La Casetta - Charming cottage in magical countryside
Cottage with 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4, Garden
La Casetta is a detached 2 bedroom/2 bathroom cottage on one level completely restored in the classic Tuscan style. Tucked away among vineyards & olive groves, it is an easy 4mins (3km) drive to Pienza, described as a jewel of the Renaissance & UNESCO World Heritage Site, with numerous restaurants, shops etc.
It forms part of a working farm located among 5 hectares of vineyard & olives in the magical Orcia Valley (which has also been designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site). The cottage makes a perfect base for exploring the wonderful countryside & towns of Val D'Orcia (incl. Montalcino, Radicofani, Castiglione D'Orcia), the thermal springs of Bagno Vignoni & Bagni San Filippo, the atmospheric Abbey of Sant' Antimo & also Montepulciano.
Ideally located for exploring other nearby towns of historical & artistic interest such as Siena, Cortona, Arezzo, Perugia, Orvieto, Assisi - all within a comfortable one hour's drive. Florence is also easily reachable either by car or by bus.
Kitchen-Living
View from vineyard
Bedroom 1
Bathroom 1
Bedroom 2
Bathroom 2
The 70sqm cottage was entirely renovated in 2006 respecting the classic Tuscan architecture (beamed ceilings, terracotta floors & internal shutters), yet at the same time, it is light & modern in feel.
We will provide you with a free welcome pack of local wine, olive oil, bread, milk, water, packet of croissants or similar, some coffee & tea & in season, if available, home grown vegetables.
If one day you don't feel like cooking, takeaway meals, incl. local wine, can be provided to you in the Cottage. Or if you'd like to gain an insight into Italian cooking, you are welcome to spend an afternoon in the kitchen with us.
On three sides of the cottage there is a gravelled patio area with table, chairs, loungers & a gazebo for use of our guests.
The land immediately around the cottage is level but on two sides of the cottage there is a terraced garden with steps going up. From here you can walk to the olive groves & vineyard where you can wander freely or take time to stop, stare & enjoy the typical Tuscan views, incl. a view of the cypress tree-lined Strada Panoramica leading to the mediaeval hill town of Monticchiello.
We (Luigi Italian & Lis British) have lived in the area for some years & live in the neighbouring farmhouse. We are therefore on site & available if you have any problems or queries. German, French & Spanish are also spoken if needed.
Historic Pienza, with its numerous restaurants, bars, banks, Post Office, hairdresser, market, shops selling local produce & small supermarkets, is an easy 4min drive (3km) along the main road.
The nearest open-air swimming pool is at San Albino (ca 13km) and an olympic size swimming pool is located at Chianciano Terme (ca 17km). If you prefer, you can take a dip in the thermal springs at Bagno Vignoni (16km) or Bagni San Filippo (ca 25km). Lago Trasimeno, with its islands, beaches and availability of water sports, is less than 45 mins by car, whilst you can reach the Tuscan coast in one hour.
Facilities for this holiday cottage in Pienza, Tuscany
Property
Type:
Cottage
Nearest Airport:
Perugia/Florence - 85/90 kms
Nearest Bar/Pub:
Pienza - 3 kms
Nearest Restaurant:
Pienza - 3 kms
Nearest Golf Course:
Val Di Chiana, Foiano - 25 kms
Nearest Ski Resort:
Monte Amiata - 43 kms
Location Type:
Quiet, Rural/Village
Bedrooms:
1 Double Bedroom, 1 Twin Bedroom. Bedroom 1 has a king size bed. Bedroom 2 has twins which can be made into a double. Each bedroom has a wardrobe, 2 bedside tables, 2 reading lamps, 2 chairs, a desk, a hairdryer and a fan.
Bathrooms:
2 Showers. Bathroom1 is ensuite to bedroom1 & has shower, sink, bidet & loo. Bathroom2 is accessed from an inner hallway right next to bedroom2 & has shower, sink & loo, suitable for guests with mobility issues.
Kitchen:
Cooker, Hob, Fridge, Freezer. From the gravelled patio area, the front door leads into the typical Tuscan open-plan kitchen/living room which is light & airy. The kitchen is modern, new & well-equipped, including a kettle.
General:
Central Heating, House Linen, Towels Provided.
Dining:
Seating for 6. There is a large dining table, chairs, a bench, peacock chair, TV and a dresser with a selection of books in English. Guests can also dine outside.
Entertainment:
Terrestrial TV.
Outside:
Garden, Parking, Garden Furniture.
Suitability:
Children Welcome, Wheelchair Access, Suitable For Elderly, Sorry - No Pets Allowed, Sorry - No Smokers.
The Cottage is on ground level & accessible for guests with mobility problems. If you wish, you can park right outside.
