Villa Il Maggio

Description from the manager

Il Maggio is a typical 18th century Tuscan hill house. It sleeps 5 people in the main house in three bedrooms with two bathrooms and an additional two people in an attached but independent mini apartment. The villa offers all modern conveniences and some very particular details including a carefully designed and comfortably furnished solarium with large heated spa bath, a few steps from the house. This feature makes Il Maggio a comfortable and luxurious home for every season.

The house has been very carefully and lovingly restored with a passion and dedication above and beyond the normal. She has been very particular in choosing every l...ast detail from the handmade taps to the pure linen curtains that have been hand dyed to ensure just the right delicate shade.

Most pieces in the house are either antique or found treasures, all lovingly selected for their original feel and rustic characteristics. It is very important that tenants at Il Maggio appreciate this characteristic of the house and respect it.

The restoration has taken years of constant attention on behalf of the owner who is a whimsical, generous and energetic person surrounded by an aura of well being and creativity. Before embarking on any work at all she insisted on living in the house for two years as it was, with out electricity or running water to get the feel for it in it's original state.

Her instructions to the carpenter included 'You must work with your left hand'. He soon got the hang of what she wanted and when he really produced some thing really exquisite and unusual he joked 'this time I have held the tools with my feet.'

ACCOMMODATION: On the ground floor is a commodious eat in kitchen. The kitchen has a large and handsome open fireplace as well as a comfy sofa covered with luxurious throws and pillows. The floors are made from beautiful pre used Pietra Serena that was bought form the Siena council and hand cut to create the flagstones (this some times means the kitchen chairs might wobble a bit).

The ceiling has massive chestnut beams that support the upper floor and glow gently against the hand finished white washed plaster. The kitchen comes equipped with a large sink, convection oven, a small fridge (there is a larger on in the summer house), a small dishwasher, espresso machine and is well equipped for serious cooks.

Through out the house the heating runs under the floors and is independently controlled for every room. This is a very comforting luxury that makes bare feet in winter a pleasure and does not clutter the rooms with radiators.

Through an 18th century door one finds an elegant formal dining room that is open to the garden via a massive archway. In the other direction through a service room is the pergola-covered terrace.

From the terrace one can access a mini apartment that was once the pigsty and comprises a kitchenette, eating area, sleeping area on a split-level with double bed. The en-suite bathroom is in the old dove coat and has lights and fans cunningly hidden in small arches near the ceiling that once served as entrances for the birds. The mini apartment is considered a part of the villa and cannot be rented separately.

All downstairs rooms are open to the garden or terrace via French doors.

Upstairs one crosses through a loggia reached by a graceful and rustic staircase. The loggia is furnished with a table and comfortable chairs for reading or playing cards and has stunning views of the surrounding hills and dales with Città della Pieve in the middle ground. It would be the perfect place to watch the sunset or take your breakfast with the most stunning even light flooding in through the cleverly designed, vaguely modern wrought iron windows.

From the loggia one enters a spacious sitting room/study with large fireplace, comfy sofas and armchairs, a desk well lit for reading and writing. The terracotta floors are strewn with precious kilims and the bookshelves stuffed with art books, novels in three languages and design magazines.

To the right is the master bedroom, which is a large and elegant room with beautiful views of Lago Trasimeno and a sunny en suite bathroom with bath.

In the other direction are two bedrooms, one with a double bed and en suite bathroom with shower and antique sink.The other has a french bed and is better suited for a child as access to the bathroom is through another bedroom. These two rooms are communicating and can also be accessed separately.

GARDEN & SWIMMING POOL: The garden has been carefully considered and provides several comfortably furnished intimate places for a drink under a Bay Laurel tree or outdoor dining under a wine covered pergola. Jacuzzi pool available!

The property is surrounded by 2 acres of land including olive trees and an organic vegetable garden. Homemade olive oil and fresh vegetables every day give the taste of a real Tuscan vacation.Read more

Additional Location Information

Il Maggio is set in 2 hectares of woods, arable land and olive groves. Protected from the local road by a thick hedge, it very well located only five minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot from Sarteano. Sarteano is a large Tuscan village with a charming medieval centre and many shops, restaurants and banks.

Behind the house and immediately accessible are beautiful woods offering a variety of interesting nature walks and the remains of Etruscan roads. It is 17 Kilometres from the fashionable and health giving thermal baths of San Casciano, 20 minutes to Montepulciano and 30 minutes to Montalcino.

Chiusi station which is a major stop on the main train line that runs down the spine of the Italian peninsular is only 20 minutes drive form the house. The A1 or Auto Strada del Sole is only 10 minutes away also at Chiusi putting Il Maggio mid way between Florence (1 ½ hours by car) and Rome (1 1/4 hour on the train, private cars are not allowed into the city centre).

Whilst it is definitely in Tuscany, the borders of Umbria and Lazio are not faraway, allowing for forays into these fascinating and little discovered provinces as well as access to the well known and loved hills of Tuscany.

Nearby as well as tennis courts, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, wine tasting, Etruscan and Roman ruins, one can find an Olympic size natural thermal swimming pool. The waters are said to be beneficial for the skin and the eyes. Near San Casciano is a prehistoric excavation site that was later also inhabited by Etruscans. The surrounding countryside is littered with fabulous renaissance and medieval art and award winning restaurants.

The closest airport is Florence (1 ½ hours) and Rome airport is about 2 hours by car.

Additional notes from owner

Prices include: gas, electricity, water, towels and bed linens, final cleaning.

Prices exclude: heating: on consumption, SPA bath: Euro 150 per week, firewood: on consumption, extra cleaning: Euro 15 per hour, telephone: on consumption.

Extra service (upon request): there is the possibility of in house catering on request.

Jacuzzi pool: open all year round (Euro 150 per week).

Check-in: from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Check-out: by 10 a.m.

Security deposit: Euro 500.00

What Past Guests Are Saying

• Jeff
  Austin, Texas

  La Dolce Vita!

  Left on 07/22/2010 for a stay in June 2010
  
  

  This was our second stay at Villa il Maggio and we loved everything about it. The beautiful countryside, the sourrounding towns, the weather. We absolutely love the Villa itself. It is perfect for entertaining with family and friends. We had many nice meals at "home". We enjoyed visiting nearby Cetona and Monticchello, where we ate at La Porta!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Friends, Groups, Families w teenagers, Romantic, Luxury, Families w children

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