Tuscany - Chianti Region - Villa Palazzetto

7 Bedrooms Sleeps 15

This Tuscany villa stands in Barberino Val d'Elsa, a hilltop village half way between Florence and Siena. A small jewel of Renaissance architecture it was built in the traditional alberese stone with architectural features typical of the Tuscan understated elegance. Take note the finely carved cornices around the main door and the windows as well as the elegant curve of the arches in the courtyard. No famous architect was at work here, this house is an example of the spontaneous sense of style and proportion which the Tuscans developed early on.

The village of Barberino has two bars, a bank, a small shop, an excellent butcher, a restaurant, a wine bar, a hairdresser, a chemist and a post office. A good supermarket is just outside the village. In the village of Tavarnelle, 2 kms. North, you will find a wider range of shops as well as a market once a week.

The main entrance to the house - a large wooden double door with a Renaissance stone cornice - leads into a courtyard filled with flowers which opens onto a large terrace with a pergola for meals outside. From there a few steps lead to the garden, the pool and the open countryside.

The view and the sunsets to be seen from here, as well as from all windows looking out to the back of the house, are magnificent - the famous Chianti hills with vineyards and olive groves and the towers of San Gimignano in the backdrop. Florence, Siena and San Gimignano can be reached in about half an hour's drive. Volterra, Arezzo and Lucca will take about an hour. The facade looks onto the main street of the village (which is very quiet as it has been closed to traffic).

Palazetto used to be lived in by the owners before they moved to the family's Palazzo in Florence and therefore lives up to the standard of an elegant private mansion with all the modern conveniences to which we have become accustomed. Family antiques, books, terracotta flooring, exposed beams and Mediterranean colourings create an elegant and welcoming atmosphere.

The house is spacious and even a larger group will find that it is possible to be together in the living and dining areas, or to seek some privacy in one of the many corners both inside and outdoors.

The second floor of the house is located in the rooms where the estate's Vin Santo - the Tuscan dessert wine, which is aged in small barrels in the attic for three to five years was once stored. The space has been adapted in a clever way and the original features give the rooms a special and welcoming atmosphere, reminding one of the children's quarters in elegant mansions.

There is a large living room with a fireplace and comfortable sofas and chairs from which you will reach the three bedrooms. Views from the windows are magnificent.