minutes drive from the real estate. We could have great talks and share foods and/or drinks to get to know each other but we have a busy life therefore we aren't around 24/7.
Workaway host since 2016.
We are looking for one responsible, reliable and indipendent volunteer workawayer, who would like to spend a minimum period of 1 month, who love gardening and would like to sleep from 8:00 pm to 7:00 am inside a historical house for the security. Help will be outside in the garden: leaf raking, emptying pots, watering flowers, etc. for 2 hours by day, 5 days by week (10 hours by week).
We offer a free private single room with a private bathroom (please see profile photos), a corner with elettric fire, a oven, a fridge and a sink for a free holidays.
Saturday and Sunday are total free days.
Please contact us for more information.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Gardening
Animal Care
Help around the house
House & pet sitting
Interests
Plant care
Outdoor activities
Hiking
Gardening
Music
Sustainability
Pets
Events & social
Culture
Charity work
History
Carpentry
Art & design
Architecture
Animals
Nature
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are in a small group of hills named “Monte Pisano”, located in northern Tuscany between the towns of Lucca and Pisa.
It is probably an exchange for a holiday opportunity if you would like to spend some time in Tuscany (Pisa - Lucca area).
Help
We are offering a single private room with private bathroom and kitchenette. Meals are not included but the help consist in only 2 hours per day, 5 days a week.
In general we would like to guest a workawayer involved in a past small experiences of gardening for a minimum of a 4 weeks stay (1 month). Minimum age: 21 years old.
The volunteer help is small housesitting/gardening activities.
You will not be involved in any job or heavy garden tasks. The main heavy park tasks are managed by 2 external professional gardeners.
The workawayer will verify the doors and gates close before sleeping, cleaning/watering gardens around the villa.
People who have knowledge of plants and know how to care for them are a big help for us.
It is not a business and/or we are not asking for help with any business activity:
No alcohol and smoking volunteer
Italian speaking is not a requirement
English speaking is a requirement
Gardening and art love is a strong requirement
Linens provided
Gardening gloves and tools provided
Washing machine provided
Secured car parking provided
Bike provided
Following could be a weekly example timetable for the 2 hours/day help:
From Monday to Friday:
- or in the morning around 2 hour (7:00-9:00am) gardening around the villa gardens (winter/autumn/sprig period)
- or in late evening 2 hours (8:00-10:00pm) watering the flowers around the villa gardens (summer period)
- before sleeping to check the door close of the villa
- the rest of the day is free to explore the area and enjoy yourself.
Saturday and Sunday:
You are free all the day and relax in the gardens of the park or traveling around Tuscany.
What else ...
The Villa is a private historical home and part of a private monumental real estate with many buildings.
The private monumental real estate include a park of 5 ha and it is surrounded by woods, hills and rivers (the Natural Reserve of Migliarino San Rossore park starts here). If you love architecture, gardening and nature and would like to help us to maintain gardens, we would love to welcome you.
Car is recommended but you have a bus stop in front of the villa gate and a bike available.
You will live 15 minutes by car from Pisa and Lucca.
The nearest village is San Giuliano Terme (3 minutes by car, 15 minutes by walk) there you can find a spa, a cafe, a restaurant, a bank, a post office, a supermarket, a medical service and a pharmacy.
The Pisa international airport and the Pisa rail station is 15 minutes by car and the bus stop to the airport and rail station is in front of the villa gate.
IMPORTANT: WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER WORKAWAYERS WITH GARDENING PASSION THAT ARE COMMITTED TO HELP OUTSIDE.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY ONLY OR A WORKING HOUSESITTING/GARDENING PLEASE LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Accommodation
A single studio/room (photo included) with a private bathroom. It has a corner with elettrical fire, a oven, a fridge and a sink. A washing machine is inside the villa and you can use it. The studio/room has TV sat and free WiFi. Linen exchange is included weekly. Meals not included.
What else ...
The villa is 1 Km from the village/rail station of San Giuliano Terme (a touristic SPA area), the historical centre of Pisa is located 7 Km away (10 minutes by bus) and the town of Lucca is at 10 Km (15 minutes). In the front of the Villa entrance-gate you will be able to find a bus stop with buses to/from the Pisa station, the Pisa airport and the Lucca station.
Shops, supermarket, post office, bank, rail station, ecc are less 1 km away from the villa. You will have a bycicle to reach them.
