Magnificent 15th Century stone cottage with pool and tennis court to rent in the heart of Tuscany. Sogna Piccola is our lovely two bedroom stone built cottage high up in the Tuscan hills. It is ideal for a couple or three adults looking for an oasis of peace and tranquillity with the additional benefit of being less than an hour's drive from all the main cultural centres of Tuscany. The house, which was originally built in the 15th century is beautifully furnished and decorated with an emphasis on comfort and luxury. Our home has been authentically restored to reveal its original chestnut beams, terra-cotta tile ceilings and floors, large open stone fireplace, pietra serena stone kitchen worktops, and luminous calce plaster wall finishes. Some of the furnishings are antique which are juxtaposed with a collection of contemporary European works of art.

 

Prices Currency Conversion

 

Notes on prices
Prices shown are for the property per week in UK Pounds.

Changeover day
Rental periods run from Saturday 4pm to Saturday 10am.

Accommodation

 

Notes on accommodation
All windows have insect screens, double glazed windows throughout, gas fired central heating, unlimited firewood available. The house is for a maximum of 3 adults. Children, pets and smoking are not allowed in the house. Sogna Piccola is not suitable for children - too many nice things for them to break, and too many opportunities for them to plunge to their death. The village is terraced and the lanes are all cobbled and as such, are not recommended for anyone who is not steady on their feet. Ladies should be aware that Sogna is not really a stiletto friendly area.

Amenities/Facilities provided

 

Outside
Entirely private, the 11th century medieval hamlet of Sogna consists of 12 unique homes with a swimming pool and tennis court. Perched high atop a hillside, surrounded by terraces with over 700 olive trees, numerous fruit trees and ancient woodlands, sits this stunning medieval borgo. The village itself is beautifully restored maintaining all of its original features, with a church and bell tower, a village green, the remains of the original fortressed walls and cobbled lanes that lead through the village between the stone houses. With panoramic views of the Valdambra, Sogna offers our guests the chance to relax, sunbathe, swim in the oasis shaped pool, play a game of tennis, eat al fresco under the vine covered pergola, breakfast under the fig trees or do nothing at all! In season, figs, apricots, plums and grapes grow throughout the borgo and there are few pleasures greater than eating a freshly picked, sun warmed fruit with your morning coffee.

Travel
There are direct flights to Florence from most major European cities, Meridiana airlines fly from London Gatwick to Florence; the house itself is just under an hour from Florence airport. Many low cost airlines fly into Pisa airport which is a two hour drive from Sogna. Alternatively, you can also fly into Rome which is a little over a two and a half hours drive to Sogna. There is no public transportation availale in Sogna therefore car hire is essential.

Distances
The closest village is Ambra (7 to 10min drive), where you will find a bank with cash machine, two cafes, an excellent restaurant, fruit shop, butcher, grocery store and a cinema. There is a small supermarket in Bucine (10 to 12 minutes drive), also in Bucine are a couple of banks and many small specialist shops and even a main line railway station. Further a field is Monte San Savino (20 to 25 minutes drive) which is a beautiful medieval town with a good sized supermarket.

Further details
If you can tear yourself away from the beauty of our medieval borgo, Sogna makes a perfect base for exploring Tuscany. It is just a 30 minute drive to the centres of Siena and Arezzo and an hours drive to Florence. The classic Tuscan hill towns of Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano, are all within a short drive and Chianti's famous villages of Castellina, Greve, Gaiole, Radda are just on our doorstep. Closer to home, you can take a leisurely stroll to Rapale, the next village in the chain of hilltop borgos or discover the beauty of the Valdarno and particularly the Valdambra where the magical medieval towns of Badia a Ruoti, Cennia, Ambra and Bucine, cling to their hilltop perches evoking a sense of timelessness. When you tire of the natural and historic beauty of Tuscany and find yourself in need of a little "retail therapy"; a quick 25 minute drive will take you to the anonymous grey warehouse called Space, which is the outlet store for Prada, Jill Sander, Mui Mui, and Helmut Lang. A further 15 minute drive brings you to "The Mall", a huge complex of outlet shops where you can find labels such as Alexander McQueen, Agnona, AJ Armani, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Emanuel Ungaro, Ermenegildo Zenga, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Hogan, I Pinco Pallino, La Perla, Loro Piana, Marni, Pucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sergio Rossi, Stella McCartney, Tod’s, Valentino, Yohji Yamamoto and Yves St. Laurent. There is also a Miss Sixty and Diesel outlet at The Mall as well as a stylish café that serves salads, sandwiches and fantastic coffee. Down the road from The Mall you will find the Fendi, Celine, Loewe and the Dolce and Gabbanna outlet shops.

Booking notes
To reserve Sogna Piccola you would need to send us a 25% deposit of the total rent due, with the balance payable at least six weeks before your stay. Our cancellation policy is simple; if we can find another renter for your dates we will return any money sent to us (minus bank charges). A security deposit of £250 must be included with your final payment; it will be shown as a separate item on the invoice.

Guest comments
'This is our greatest holiday ever! And your Sogna Piccola home is the icing on the cake! We absolutely love it here – only drawback is that we only have a week here! Truly a beautiful area – gorgeous countryside. We’ll be telling everyone we know about our great time here & your fabulous & unique home.' H&G 'Your home and Sogna looked excellent in the pictures but it was even better when we arrived! What a fantastic setting for our honeymoon! We have enjoyed relaxing at the pool as well as lovely meals, made with local produce, every night under the fig trees – washed down with plenty of Chianti!! Now you can’t ask for anything more romantic! 'M&N 'To arrive after dark, into this elevated haven of peace has been the highlight of our special 4 week holiday We woke up, gazed at the extraordinary sunrise over the valley mists and realised that our first visit to Italy would NOT be our last. A delightfully cosy cottage with all the necessary creature comforts and real CHARACTER.' B&R

For booking and further information

 

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This advertiser joined Owners Direct in October 2005,
and has advertised this property with us since October 2005.

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