Umberto121

A Local Masterpiece Restored

Restored to its original glory in 2023, this meticulous composition of old and new is celebration of regional, noble, Tuscan history on a very human scale. Unexaggeratedly gracious, the fresco-covered, double-level family residence fuses antique and contemporary furnishings against a rich historical backdrop of 19th-century ceiling beams (some of them updated in bright white), original doors and floors (polished anew and set with comfortable modern furnishings), and a small village garden green out back, with easygoing seating and dining options under the shade of the fig trees.

Common areas are modern and cozy, with spare white walls and contemporary furnishings, while the five double bedrooms will please nostalgia addicts, given their frescoed walls and ceilings, exposed beams and graceful moldings and arches.

Around

Set in the traditional Tuscan village of Montisi, one of five towns included in the Val d’Orcia UNESCO World Heritage region, the village’s pastel cobbled streets are steep and narrow, with views opening onto the quilted valley and rolling hills that surround it. There’s a small grocer, a baker, and a handicraft maker among the town’s handful of merchants, and a florist and wine shop are available to embellish nights in. A handful of local bars and restaurants, plus a post office and pharmacy round out Montisi's offerings. This is the type of timeless Tuscan village where residents, from industrious nonnas to playful children take to the town piazza for lively daily conversation and fun. Home to Brunello wines, dozens of vineyards (many with tasting rooms) blanket the countryside around the village, and other famed wine locales in the area include Montalcino and Montepulciano, both less than 30 kilometers from the home, making wine and food tourism a favorite regional draw.

The village of Trequanda is only six kilometers away, an ancient Etruscan community dominated by a crenelated fortress castle and mighty stone tower, and many working olive groves in the valley. Pienza is another nearby village worth passing through. It previously housed Pope Pius II each summer at a holiday residence, and the town's central piazza, named for the Pope, is lined with 15th-century buildings, including a cathedral, a palace, and the Diocesan Museum, the latter home to Flemish tapestries and the late Pope’s vestments. Siena is the closest city, at 50 kilometers from the home, its medieval brick buildings a major draw defining the city’s 17 historical districts.

Location

Nearest airport: Florence (108km); Rome (199km)

Best time to visit

April to October