Front entrance and garden La Casermetta main house

La Casermetta's kitchen

Climbing Rose over pizza oven

One of four spacious bathrooms

Prices Currency Conversion

Rental periods	La Casermetta (Main House - Sleeps 7)	La Cantinetta (Apartment - Sleeps 3+1)
5 May - 6 October 2008	1420 euros	800 euros
6 October 2008 - 4 May 2009	1140 euros (+ gas/heating)	640 euros (+ gas/heating)
4 May - October 5 2009	1420 euros	800 euros

Notes on prices
Prices are for the property per week in euros.
Rate includes a weekly clean, linen change and electricity. Gas is included in the warmer months. We do charge for gas/heating from early October - late April.

Special offer
100 euro per week discount for the 3 remaining summer weeks in cool secluded apartment La Cantinetta

Changeover day
La Casermetta is rented on a weekly basis from Monday to Monday. Check in time is 5pm and check out time is midday. This usually isn't flexible, however, during winter it's worth enquiring as we can often be more flexible then.

La Casermetta

Bedroom 1 with double bed. Bedroom 2 with double bed. Bedroom 3 with double bed. Bedroom 4 loft with single bed. Generous hanging and drawer space in capacious Tuscan antique wardrobes. En-suite bathroom to bedroom 1 with shower, wc, bidet, huge mirror with good light, loads of bench and drawer space. En-suite bathroom to bedroom 2 with shower, wc, skylight over sink/mirror unit. Bathroom with bath/hand shower, wc, bidet, marble vanity bench, large mirror, good light. Kitchen contains oven, gas hob, full-sized fridge/freezer, new dishwasher, microwave and washing machine plus generous cupboard/storage space and all necessary accouterments for cooking and indulging. Lounge room with TV, video, CD/DVD player, board games, books, CDs, videos (+ children's) and DVDs. Dining area, 8 seat oak refectory table, new Natuzzi lounge suite, antique piano. Towels and linen included + weekly clean and linen change.

La Cantinetta

Bedroom 1 with double bed. Bedroom 2 with large single bed. Generous hanging space in antique wardrobes and drawers. Bathroom with bath, shower over, wc, bidet, new washing machine. Sofabed for 4th person in corner position near bedrooms/bathroom. Lounge room with TV, CD + DVD player, books, CDs, DVDs, Tuscan antiques + 2 comfortable sofas. Separate dining area with antique dining table. Kitchen has oven, gas hob, full-sized fridge/freezer, new dishwasher, microwave, generous cupboard/storage space and all necessary accouterments for cooking and indulging. Towels and linen included + weekly clean and linen change.

Notes on accommodation
As the house was restored by us to be our family home, it is very comfortably furnished and equipped. Restored farmhouse antique wardrobes, drawers and cupboards, treasures from local antique markets, offer generous spaces so you can unpack, settle in and feel completely at home. Children are welcome. Additional power supply to the entire house, a luxury in the countryside, supports the many appliances. There's good reliable plumbing and strong water pressure. All windows have fly screens as well as internal cypress shutters. Efficient central heating keeps the house warm and cosy in the winter months. In summer, La Casermetta's 400 m elevation promotes refreshing breezes while thick stone walls help keep the interior cool. Main house has a phone, local calls only. Mobile phone reception is reasonable in parts of the house and quite strong in the garden and olive grove. A booklet of information covers the A to Z of how things work with support phone numbers just in case you need help.

Outside
La Casermetta is set in a large fenced private garden beyond which rambles a further 10 acres of forest. The lush lawn is often scattered with daisies and fireflies frequently come out at night. From the marble garden setting there are sweeping views of the Arno valley and across to the famous Vallombrosa Monastery nestled in the magnificent oak and pine woodlands of the central Apennines. The apartment, La Cantinetta, has its own private dining terrace which faces both the valley and our Cypress lined track which weaves towards Florence. Take a gin and tonic and watch the sun set over our own little olive grove. The apricot tree here bears a surprising amount of fruit, if you can beat the locals. Depending on the season, around the house and garden you may find grapes, raspberries, apricots or figs. The squirrels usually get the hazelnuts and almonds. The main house and the apartment each have their own barbecue, alfresco dining settings, deck-chairs and umbrellas.

Coast/Beach
Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi 90 mins drive. Cinque Terre, long day trip (2 hrs). Portovenere (about 90 mins), a colourful fishing town offering a taste of the Cinque Terre. Hauntingly lovely Church of San Pietro stands on a grey stone bluff. Nearby a plaque commemorates Shelley who drowned there in the 1820s. Spectacular cliff walk runs from Portovenere to the first of the Cinque Terre. Whilst not viable access to the 5 towns on a day trip, you need only go a little way to enjoy the awesome views.

