Eremo 10 to 18
9 bedroom luxury villa and pool near Arezzo : Ponticino, Arezzo
Nice little touches
- Eremo restoration was obviously a labour of love, involving Tuscan craftsmen and local artisans.
- The pool area is beautifully designed and furnished and easily an area where guests will linger.
- Multiple dining spots inside and out make for variety in group meals.
Good to know
- Though there are three kitchens in the villa, one is primarily used by staff for breakfast service
- Mobile phone coverage is better in some areas of the house than others, though good outdoors
This large stone house, carefully restored and furnished with exceptional taste and sensitivity to the comforts of modern travellers, began its life as a place of refuge. You can read the owner's account of bring Eremo back to life here: Restoring Eremo. Now, coming full circle to its late 12th century convent origins, there is an air of protected peace and gentle retreat about this ancient residence. Set in a wildlife reserve in the hills overlooking the Arno valley, L'Eremo is positioned to enjoy long vistas to rising horizons and close-up glimpses of the shy animals that are part of the Tuscan tapestry. Yet it is the house itself that will be savoured by its guests, and it is to it and to them that the owners have dedicated their efforts.
Accommodation
In a lengthy labour of love, the owners laid gentle hands on the original structure and layout, the result of which has preserved spacious rooms and features not often found in a Tuscan home. One is seen as soon as you enter the arched door on the eastern facade, for no sooner are you in the house than you can see out of it - into the lovely inner courtyard at the heart of the house. In the living area another delight - a central stone pillar supporting four wide arches under which comfortable sofas and chairs afford the perfect place to recount the day's discoveries.
And so it goes throughout the house, everywhere there is something to appreciate. The kitchen areas would please any chef, both the spacious two-stationed professional kitchen as well as the handy kitchen next to the dining room, for they are nicely furnished to give the sense of home, yet equipped with everything necessary to cook for a crowd, including a high-speed dishwasher and a pasta boiler. Off the main kitchen is another living area perfect for younger guests, for with toys, TV and video equipment, a table for eight, an open fireplace and access to a furnished terrace outdoors, it can entertain for many hours running.
Beyond the dining room, which seats 16 comfortably, is the only ground floor bedroom, with ensuite shower room and a door to a small, furnished terrace. The last room on this floor is the studio, a restful place to read, play the electronic keyboard, write an overdue postcard or simply marvel at the treasure in the floor, the remnants of a foundation wall that stood 1,000 years ago - a humbling memento.
On the upper floor there are two additional living areas and seven charming bedrooms, each distinctive in look, but all beautiful places in which to wake up. In all the bedroom suites in this large house, in addition to the beamed ceilings and terracotta flooring, there is a lovely mix of well-selected country antiques, lovely fabrics and the whimsy of ceramics. Most bedrooms have ensuite bath or shower rooms, though two share a nearby bathroom and one has a lovely shower room just across the large Hall containing a beautiful pietra serena fireplace. One final suite remains; accessed off the wide enclosed loggia, it includes a sitting room with sofa bed, a shower room and a lovely bedroom under the eaves.
Despite the great comfort of the interiors, guests will probably want to head out into the six landscaped acres that surround the property - perhaps to gather around the pizza oven on a night someone comes to reveal a pizzaiolo's secrets, or else under the vine-covered pergola that will seat the whole group for al fresco dining. Across the wide lawn is a large swimming pool connected to a children's wading pool by a cascading waterfall, and a shaded furnished pergola and a poolhouse with shower room, changing room, and refrigerator to save the trek back to the house.
Add the fact that a charming Caretaker stands ready to help you realize all the excursions and in-house activities you may wish to build into your Tuscan holiday, and L'Eremo is just about perfect. A highlight for many guests is having a chef come to the property and prepare a delicious catered meal for you after a hard day's sightseeing. Eremo's chefs offer fabulous four course Tuscan meals - and can even teach you to cook the very same dishes if you would like a cooking course. For a more simple fare we can have a Pizzaiolo come to fire up the villa's traditional Pizza oven and show you how to bake perfect Pizzas on a woodfire.
