Montemerano's Hidden Gem

A Curated Contemporary Getaway in Tuscany's Backcountry

Set in a storybook medieval village awarded one of Italy’s “Most Beautiful,” this sturdy stone house retains its architectural history with the added panache and spirit found in its modern minimalist redesign. Renovated in 2006 by Studio Galleria Disegno of Mantova, the home has two generous bedrooms with a spacious shared bathroom, offset by a high-ceilinged living room with a sofa bed as overflow sleeping for one additional person, an open kitchen and a balcony overlooking red-tiled roofs and stony alleys.

Interiors are surprisingly modern and minimalist—sleek, white and geometric, completed by carefully selected contemporary art, designer furniture, concrete and glass finishes against exposed stone and rustic timbers overhead.

Around

Located in Montemerano, one of Italy’s 27 “Most Beautiful Villages,” this Tuscan stone house occupies a lesser-known part of Tuscany, the Maremma region. The surrounding area is famed for its hot springs at Saturnia and its other ancient villages nearby. Mostly rural, with characteristic Tuscan hills and vegetation, Maremma offers travelers a more rustic, remote atmosphere infused with the pleasures of slowing down and enjoying local wines and simple country-style foods. There’s also a double-starred Michelin restaurant in town, where reservations are a must.

The Thermal Resort at Saturnia promises a constant temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius and is fed by neighboring springs of the Casate del Mulino, a thermal site enjoyed since ancient Etruscan and Roman times. Today, the Terme area also offers a Golf Resort and Club and several wellness retreat spas with treatments, plus health-focused dining.

Montemerano itself dates from the 13th century, its lovely Piazza del Castello a stony travel back in time within the town’s fortified walls. Porta La Buca is the town’s entrance gate, part of the village’s ancient fortifications, and the Porta Grossetana stands next door to the village’s Chiesa di San Giorgio, with notable frescos and a unique painting of the Madonna with a small “trap door”/hole that local legend has it was used to expel mice from the church. The area is also home to the scenic villages of Pitigliano and Capalbio, the Giardino dei Tarocchi, an outdoor art installation by artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

Location

Montemerano, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy. Nearest airports: Perugia (60 miles), Rome (75 miles)

Best time to visit

April to October