REFERENCE:

BEDROOMS: 

BATHROOMS: 

POOL: 

Podere d'Orcia has three holiday self-catering holiday apartments in the splendid countryside to the south of Siena, in Tuscany. Perched on a hilltop amidst scenic countryside, Podere d'Orcia is wrapped in two hectares of gardens, terraces and olive groves, with panoramic views and a large well-kept swimming pool.

Constructed in the 1700s and carefully renovated using original materials in 2000, Podere d'Orcia offers the perfect combination of modern holiday facilities in an atmospheric, traditional setting. The accommodation is bright, spacious and airy, and many of the rooms feature original tiles, stonework and wooden beams.

There are three inviting apartments of various sizes available to guests, plus a beautiful independent house (La Quercia), also in stone and newly restored. The property has a warm and refined atmosphere, furnished exclusively with period pieces and all featuring a fireplace and independent heating, satellite television, a dishwasher, an oven, a private entrance and a private, furnished garden area.

The apartments are all on the ground level and have a private entrance; for each of these, there is a private space with a large sun umbrella, table, chairs and barbecue. Each apartment is on one of the three sides of the farmhouse, ensuring that guests have complete privacy.

Arco apartment (sleeps 2+2), is 62 square metres, made up of dining/living area, with fireplace and double sofa bed, kitchen area, a double bedroom, a bathroom with a shower.
 
Olivo apartment (sleeps 5+1), 86 square metres, has a living room with fireplace and sofa bed, kitchenette, a double bedroom, a triple bedroom (one double bed and one single bed, or three single beds), two bathrooms with a shower.

Pozzo apartment (sleeps 4), 66 square metres, is made up of dining/living area, with fireplace and kitchen area, a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, two bathrooms with shower.

La Quercia apartment (sleeps 2+2), 66 square metres, is an independent house, connected to the farmhouse, made up of a large living/dining area with double sofa bed and fireplace, a double bedroom, a kitchenette, two bathrooms and shower.
 
Apartament Il Fico (sleeps 2 people), 43 square metres, is a one-room apartment with independent entrance composed of living room with fireplace, double sofa bed, kitchen corner, bathroom with shower, terrace, prival external space equipped with gazebo, table, chairs and barbecue.

Double Room La Lavanda has an independent entrance, bathroom with shower, satellite TV, refrigerated minibar, prival external space equipped with table and chairs.

A fully equipped laundry room is available, and there are barbecue facilities and mountain bikes. It is possible to request breakfast in the farmhouse, and guests at Podere d'Orcia receive a special discount at a first class local restaurant (2km away).

Podere d'Orcia enjoys a mild, pleasant climate, largely due to the hundred-year-old oaks and evergreens which grow around it. It is almost impossible not to relax here, strolling in the rose garden or the orchard, exploring the olive groves or enjoying a picnic among the wild flowers and aromatic herbs on the terraces. There is a barbecue and a large swimming pool (6 x 12 m), which is bordered by a large lawn and is elegantly set out with a pergola, sunbeds, deckchairs and a distinctive shower built into the rocks.

Podere d'Orcia is in the Val d'Orcia Artistic and Natural Park, a scenic land of wooded hills and vineyards in the very heart of Tuscany. The area boasts a wealth of natural and artistic attractions, and there are numerous thermal spas, mediæval villages (Bagno Vinone is pretty much both) and historical remains to explore. Be sure to try out some of the area's excellent restaurants, the best of which specialise in fresh local produce: sheep's cheeses (Pienza having numerous splendid cheese shops) and free range meats, woodland mushrooms, extra virgin olive oils and homemade pasta. This part of Italy also produces some top class wines - the famous hill towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano are no distance away, and it is a short drive to the vineyards of Chianti.

The calendar holds enough historical pageants, food festivals, craft fairs and musical performances to satisfy most culture buffs, but if you want further riches, it is a short trip to the architectural and artistic delights of Arezzo, Siena or Florence. Sports lovers have an embarrassment of choices: trekking, horse riding, cycling, alpine and cross-country skiing, swimming, car rallies and more. Lake Trasimeno, just over the Umbrian border and a magnet for bird watchers and nature lovers, offers fishing, sailing and other water sports.

Via Curtatone e Montanara 14, 50053 Empoli, Florence, Italy