PROPERTY
Twenty-two acres on a ridge with unspoiled 360* views of quintessential Tuscan landscape. Perfect get away for couples or individuals looking for privacy. Large glass doors open to the sunny southern exposure and invite you to spend time outside. Half of the property is meadows to enjoy the large landscape and half is forest to encourage exploration. The gravel driveway is lined by young Cyprus trees. Fruit, olive and chestnut trees are scattered throughout the property and edible berries and mushrooms can be foraged in the forest. Outdoors the hammock and lounge chairs provide the perfect places to relax and read a book, watch the clouds, or gaze at the stars. The sauna has a panoramic window with views towards the Val d’Orcia, and the outdoor wood fired jacuzzi is a relaxing, romantic retreat either hot or cold. The bocce court is the perfect way to pass time Italian style.
The house is quiet and private with the only intruders being a flock of sheep or occasional deer, wild boar, fox or other local wildlife.
HOUSE
Rustic style stone one-bedroom house equipped with modern amenities. The décor blend local inspiration and Italian design through the ages. The house features a common living area with open plan kitchen, dining, and living room with attached bathroom and a large bedroom. The house is heated by a wood fire place.
KITCHEN
The kitchen is well equipped to make a gourmet Italian meal with gas stove and oven, a range of utensils, tools for gnocchi and pasta. For aficionados the kitchen bar has a decanter and a selection of crystal glasses to optimize drinking of sangiovese varietals, nebbiolo varietals, regional whites, and negronis. There is an indoor dining area, or if you prefer to cook and eat outside, large French doors lead to a path down to the pergola where you can fire up the state of the art ceramic BBQ to perfectly grill fine Tuscan meats and vegetables or make pizza--as a thank you for your stay we will share a booklet of our favourite seasonal recipes for the grill. Dine al fresco under the pergola, while taking in the expansive views over the valley.
LIVING AREA
Adjacent to the kitchen is an open living area. Relax by the fire with a glass of wine on the couch where custom wine cork chandeliers hang overhead. For entertainment: the house has Wifi—though we encourage you to disconnect, there is no television but there is an excellent small selection of books available in English and Italian and Italian playing cards with instructions for classic games like Scopa.
BEDROOM
The bedroom is large an airy with glass door opening to a small rosemary and lavender garden and providing sweeping views down the valley. An antique sleigh bed has been refurbished to provide a comfortable nights rest for taller people. There is a comfortable reading area at the foot of the bed to enjoy a modern classic or just admire the view. The bedroom has ample closet space with an iron and ironing board and extra linens. Guests not wishing to sleep in the bedroom can be accommodated on the daybed sofa in the living area. The bathroom is equipped with sink, shower, toilet, bidet, washing machine, and hairdryer.
RULES
No smoking is allowed within the house. For guest who choose to smoke outside, we kindly ask guests to dispose of any cigarette butts. We are unable to accommodate pets.
AREA
Castell’Azzara is a quiet medieval town hardly touched by tourism where locals are friendly and all necessary services are available, including butcher, cheesemonger, bakery, supermarket, produce shop, restaurant, bars, pizzeria, pharmacy, hardware shop, bank, and weekly fish truck. For a small fee we will happily fill the fridge with fresh local ingredients and other necessities. On request we can delivery fine Italian wine to you and arrange horizontal and vertical wine tastings.
Activities in the immediate area include horseback riding, spelunking, and hiking. On request we can arrange the following extras for you: photo shoot with professional photographer, photography classes, spelunking, horseback riding, and ricotta and pecorino cheese making. Contact us for more details.
We highly recommend venturing further afield and enjoying southern Tuscany. Options for day trips from the house are plentiful: Drive the winding roads through the UNESCO world heritage site Val D’Orcia, visit picturesque Pienza, Lake Bolsena kayak the clear lake waters, visit the tuffo towns of Pitigliano, Sorano, and Sovana, bring a picnic and explore the Etruscan tombs and ancient roads carved into limestone, indulge in a phenomenal dinner at one of the Michelin starred restaurants, spend the day soaking in the spring fed pools either in the wild or one of the luxurious spas, indulge wine tastings in Italy’s great Brunello, Vino Nobile, Morellino, Montecucco DOCG wine regions and many DOC areas, hike the slopes of mount Amiata, explore the Maremma’s forested coast and enjoy fantastic bortaga, head west into the underground of Orvieto, or attend one of the many seasonal fairs in the area for wine, olive oil, chestnuts, or truffles.