Umamma

Restored Gem With A Secret Pool

‘Umamma’, Giovanni tells us, is a Tuscan expression that means a moment of wonder, that feeling when you see something unexpected and your jaw hits the floor. And this property certainly deserves the name. Created in collaboration with architect Gabriele Evangelisti, it’s a converted apartment inside a 16th-century palazzo, once used as a stable for horses and later as a nightclub.

Says Giovanni, “During the restoration work, when I was lucky enough to be home, I loved spending the evenings inside the house in solitude to imagine how it would be transformed. I used to put a chair in the middle of the room between dust and tools, place some empty boxes to shape the spaces, place some telescopic broom handles on the ground. So I simulated the room dividers that never would have been. Then I looked around, until some out-of-control neurons collided, in the hope that the accident would bring some ideas. So after many accidents, Umamma was born.”

Very happy accidents, it seems. The apartment manages to retain much of its original appeal, but with very 21st-century updates. The loft-like space features old-world industrial-style fittings, beautiful brickwork, elegant arches, and a very cool pebbled floor. The large, newly-expanded windows drop away into views across the countryside.

And then there’s the hidden plunge pool in a cave that’s accessed only via a trap door in the bedroom floor. The door is opened using an old industrial wheel once used to cut prosciutto. The pool has won multiple awards for its unique design – and it’s easy to see why. Read more about it in our Stories section here.

The apartment sits in the center square of San Miniato, a medieval town, far from the crowds and famous for its white truffles and drama school. Situated halfway between Florence and Pisa, it’s a lovely destination in itself.

This vacation home rental in Italy is an unexpected place with unexpected details. Perfect for two adults and a child. The open-plan layout features a living room with kitchen, an en-suite bedroom, and a study with an additional bathroom - making it an ideal vacation home rental in Italy for two guests, or a couple with one child. The separate studio has been transformed into an ensuite bedroom for two.

VIA FRANCIGENA

Umamma sits on Via Francigena, a great central location for exploring the town of San Miniato, which is in turn well located to explore Tuscany. It's 30 minutes from Florence, 30 minutes from Pisa, 30 minutes from Lucca, and 40 minutes from Siena. 

The picturesque hilltop town has a Gothic duomo (cathedral), a 13th-century tower, and other medieval structures. San Miniato is most famous for its white truffles and an unmissable truffle festival which takes place annually during the last three weeks of November.

LOCATION

San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy. Nearest airport: Florence (40 minutes)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year-round