This spacious, stylishly furnished villa is set in extensive grounds, which offer a choice of venues for outdoor relaxation and dining. It is tucked away in a very secluded spot, amid gently rolling wooded hills. From its privileged hillside vantage point, it looks out across a valley covered in Brunello wine-producing vineyards. All bedrooms provide an ensuite bathroom and, in addition to the outdoor pool, a two-hole golf-range and a ‘Fitness Suite’ await those wishing to stay in shape during their holidays!

The villa’s lower grass pool-terrace, together with its two outdoor patios, allow you to make the most of the quiet seclusion and beauty of its idyllic countryside surroundings. One patio is located between the two wings of the house, so lends itself well to al fresco dining; while the other, securely railed-in, is set apart across the lawns and overlooks the valley below. Both are equipped with garden furniture and large canopy-sunshades.

During restoration work, great care was taken to conserve the villa’s original Tuscan architectural features, including the terracotta-tiled floors; terracotta-tiled/beamed ceilings; white-washed or exposed stonework walls; internal brick archways; and large, wood-burning fireplaces.

The additional materials used are of traditional style and high quality, such as travertine marble, wrought-iron and darkwood. Particularly attractive examples can be seen in the open-plan design and elegant decor of the comfortable dining-room and double living-room areas downstairs. Despite this authentic rustic atmosphere, all modern comforts are, of course, guaranteed!

ACCOMODATION

At ground-floor level, you access the downstairs hallway from a side-entrance, near which is located an outdoor, heated jacuzzi pool, set in a tiled surround.

Leading off the hall is the self-contained ‘Fitness Suite’, comprising exercise-bike; sauna; shower; and toilet. Golf clubs are also available for use. Opposite this is the large, fully equipped,  professional kitchen, housed under a pitched roof and with access to the outside dining-terrace. At the far end, there is a small service bedroom and bathroom, as well as a utility room, with washing machine and tumble-drier.

From the hallway you then enter the spacious dining-room, with its ceiling-fan and lovely old, darkwood furniture, including a long table and tall dresser, displaying an extensive selection of locally produced wines. A rounded archway takes you open-plan into the first comfortable lounge, with bookcases, ceiling-fan and Sat.TV. Another brick arch opens into the second comfortable, spacious living-room, where a large fireplace is set under a colonnaded chimney and French doors invite you out into the garden.

From here, a corridor leads round to a downstairs double bedroom, with air-conditioning; Sat.TV; and an additional entrance from outside, but involving no steps. The ensuite bathroom, with shower and hairdrier, is fitted for use by the disabled. Proceeding down a few steps, you come to a big office/study, with fax and Internet connection, where two large sets of wooden doors access the grounds. Here the traditional ceiling has been brightly painted in multi-colours by a contemporary artist based in Cortona.

A graceful wooden staircase with wrought-iron banister connects the dining-room to the top floor, where a collection of modern art is displayed in the upper hallway. On the left, the landing leads to the following rooms, all with Sat.TV Sky channels and ensuite bathroom with jacuzzi-bathtub: Double bedroom, with air-conditioning; traditional, floral-style soft furnishings, under a pitched roof. Large double bedroom.

Double bedroom, with ceiling-fan.  Large twin bedroom (the beds can be put together) under a sloping ceiling. Leading off to the right of the upstairs hallway are two more bedrooms, as follows, both with ensuite bathroom with jacuzzi-bathtub.

Double bedroom under a sloping ceiling; bookshelves. Double bedroom, with traditional, floral-style soft furnishings. From the top-floor hallway, an external flight of stone stairs can also take you back down to garden level.

On request, cookery courses can be held at the villa or dinners can be prepared by a chef and assistant-chef. Apart from its excellent, world-renowned wine production, the region is famous for its ‘Cinta Senese’ pork sausage, made from this rare breed of pig!

GARDEN & SWIMMING POOL

From the main country road, a rough gravel track winds its way among vineyards, olive groves, Cypress trees and broom up to the property’s automatic entrance gates. The gravel drive leads to an informal parking area behind the house, where a large, mature olive tree, surrounded by roses, decorates a central flowerbed. Covered parking spaces are accessed down a little track to one side.

Further down, in a suntrap location on the lowest grass terrace, well out-of-sight of the house, lies the pool (6x12 meters and depth 1.40 meter), with its open-air shower alongside. The lawns all around are dotted with shady olive trees and encircled by beautiful vineyards. As the villa is perched on a hillside, it commands uninterrupted panoramic views from its lawns and two patios at the rear, where utmost privacy and tranquillity can be savoured.