Apartment in Beautifully Restored Medieval Tuscan Village, Just 7klm from Volterra
High Quality Complex and Pool, Well Placed for Visits to Pisa, Sienna, Florence and the Sea
Sleeps 4/6 (2 Bedrooms + Sofa Bed + Travel Cot)
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The beautiful restoration of this small complex of four buildings, containing 24 high quality private apartments and a swimming pool of uniform depth, 14x7m, took place in 2008. The architecture and design of Podere le Volpaie has followed the traditional local style. It contains beamed and tiled ceilings, terracotta tiled floors, loggia style balconies, and a stone exterior. The original farm shape, with four buildings around a well and courtyard, has been preserved. Apartment B6 has one king-size and one twin bedroom, two bathrooms, and is located on the top two floors of a 4 storey building, reached by a private stone staircase. With a 360 degree panorama of rolling Tuscan hills, it nestles tranquilly, 7klm beneath the beautiful and historic town of Volterra, famed for its alabaster work and 4km below the charming Etruscan village of Montecatini Val de Cecina, with easy access to Pisa, Sienna, Florence, San Gimignano and the sea.
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 1 July 2010 - 31 August 2010 | €850 | 7 | ||
| 1 September 2010 - 30 September 2010 | €600 | 4 | ||
| 1 October 2010 - 18 December 2010 | €500 | 4 | ||
| 18 December 2010 - 8 January 2011 | €750 | 4 | ||
| 8 January 2011 - 1 April 2011 | €500 | 4 | ||
| 2 April 2011 - 28 May 2011 | €600 | 4 | ||
| 28 May 2011 - 16 July 2011 | €750 | 4 | ||
| 16 July 2011 - 31 August 2011 | €850 | 7 |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the property per week in euros.
Changeover day
Changeover day normally Saturday, but it may be possible to offer flexibility, especially in low and mid season. Long weekends possible. Guests should arrive between 4pm and 9pm and leave by 11am. They will be met by our representative with the keys.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Bedroom 1 with king size bed, wardrobe and bedside drawers. Bedroom 2 with twin beds, wardrobe and bedside drawers. Double sofa bed in lounge, bedside drawers, wardrobe cupboard. Travel cot and high chair available for additional infant |
| Bathrooms: | Upstairs bathroom with shower, basin, WC, bidet and washing machine. Downstairs bathroom with shower, basin, WC and bidet. Each bathroom has a hairdryer. |
| Kitchen: | Large fridge/freezer, oven, hob and hood, dishwasher, microwave, kettle, toaster, crockery, cutlery, pans, glasses, etc, sink and drainer, french windows to balcony. Iron, ironing board, brush, dustpan, mop and bucket, clothes dryer. |
| Living Rooms: | Living room wth L-shaped bed settee, armchair, side tables, lamps, TV, DVD, free sat box, IPOD dock and radiator. |
| Other: | Dining room with table for 4/6, 6 chairs, sideboard, French dresser, radiator, fireplace, mirror, clock, hanging lamp, large cupboard/wardrobe, 2 sets of French windows to balcony, turning stairs. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
Cleaning at end of rental (can be arranged weekly if preferred for an extra charge). Linen and towels included and changed weekly, but pool towels not supplied. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge/freezer fridge microwave dishwasher washing machine iron/ironing board satellite tv tv central heating room fans cot high chair shared pool |
| Location Type: | rural |
Notes on accommodation
This is a non-smoking apartment. We regret that we cannot accept animals. There is a DVD player and selection of DVDs, plus an iPod dock. There is a travel cot and high chair to accommodate children.
Accessibility
Access is by one flight of stone steps, and bedrooms by another flight of wooden steps.
Outside
The loggia balcony captures the afternoon and setting sun, the tranquillity of unbroken countryside by day, a refreshing breeze to moderate the summer heat, and an intense starry sky at night.
The complex has common garden areas and a swimming pool 14 x 7.5 metres, with a sunbathing terrace, used only by guests of the 24 apartments. The pool is open from mid May to end September. The apartment has 4 sun loungers for exclusive use of guests at the pool.
The complex is very quiet and private, with electronic entry gates. Access is easy, just off a country road.
Coast/Beach
Cecina is the nearest resort, at 30 mins drive, with sandy private and public beaches, seafood restaurants and supermarkets. There are water parks and outdoor concert sites. Bibbona Mare and San Vincenzo are similar to the south, at 45mins and an hour respectively. Castiglioncello is more of a marina to the north. The lovely seaport of Livorno is about 45 mins away. There are 45 min ferry trips to Elba from Piombiono, which is c1.25 hrs away, and 4 hr ferry trips to Corsica from Livorno.
Travel
Pisa is the nearest airport, at about 50 mins from the apartment. It has regular flights all year round from a wide range of countries and cities, and multiple car hire agents on site. For UK visitors, there are very good value Ryanair flights most days of the week. Florence and Sienna airports would also offer easy access. A car is highly recommended for visiting the many places of interest, and for easy access to the nearest village for groceries etc.
