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Villa Sant’Antimo - Tuscany/Montalcino
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Accommodates 8 — 4 bedrooms —
4 baths
Swimming Pool — Internet
Whenever people ask us what we consider to be THE most beautiful part of Italy, our answer is the valley of the Orcia River, a half-hour or so almost directly south of Siena. It’s more open country than Chianti, fewer cypresses, more chestnuts and other deciduous vegetation among the vineyards and olive groves. It’s a countryside that literally makes you weep, it’s so lovely.
And precisely here is where you’ll find our Villa Sant’Antimo, directly overlooking the river itself from its elevated position among 30-plus acres of Brunello-producing vineyards, plus oak forest and olive trees. As the name suggests, we’re just 2 or 3 kilometers from Sant’Antimo, perhaps Italy’s most beautiful abbey church -- and that’s saying something. Montalcino, with all shops, services, and excellent restaurants, is 10 kilometers away. Some of Tuscany’s most celebrated hilltowns are not much further: Pienza, Montepulciano, Cetona, Massa Marittima, Cortona, and, of course, Siena itself. The whole of the Val d’Orcia is a spectacular natural, sport, and cultural attraction in itself, full of old ruins, abbeys, churches, wine-producers, golf courses, castles, and hilltowns.
As to Villa Sant’Antimo itself: We’re talking about an old farmhouse which has been transformed into an elegant villa with all modcons while retaining its essentially Tuscan character. The house is a virtual museum of 21st-century contemporary art. Downstairs are an airy open-plan double living room with terracotta floors, exposed-beam ceilings, and Tuscan stone fireplace. The separate dining room with table comfortably seating 10 leads via another arch into the modern kitchen fully equipped with gas stovetop, electric range, microwave, dishwasher, etc., etc., plus an independent laundry room. This level also contains a separate studio/den with satellite TV and music system. Finally, there’s a queen bedroom with adjacent bath with shower.
Upstairs, you’ll find three pretty much equal bedrooms -- with excellent beds -- and three baths: (a) queen bedroom with en-suite bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and separate shower; (b) queen bedroom with en-suite shower room; (c) queen bedroom with shower room a short distance away.
The equality of bedrooms, number of baths, and multiple living spaces make Villa Sant’Antimo a great house for 3 or 4 couples traveling together, or for two small families. The Sant’Antimo estate produces its own wine, and the owners normally invite guests at the villa for a wine-tasting during their stay. Magical!
Issues: A PC is provided. Internet access is via a metered satellite connection which you pay for on an as-used basis. A cell phone is also provided, but you may well want to bring your own, as well as something like a blackberry or i-phone. The dirt access road is about a half-mile down (and therefore back up as well); you definitely don’t need a jeep, but you can’t just be learning how to drive a stick shift either, and you can’t be worried about that new BMW you’ve just purchased in Germany. Finally, the path to the swimming pool is somewhat steeply stepped, definitely not for those with any sort of mobility issue.
These are truly small issues in comparison to the reward: a truly beautiful house in what we believe is THE most beautiful area in all Italy.
| Rate: |
5,650
euros / week |
| Extras: |
None |
| Arrival: |
Saturday
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Minimum stay:
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1 week
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Pool open: |
May 26 - Sept 15 |
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