Val d'Orcia, Tuscany
Property 5441
10 Guests
5 Bedrooms
5 Bathrooms
420 square meters indoor
4 Hectares outdoor
Casa delle Colline occupies the top of a hill with a broadly panoramic view to the west, an open sweep of the Val d'Orcia with Monte Amiata clearly in focus except for the occasional passing cloud clusters that animate its hulking profile. This is a home that gives a real experience of soulful, modern-day living surrounded by the timeless simplicity and antique charm of farm life.
Casa delle Colline is named for the hills that surround this estate and are home to flocks of sheep. You will enjoy the delightful sound of the sheep with their bells tinkering as they wander out and across the adjacent hillside. The farmhouse to which they belong is part of the sympathetic view from the high perch of Casa delle Colline. The sheep and their farm remain as Casa delle Colline might have looked some 10 years ago when the current owner purchased a mostly fallen down structure of stone, and chose to transform it into a charming and lively weekend house. The results are stunning and cinematic, with a tableau quality that anyone attuned to design and an aesthetic of place will immediately appreciate.
This is not a conventional vacation rental; this is a house with soul and spirit that invites you to live quietly and with a deep appreciation for the extraordinary comforts of simple, fine living. The house has all the essentials; beautiful view, stunning pool, large vegetable garden, patios for dining and lounging al fresco, lovely rooms with carefully chosen and appealing decor, diligent and friendly local staff, and a nearby town easily reached for a meal or shopping. A vacation at Casa delle Colline is more about 'being' than 'doing' because the sense of the place invites you to really relax and savor.
That said, doing can be done. The local village is charming and complete; small stores, specialty shops, an ATM, good ice cream, a pizzeria, a fine restaurant and a world-class, thoroughly modern spa. You could simply and happily stay occupied within the neighboring five kilometers. But as this is Tuscany, the yonder hills beckon. Cetona, Montepulciano, Pienza, Bagno Vignoni, Citta della Pieve, Orvieto, Montalcino. An excursion from morning through lunch could encompass the full range of historic, artistic and architectural achievements of at least the Medieval and Renaissance eras. Plenty enough culture to give you an appetite for a good lunch. There is enough to choose from to make for several quick outings or a serious long day. Siena and Chianti are very doable, Rome and Florence are equidistant and reachable via regular train service from Chiusi. Going out and back within a day - getting home for dinner - is realistic for those with the energy to match their desires to tour. You can either pretend to get away or get away. The choice is yours.
The old farmhouse structure remains with only minimal modern alterations to its ancient and efficient design plan of people living above their animals. The staircases were outside so you didn't find yourself sleeping with the pigs. Today, the house remains divided in these two parts (minus the pigs) which has the considerable benefit of allowing a group of up to 10 numerous options for how and where they might gather together.
The house is on a sloping grassy hillside, the land below a combination of olive groves, vineyards and farm fields for sheep and cows. The southern and western edges of the property are bordered by dense woodland leading up and over the essentially undeveloped hills of a protected natural area. An ancient and enormous spreading oak - extraordinarily large and handsome for such a high hill - stands as a protective spirit shading a lovely rustic sitting area. It is a spectacular perch with a window on the world.
The grounds of the property are centered on the house, but in the good weather the place of choice is at the pool, soft edged with a watery infinity edge as if the entire contents might spill out into the valley which spreads all around. The view is breathtaking. A roughly paved decking is set with plenty of comfortable outdoor furniture and umbrellas. There is another well-placed and shady tree with handsome natural wood table for a fresh and abundant cold lunch. A vegetable garden is tended and available to guests for selecting fresh produce to add to the dinner table. Meals can be taken al fresco at either of the two intimate patios opening from the kitchen and ground floor living areas and that square out the corners of the house. The mix of furniture is casual and allows for both cozy soft living-room style seating and more upright dinner table gatherings. Both spots have their own character and leave plenty of room for improvisation based on what your preferences are.
Price information available upon request.
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