Golf
Club Ugolino (or Chianti Country Club) accepts day visitors on a casual rate, for both golf and swimming. Club Ugolino is 14 km, approximately 25 mins drive, from La Casermetta, signposted off the Chiantigiana just out of Grassina.

Travel
Airport distances - Florence approx 40 km, Pisa 110 km, Rome 270 km. Good bus service from San Polo to Florence but you'll definitely need a car for your stay to get up and down the hill to the village and for those Tuscan countryside day trips for which La Casermetta is so well placed. (Directions supplied.) Although an autostrada entrance is never far off, the house is tucked well away from the autostrada and all major roads. You cannot see, hear or even imagine a main road at La Casermetta!

Distances
La Casermetta is 3 km from San Polo in Chianti which is nestled in the north east of the exclusive Chianti Classico wine area of Tuscany, 17 km from Florence (easy 30 min drive into historic centre) and a panoramic 1 hour plus drive to Siena. Grassina, 10 km north, Figline Valdarno 10 km south. Greve in Chianti 17 km, Pisa and Bologna 100, Rome 270, Venice 250 km. Many easy day trips such as Pisa, San Gimignano, Radda, Arezzo (antiques), Lucca, Viareggio, Massa Carrara (marble), Cortona, Pienza.

Further details
The village of San Polo in Chianti has 2 small supermarkets, a butcher, a chemist amongst other basic shops, 2 restaurants (plus others nearby), a post office, a bar/tabacchi where you can buy bus tickets to Florence, a petrol station with after-hours self-service pump and a bank with ATM. Ten km north towards Florence is Grassina with many shops and boutiques, elegant bars and pasticcerie. 10km to the south is Figline Valdarno which has a lovely piazza similar to Greve in Chianti (also a short distance away), and a huge supermarket selling absolutely everything. (Watch out for Sting in the check-out queue.) There are charming walks around the house. Head along the chestnut shaded tracks leading to sudden, surprising views of Florence. Our own land abounds in interesting fauna and vegetation. (The cinghiali sleep by day.) Stroll, hike or picnic around our area and experience the seasonal offerings of the land. Keen eyed locals inhabit these woods on weekends and can often be seen triumphant clutching such trophies as bundles of asparagus as fine as wheat (which make delicious frittata). Funghi porcini and chestnuts are also plentiful in these hills although the Tuscans usually beat less experienced visitors. Ours is a very personal service. If you need advice on your trip we’re happy to help if we can. We provide guests with a comprehensive booklet of extra information, revised and updated each year. It includes day trips with detailed driving directions, our restaurant recommendations, local specialty shops, where to get the tastiest food, weekly markets, festivals, tips on food and customs and our pick of the best on offer close at hand, such as the dazzling designer outlet shopping mall (surprisingly close and extremely popular), the famous Panzano butcher Dario Cecchini, the antique market circuit and even some suggestions for those travelling further afield such as Venice and the Amalfi coast where we spend a great deal of time and have some useful contacts.

Booking notes
First confirm by email that the period you require is available. You will be sent a booking form to complete and return. We are happy to hold a tentative booking for a short period to prevent losing your chosen dates as you firm up final plans. We don’t ask for a deposit, but we do ask for full payment 90 days ahead of the booking period, payable by international bank transfer. You will receive an invoice with all the necessary details for the transfer for which the bank will charge a small fee.

Guest comments
'Just to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay. Mountaintop setting spectacular. House beautiful and exceptionally comfortable. Your directions excellent, very helpful for novices navigating the back roads of Tuscany. We did get about, but made time just to relax at La Casermetta, including some evening picnics facing the valley view. Our two sons who joined us are professional musicians, all enjoyed using your magnificent piano. Picture us dancing with our granddaughter to tune of Postman Pat. Graziella and Piero were very good. Language a bit of a barrier but managed to communicate. Piero came by last evening to say goodbye and see the baby again who, unfortunately, had returned a couple of days earlier. Her father had rehearsals.. had to cut trip short. Other son and wife went on to Ravello and had a wonderful time. Loved hotel you recommended, said food there outstanding. All of us would some day like to return to La Casermetta. It was wonderful.' - the Petty Family, USA.

House swap
House swap considered. Luxury coastal home. Must be remote (no resorts or beach communities). 2 to 4 people. 1 to 2 bathrooms. Ocean views, beach access. South America, Chile.

This advertiser joined Owners Direct in March 2008,
and has advertised this property with us since May 2008.

Property Ref IT2255
When contacting the owner please mention that you saw this property on Owners Direct Website.