Please - no smoking in the Cottage but you are welcome to smoke in the garden.
Local activities in and around Pienza, Tuscany
There are plenty of opportunities for sightseeing. Val D'Orcia is regarded as an area of outstanding beauty & is the only area of the Tuscan countryside to have received World Heritage Site designation. The landscape may be familiar, as it has been depicted by artists since the Renaissance, by modern photographers - many views appear on postcards of Tuscany - & by modern film directors.
Aswell as boasting countryside of stunning beauty, the area includes numerous historic hill towns such as Pienza; Montalcino - centre of the world-renowned Brunello di Montalcino wine-making industry; Radicofani with its fortress high on a muffin-shaped mountain (& restaurant with great pasta!); Castiglione D'Orcia; San Quirico D'Orcia - all these towns featuring in the "Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany", not forgetting the thermal springs & the Abbey of Sant' Antimo.
Many other historic places are also easily reachable eg Montepulciano (9kms); Chiusi with its Etruscan remains (35kms); Siena (ca55kms); Arezzo (ca55kms); Perugia (ca85kms); Florence (ca90kms), Orvieto, Assissi & the Abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore at Buonconvento.
If you fancy a break from sightseeing, you can try your hand at other activities eg. painting lessons, Italian lessons, cookery lessons, horse-trekking, hot-air ballooning.
There are weekly local markets in Pienza, Montepulciano & Chianciano Terme where you can buy fresh produce, aswell as clothes, shoes etc or you can visit the large Siena market on a Wednesday. Also, all year around, but especially in the summer months, there are lots of festivals & events, sometimes with a mediaeval flavour.
If you wish to chill out, we can arrange a variety of on-site complementary therapy treatments, incl. Indian head massage, aromatherapy, reflexology & Chinese face massage - DaoyinTao.
In our housebook, you will find details of the above, along with various itineraries for sightseeing & recommendations, to help you get the most from your stay.
To reach the cottage, you have to drive 500m along a well-maintained unmade road from the main road (SS146). The SS146 leads directly to Chiusi (ca 30km)& connects to the A1 Florence - Rome motorway.
Rental rates for this cottage
Price Per Week
Quoted In
Approximately equivalent to
Euro
UK Pound
US Dollar
20 Dec - 10 Jan 2009
€750.00
£637.21
$1038.66
10 Jan - 4 Apr 2009
€550.00
£467.29
$761.68
4 Apr - 27 Jun 2009
€650.00
£552.25
$900.17
27 Jun - 19 Sep 2009
€750.00
£637.21
$1038.66
19 Sep - 19 Dec 2009
€550.00
£467.29
$761.68
Rental Notes: The cottage is let weekly from Saturday to Saturday, altho' this is negotiable so if you have other needs, please ask.
We would ask you to leave by 11am & arrive after 3pm (for cleaning), altho' you are welcome to leave luggage at any time.
The rental is payable in Euros & includes local taxes, electricity, water & gas (excluding gas central heating which will be charged at cost according to consumption based on the gas meter), use of bed linen, towels & final cleaning.
Bed linen and towels will be changed weekly. On request, extra cleaning, towels & bed linen can be provided for a small charge.
A deposit of 50% of the total rent due is payable to secure the booking. The balance is payable in cash on arrival.
If you have to cancel more than 8 weeks prior to arrival date, we will refund the deposit less bank charges. If you have to cancel less than 8 weeks before arrival, we will refund the deposit less bank charges only if we find another party to take your place.
Guestbook
"Thank you for making us so welcome here in Podere San Francesco. Coming back from our numerous searches for local & "famous" wines felt like we were coming home after a hard day's work. The Cottage is lovely. Our time spent with the two of you was delightful. We truly enjoyed your company and will remember our stay here for many years with fondness & smiles. " - Alicja, Agnes, Dorothy & Jeff, Winnipeg, Canada
"Nothing could have prepared us for the beauty of the area.. The friendship & openness of Lis & Luigi fit so well into this region as they give as freely as the countryside. They have made our time here perfect. They are as great a treasure to be found anywhere in Tuscany." - Nikki & Alistair, Staffs., UK
"Thank you for making our stay in Tuscany so memorable. The Cottage is beautiful - it way exceeded our expectations. And thank you for being such great hosts, for directing us to so many interesting places and for the wonderful dinner." - Antonio, Nora, Giorgia & Benny, Italy
Availability of La Casetta
This property is normally available
for rent between January
and December each year.
Click Here
to add this property to your "Shortlist"
which will save you time by allowing you to send
the same enquiry to several different property owners:
Owner joined site on:
06 January 2008
Property listed since:
06 January 2008
Holiday Cottage in italy - Tuscany - Siena - Pienza