Florence is 60 minutes away, Siena is 90 minutes away, Rome, Milan and Turin are reachable in 3 / 4 hours while Genova and Bologna are reachable in 2 hours. The beautiful Migliarino, Massaciuccoli and St. Rossore park with wild beaches is about 7 Km away, while the sea resorts of Marina di Pisa and Tirrenia are 20 Km away.
The place is a private monument under the Italian Ministery of Art law and two parts of the real estate are rented to two families who manage all job activities for the tourist and the housekeeping.
An internal gardener and two external gardeners provide all jobs for the historical real estate park.
It is not a business and/or we are not asking for help with any business activity.
Please read most frequently asked questions for our volunteer housesitting in the past:
1). Do you have other guests staying at the Villa? Yes our historical real estate (like a very small village) has many buildings: a restaurant, a caffetteria and 2 BnB are rented to external companies which managed them, many flats are rented to families who live permanent in the real estate. The historical real estate has events in the park and guided visit managed by external professional people. The housesitter is not involved in any above activities with other external guests.
2). And if so, would the volunteer housesitter be expected to interact with them, or answer questions? No, the housesitter help only around the owner villa or cleaning some gardens or watering flowers (max 10 hours by week).
3). Also, is there anyone else (ie. staff) on site? Yes, we have a staff of two gardeners to manage the parks. Many professionals (around 15 people) manage all the tourist different business inside the real estate.
4). How big is the garden? The park (managed by two gardeners) is 5 ha, the 4 gardens (cleaning/watering by the housesitter) are around 500 Sqmt.
5). Why you asked for a maximum of 3 months? European Tourist Visa permit 3 month stay only for extra Shengen people and we comunicate your stay to the police. We would also like to share a mutual experience with more people and different culture.
6). Are you seeking for a business housesitting and/or gardening? Please do not apply if you are a housesitter seeking remuneration and/or employment, we would like to share a volunteer housesitting to increase a mutual cultural experience only.
7). Very appreciated feedbacks from previous hosts.
8). We can provide feedbacks and/or mail references of other workawayers guested.
9). When you will arrive to the villa I will need a copy of your passport to comunicate your stay to the local police authority.
10). Last but not least: we guest the cat Lilla, she is very friendly and likes to follow the housesitter in the gardens.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
We have free internet. It is not very fast and and the speed goes up and down sometimes but we had volunteers that use it for their own online digital projects. We have a cat. We are not smoker.
Space for parking camper vans
The villa can guest workawayer with own campervan, referenced by other guest. The campervan area is with an electric forniture but without water forniture.
Can possibly accept pets
No, sorry it is not possible
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
My animals / pets
Lilla
14 years old very friendly with workawayer
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
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We know Michelle to have great integrity, be highly considerate of others, respectful, and to be very responsible and… read more
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Villa from September 6 to November 3, 2022!
Agustino and Rosanna are two of the most special I have ever met. Their doggie, whom often visits the Villa with them is also a little sweetheart! Lilla, the lady cat of the place… read more
Many thanks for the opportunity to be part of your team at the villa for a couple of months. It was great to meet you, your family and the other members of the friendly team. It really was a great experience for me and one I will not forget. This is a wonderful and very special place and I would definitely like to come back sometime in… read more
Your responsibilities are basically what you read. The staff are very kind and friendly. The location of the villa could not have been more perfect ! It allowed me to travel heaps in my spare time - the bike actually comes very handy !
Agostino, thank you for the opportunity of… read more
I also recommend him with full confidence as a housesitter. He has been watching the villa during my vacations and other absences. Additionally, the villa has… read more
First I would like to say a huge thanks to my… read more
My mornings working around the Villa were the most special. It was quiet, serene, visited only by the sound of birds singing and the sight of the sun gently rising over the hills -- a moment in time when you could almost sense the presence… read more
She would be welcome back for a visit or another workaway experience.
Thank you Jeanne for your helps during your stay .
During my stay Agostino and Rosanna, cause they were very busy, weren't very present but didn't change the possibility to always count on them.
All the people, who work in the villa, were also… read more
She made possible for us to have a holiday for one month and in this time she took care of the gardens, the cat (Lilla) and the house very well. Thank you for your help at all!
Hope we stay in contact! Ciao! Ago, Ros, Lilla, Dodi and all others :-)
Claudia is been a very independent housesitter/caretaker throughout the… read more
This is the perfect place if you are an indipendent and reliable person, passionate about history, art and nature. The Villa is a wonderful historical house near Pisa and Lucca and the daily work is very light. You have lot of freetime and you can enjoy… read more
