Hilltop luxury villa in Val D'Orcia with own pool (#31701)

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The house and pool from the South

Description of the San Casciano dei Bagni vacation villa rental

Welcome to Il Felceto -sleeps 12 but can be rented out in halves that sleep 6 and are each fully equipped flats.

* a villa for aesthetes who love the peace of the countryside, unspoilt distant views of the Val D'Orcia(including Monte Amiata), and total comfort
* close to San Casciano dei Bagni and its famous Fonteverde spa, it is within a day's outing of at least fifteen famous cities and towns
* situated on a hilltop where Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio meet
* decorated by the owners with their own collection of works of art
* very recently refurbished using only traditional materials
* high ceilings, double glazing and 'persiana' shutters make it chillingly cool in summer; fires and big radiators keep you warm in winter

About Il Felceto

The Italian '''il felce ' means a fern, and we surmise that the name of the house derives from the fact that the area contains many natural springs.

The house was purchased by Julian and Susan Berry in 1989, at which point it was nearly a ruin and inhabited by a shepherd, his two dogs, and numerous sheep. The construction appears to date from the C18th, and the original quite small building was extended at least twice since building started. It is now over 500 square metres in size.

The house had been a traditional '''contadine ' or tenanted farm, with animals living downstairs, and several families with up to 20 human occupants upstairs. This explains the external staircase which used to be the only means of access to the first floor. The farm was tenanted by landlords who lived in the castle at Trevinano. It is clear that farming was truly '''mixed ' with pigs, cattle, arable, chickens, pigeon, and fruit all featuring. The medieval system of tenant farming came to an end in Italy after the Second World War, which led to the house being deserted, and the inhabitants finding other means of support.

The position of the house almost touches the borders of Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria although technically it is in Lazio, which means that we are administered by the Municipality at Aquapendente who control such important issues as planning permission, and provide services like the Carabinieri. However those who come to the house regard the view out over Lago del San Casciano as traditionally Tuscan.

Our nearest village is Trevinano to the south which is simple and quiet, but which has a shop and two good restaurants; to the North we have the medieval town of San Casciano dei Bagni. The latter has an original Etruscan thermal baths which are open to the sky and free to all comers.

The large 60 hectare field around the house is on '''set-aside ' until 2017 which means that it must not be farmed except for a partial mow once a year. The consequence is that it has become a wildlife paradise inhabited by deer, hares, foxes, wild-boar, stoat and many other creatures; we have seen buzzards, kestrel, doves, woodpeckers, woodcock, pheasants and swallows, who nest under the eaves of the house. The wild flowers change almost by the week and in the late summer the field is covered with fennel, whilst the hedgerows are full of zambouca.

The house has been restored over a period of eight years using nothing but traditional materials and working practices (with the exception of the plumbing and electrics) and, for instance, every single tile in the building is handmade.

The antique furniture and paintings in the house represent a collection built up mainly by our parents and grandparents, although the modern art has been purchased more recently. We have decided to leave it in the house whilst it is being let to visitors, and we hope that the contrast between the sophisticated contents, and the simplicity of the building, will appeal to our visitors at it does to us.

The water comes from our own well to the East of the house and is stored in a substantial underground tank before being purified on entry to the house. Prior to our building the well the farm had drawn water from two nearby natural springs. The electricity is mains, and we have a GPL gas tank for water heating and cooking.

The Val D'orcia in Southern Tuscany is looser, less well groomed you may say, than the North of the county . It appeals to country lovers who prefer the company of vertiginous views and gem-like smaller towns to the manicured vineyards and jostling cities of the North of Tuscany.

If you like spas then one of the best in Europe is only six kilometres away. The resort was built by the Grand Duke Ferdinand I de Medici in the seventeenth century around thermal springs famous for their healing properties. It now comprises seven pools, hot and cold, inside and outdoor, as well as a ‘Wellness Centre’ that ‘provides complete health and beauty spa experiences for face and body’.

It also appeals to the touring aesthete, who wants a base from which to visit the extraordinary assembly of local towns.

Our part of Italy, the Val di Chiana, has comparatively few tourists, Italian is still spoken in the restaurants and bars, menus are not bilingual, and prices are modest. Yet we are within a day 's trip of a plethora of beautiful places to visit. Our shortlist includes:

Abbadia S. Salvatore
Acquapendente
Arezzo
Assisi
Castiglione del Lago
Chiusi
Citta della Pieve
Florence
Lago di Bolsena
Lago di Trasimeno
Montalcino
Monte Amiato
Montepulciano
Orvieto
Perugia
Pienza
Pitigliano
Sarteano
S. Quirico d 'Orcia
Siena

We are also in the center of an area famous for outdoor activities including ski-ing, walking and horse-riding. Nearby Monte Amiata, rising to 1728m, attracts many thousands of local skiers in the winter months although to be fair the runs are short compared to Alpine resorts. If you would like to walk, the house is on very edge of the huge national park called Monte Ruffeno which is covered in forests of oak and chestnut and full of wildlife. For the horse rider there are two local stables, and one of them, Il Poggio, has been recently patronized by Camilla Duchess of Cornwall when on a riding tour of Tuscany.

If you like spas, our local town San Casciano dei Bagni has a spa La Fonte Verde voted as one of the top ten in Europe; apart from the hot springs it has a huge variety of treatments and cures, although in general health plays second fiddle to beauty.

• 1 King Bed, 2 Queen Beds, 1 Double Bed, 2 Twin Beds, 1 Crib
• High Speed Internet
• Patio
• Cook
• Hot Tub
• Private Pool
• Daily Maid Service
• Housekeeper
• Screened Porch
• Fireplace
• Kitchenette
• Ski In/Out
• Full Kitchen
• Linens Provided
• View (Mountains)
• Heating
• Parking
• Wheelchair Accessible

• Blender
• Hair Dryer
• Stereo
• CD Player
• Ice Maker
• Stove
• Coffee Maker
• Iron
• Telephone
• Dishwasher
• Oven
• TV (Cable/Satellite)
• DVD Player
• Radio
• VCR
• Fax Machine
• Refrigerator (Full)
• Washer/Dryer
• Gas Grill
• Refrigerator (Mini)

• Bicycling (onsite)
• Downhill Skiing (<1 mile)
• Tennis (7 miles)
• Children's Pool (onsite)
• Restaurant (5 miles)
• Winery (7 miles)
• Cross-Country Skiing (onsite)
• Grocery Store (7 miles)
• Horseback Riding (10 miles)
• Hiking (onsite)
• Shopping Area (7 miles)

We are seven minutes away from La Fonte Verde, recently voted as one of Europe's top ten spas. There are four good restaurants within ten minutes drive, and skiing on Monte Amiata is 30 minutes away. And if you want to rent only half the house then you can have a large self-contained flat for only half the house rental.

• Payment Options: PayPal, Personal Check
   
• Check In: 4 p.m.
   
• Check Out: 10 a.m.
   
• Required Stay: Flexible
   
• Lodging Tax: Nil
   
• Deposits: 33% at time of booking 67% 30 days in advance of arrival
   
• Other Fees: Electricity consumption above 300Kw per week Gas consumption above agreed limits Maid services above two days per week Refundable damage deposit E1000 Cooking services at Euro20 per hour
   

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