Distances
At 50 mins from Pisa (nearest airport), 1 hour from Lucca, 1 hr 15mins from Florence, 45 mins from Sienna, 30 mins from San Gimignano and 30 mins from the sea, this is the perfect location from which to explore the heart of Tuscany. The area is full of Roman and Etruscan ruins, as well as beautiful medieval and Renaissance cities, with countless churches, galleries, museums to explore, making it an all year round destination. The hilltop villages offer uncrowded tourist interest, and good food.
Further details
Most visitors to Tuscany come for the beautiful countryside and the rich historical heritage. The area around Volterra teems with hilltop villages, vineyards and olive groves. It offers concerts, medieval pageants and festivals all year round, many of which are free. This city is the location for Stephanie Meyer's popular novel, New Moon, now a film. The tourist office offers guided walks around the New Moon locations. The food is a delight, with game specialities inland and seafood specialities at the coast. Restaurants abound in Volterra and the surrounding countryside, and are very good value. Local wine is available on tap in the local supermarkets at less than 2 euros a litre!
The ice-creams are out of this world, with a new flavour for every day. There are small supermarkets and banks in the nearby village of Saline di Volterra, and larger ones up the hill to Volterra. Local speciality shops have clothes, leather handbags and shoes, jewellery, art, alabaster, crystal and olive wood items.
The nearby village of Saline di Volterra (c4km) supplies all necessities, including wine straight from the vineyards. It has two restaurants, cafes, butcher, baker, supermarkets, etc. At 50 mins from Pisa (nearest airport), 1 hour from Lucca, 1¼ hour from Florence, 45 mins from Sienna, 30 mins from San Gimignano and from the sea, this is the perfect location from which to explore the heart of Tuscany.
For lovers of Opera, this area is home to the world famous tenor, Andrea Bocelli, who gives a local concert here every July at the open air Teatro del Silenzio, about 12 klms from the apartment. This is an evening not to be missed, and the rehearsal evening the night before is just as magical.
On middle Sunday in July, the region even boasts its own mini palio, at Casole d'Elsa - same ceremonies and horse race, but more intimate than the better known one at Siena. Other festivals with themes such as archery, theatre, cheeses rolling, are a regular summer feature.
Booking notes
To book, please contact the owners. A 20% deposit will be required upon confirmation of your booking, and then full settlement within eight weeks of departure. A security deposit of 100 euros will be required with the settlement, which will be refunded within two weeks of your return. Long weekends or stays shorter than a week may be possible, especially in low or mid season. Also rental periods which start and finish on days other than the normal changeover day. Contact owners for a quote.
Guest comments
Spectacular views. Spacious apartment." Davies Sept 2010
"Wonderful views, glorious weather - truly relaxing holiday venue. Local wine and cheese excellent. Atherton Aug 2010
"Too excited to unpack. Wanted to go straight to the pool for a cooling dip. We were lucky enough to see and experience the carnival atmosphere of Volterra, with live music everywhere. " Abdullah July 2010
‘Words are not enough to describe the beauty and tranquillity of this countryside’- Stokoes – NE
‘There is so much to do here, you need more than a week, or to come back!’ - Tysons – Cambridge
‘The apartment had everything we needed, and strikes a great balance between the traditional design and modern conveniences’ - Formans - Sheffield
We meant to travel a lot, but the immediate surroundings were so beautiful, we spent a lot of time just exploring the hill towns. McAteers, Ireland
Beautiful pool - the place our children loved the most. Doskocil, Czeck Republic
Owner profile
About the owner
We are two retired academics with a passion for France and Italy - their food, wine, history, culture, landscape, people. It was our lifetime dream to have places of our own there, and to share them with friends and family. Now we are happy to share them more widely with others who we hope will develop their own love affair with these beautiful countries.
Year purchased: 2008
Why the owner chose an apartment in this location
We chose this apartment for a variety of reasons. First, we loved the drama of the contryside around Volterra - its spectacular views. Each season presents a different aspect.
Then we found it very accessible for the airport, cities like Pisa, Siena, Florence, but also the sea and wonderful hilltop villages.
Volterra is a fabulous little town with a roman and an estruscan past, and you can never get tired of it, but it is not overrun with tourists.
We loved the high specification put in place by the developers who insisted on sympathetic features which respected place and time.
The complex allowed complete peace, but also a sense of community for those who like to be sociable. The beautiful pool is a natural gathering place.
Once we had seen it, we couldn't settle for anything less.
Unique benefits of the property
Although the property stands alone in the countryside, it benefits from a good road passing close by - no rough tracks to negotiate - and a convenient village with all conveniences just 3kms away.
For booking and further information
Property Ref IT3038
Contact Name:
Garrahan
(UNITED KINGDOM) +44 1629583117
Alternate Contact Details:
(UNITED KINGDOM) +44 7903284937
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Property Ref IT3038
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