Artist's Retreat 5
Tuscan Villa for five with private pool : San Martino, Ambra, south of Siena
Nice little touches
- The house is home to an artist and her husband and is full of her work.
Good to know
- Unfortunately not suitable for children due to the depth of the pool, but ideal for couples or friends. Although the village of Ambra is within easy reach at 2 km and has everything you need, a car is necessary.
This place for four with a private pool is a delightful retreat, one of a handful of typical Tuscan stone houses situated in the tiny hamlet of San Martino, nestled between the Chianti hills and Valdichiana. Stay here to step back in time and enjoy the slower pace of a bygone age, which still remains in corners of Italy.
The apartment is on the first floor of the house, with an independent entrance approached by a wide flight of external steps, leading up to a covered portico. Below the house sits a large pool to relax and refresh on those long summer days.
The artist owners live in their own flat on the ground floor but the pool, the grounds and the outdoor seating area and pergola are always private for the guests.
Accommodation
The apartment is situated on the first floor of the house, with an independent entrance approached by a wide flight of external steps, leading up to the covered porch.
The snug sitting room is comfortably furnished and has an open fireplace. To the left is the dining area with an enclosed kitchen unit which is compact and practical housing all that you might need to cook. A corridor leads to two double bedrooms and a shared bathroom with shower and a small tub. There is also a reading room full of books to browse which has a single bed in.
The laundry room is on the lower level of the house. To the front courtyard in one of the old farm buildings is a bread/pizza oven, characteristic of the Tuscan farmhouse, where once a week the bread would be made to last the whole week, hence so many recipes with bread! Here too is a dining table to enjoy summer evenings.
To the side of the house just above the pool is a furnished covered area, perfect for coffee or an aperitivo, to take time to read or just be.
Below the house is the swimming pool - 10x5 metres. Please note that it is deep - hence the warning about children. It is 1.7 metres at the shallow end, 2.5 at the deepest, so only suitable for good swimmers. There are loungers by the pool and it's the perfect spot to relax and refresh on those long summer days.
Features
Villa Details
- Swimming Pool
- Wifi
- Free Parking
- Private Pool
- Fireplace
- Insect Screens
- Barbecue
- Gated Property
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- 2 Double Bedrooms, Both Beds 160Cms Wide
- 1 Bathroom With Bath And Shower
Kitchen equipment
- Oven
- Fridge
- Kettle
- Coffee Maker (Italian Moka)
- Nespresso Machine
- Toaster
- Dishwasher
Amenities
- Television (Satellite)
- Fireplace
- Washing Machine
- Insect Screens
- Pets Allowed On Request
- Portable Ac Unit
What's included
- Final Cleaning Included
- Pool Towels Provided
Extras
- Catering Available
- Extra Cleaning On Request
- Arrival Groceries Available On Request
Outdoors
- Private Pool - 10 X 5 Metres, Depth 1.70 To 2.50 Metres
- Outdoor Pizza Oven
- Furnished Outdoor Areas
Nearby Activities
Photos
Reviews
Where is Artist's Retreat ?
Getting here
- Florence Airport 1 hour 20 mins
- Pisa Airport: 1hr 45 mins
- Closest Train stations Montevarchi or Siena 30 mins
Around Artist's Retreat
Ideal for walking or exploring by bike, the area is full of small medieval hamlets and castles. The nearest village of Ambra at 2 km has all amenities; supermarket, post office, pharmacy, laundry and other shops to browse. There are also a couple of riding stables in the vicinity.
The village of Badia a Agnano nearby was once a powerful Benedictine Abbey that controlled the local area. Today it's a charming village with an excellent restaurant: "La Chiave dei Sapori".
To the west, the famous city of Siena is a 30 minute drive away. For tips on what to see in Siena, have a look at our Siena page while for tips on getting here, including where best to park, have a look at this: How to get to Siena. Siena is a treasure trove of things to see and do, from having an ice-cream in the famous Piazza del Campo, visiting the amazing black and white striped Cathedral to more exotic and hidden trips, like visiting the hidden underground tunnels and the river that keep the city supplied with water.
Beautiful Arezzo is 40 minute drive away. You can read more about the sights and museums of Arezzo here, and about Arezzo's famous Antiques fair here. The highlight of any visit to Arezzo are undoubtedly the famous frescoes by Piero della Francesca in the church of San Francesco. The local Bacci family originally commissioned Bicci di Lorenzo to paint the sanctuary but he died early having completed only four evangelists and the Final Judgement. Piero della Francesca took over in 1448 and produced what is one of the most astounding fresco cycles ever made. It was recently (around the year 2000) restored and is magnificent to see. It's worth knowing the story - the Legend of the True Cross - to understand the images. For tickets and opening times see the Arezzo museums page.
If you'd like to see more of the work of Piero della Francesca, I can highly recommend a visit to his fresco of the pregnant Madonna, now housed in a tiny museum in the village of Monterchi. - the village is around 50 minutes from the Artist's Retreat. Where is Monterchi?.
Nearby Activities
- Ambra 2kms
- Arezzo 40 mins
- Florence 1hr
- Nearest beach Marina di Grosseto 1hr 45 mins
- Lake Trasimeno 50 mins
Artist's Retreat
Sleeps: 5
From € 180 to 288 per day
From € 1,260 to € 1,730 per week
Approximately
$ 1,361 to $ 1,868 in USD
Calendar for Artist's Retreat
How to book
Is Artist's Retreat perfect for you?
For availability and pricing see the calendar above. To book online click on your desired arrival date, then on the departure date. The calendar will grey out dates for stay lengths that are not accepted - most villas book Sat to Sat but many also allow shorter stays or odd dates.
If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you select the best villa for your holidays.
We can hold dates for you for 48 hours while you make sure everything lines up, then you simply pay the deposit (30% of total) to secure your booking. The balance will then be due 10 weeks before you travel.
Easy cancellation
Simply add "XCover" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel. For more details see our Booking Conditions and XCover. You can add XCover to your booking at any time until you have paid your balance, ask your agent. If you simply need to change your dates please let us know: we can often modify your booking rather than cancelling outright.
Worth knowing
Many local administrations now charge a “Tourist Tax” for people staying in rented accommodation and these vary from town to town. The charges are generally per person per night with a maximum number of nights, usually around 5 but sometimes 7, beyond which they will not charge. The charges range between 50 cents to 5 euro. Children are sometimes included, sometimes not and these charges should be collected by the property owners.
Not sure?
It can often be faster to contact us to ask for advice - we visit all the houses so can give you first hand advice based on your wishlist. Once you find a villa you like we can hold dates for you for around 48 hours while you check flights or make sure everybody is on board.
Any more questions?
Please ring us with any queries - there are a lot of answers in our FAQ page too. If you want to keep searching, have a look at our suggestions below!