Features
Villa Details
- Private Pool
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- 1 Double Bedroom With Ensuite Shower Room On Ground Floor
- 1 Twin Bedroom With Ensuite Bathroom On 1St Floor
- 1 Double Bedrooms With Ensuite Bathroom On 1St Floor
- 1 Twin/Double Bedroom With Ensuite Shower Room On First Floor
- 2 Double Bedrooms, Of Which With Private Shower On 1St Floor
- 1 Twin/Double Bedroom On 1St Floor
- 1 Shared Bathroom On 1St Floor
- 1 Double Bedroom With Ensuite Shower Room On 2Nd Floor
- A Double Sofa Bed And An Extra Single In 2 Of The Bedrooms Available
- Insect Screens On Bedrooms And Bathrooms
- Hair Dryer In Each Bathroom
Kitchen equipment
- Three Equipped Kitchens In The Villa
- 3 Ovens
- American And Italian Coffee Makers
- 2 Dishwashers, One Of Which Hi-Speed
- Kettle
- 2 Toasters
- Microwave
Amenities
- Baby Bed And High Chair Available On Request
- Wifi Internet
- Piano
- Cd Player/Radio
- Tv With Satellite
- Fireplace, With Wood Provided
- Portable Fans Available On Request
- Iron And Ironing Board
- Washing Machine
What's included
- Pool Towels Provided
- Mid-Week Cleaning And Linen Change Included
- Final Cleaning Included
- Daily Breakfast Included
Extras
- Arrival Groceries Can Be Organized For A Small Fee
- Catering Available On Request
- Cooking Lessons Available On Request
- Extra Cleaning Available
- Assistance With Event Organizing, E.g., Weddings, Classes, Retreats
- Babysitting Can Be Organized
- House Telephone Costs To Be Paid Directly To Owners
Outdoors
- Swimming Pool (8 X 16 Metres) And Separate Childrens Pool
- Portable Barbecue
- Furnished Courtyard, Loggia, Garden And Terraces
Nearby Activities
- Swimming Pool With Steps And Furnished Covered Patio And Changing Room
- Wine And Art Tours And Personal Shopping On Request
- Yoga And Massage Arranged On Request
- Tennis Courts In Montevarchi
- Bike Rentals From Arezzo
- Horse Stables Near Pieve A Presciano
- Read more about the area around Eremo
Photos
Reviews
Where is Eremo ?
Getting here
- Florence Airport: 1hr 20 mins
- Pisa airport: 2hrs
- Rome Airport: 2.5-3 hrs
Around Eremo
If you'd prefer to eat out there are a number of excellent local restaurants. For a luxury experience and an excellent wine list we recommend Osteria del Borro on the Ferragamo estate, 20 minutes drive away. For something more intimate - and for a chance to see the fabulous views from the hilltop town of Civitella in Val di Chiana, try Osteria Antico Borgo just 10 minutes away.
Meat eaters will enjoy Ristorante Neda, a typical simple Tuscan restaurant that makes an excellent "Bistecca alla Fiorentina", a thick tender steak (3" thick!) that is served "blue" as the French might say, or very rare. If you're visiting Arezzo, you should try the Lancia d'Oro in the city's Piazza Grande - go in the evening and enjoy the city's evening walk up the Corso where everybody strolls to admire and to be admired.
And if you want to enjoy the restaurants' wine list without guilt we can arrange a car and driver for you.
Whether for large family reunions, festive events or a business retreat, this house can accommodate it all.
Eremo is well placed to explore Tuscany, with easy access to Arezzo, Siena and Florence , as well as the many charming hill-top towns in-between.
Wine Tasting
Villa Eremo is in Chianti, giving plenty of scope for wine-tasting trips. We can help you book these - but here are our main tips on local wine-tasting venues:
Il Borro is a large estate once owned by the Savoy dynasty, the Italian ex-royal family. Today it is owned and run by the Ferragamo family and is home to boutique and artisan shops, a fine restaurant and excellent cellars. Book a wine tour and stay for lunch or dinner.
In nearby Montepulciano you could visit the Tenuta Valdipiatta known for its excellent Vino Nobile. If you'd prefer the Classic area of Chianti, you could visit Brolio Castle near the village of Gaiole or nearby Badia a Coltibuono.
Festivals and "Sagre" (Food festivals)
Beyond the famous art cities many of the local villages and towns have their own festivals - sometimes medieval re-enactments like the Giostra del Saracino in Arezzo, normally held twice, once at the end of June and then again in early September. Or the famous Palio of Siena, held on July 2nd and August the 16th.
Or celebrations of local foods, like the Sheep's Cheese Festival in Pienza Pecorino Festival or even the Frog festival in Brozzi, close to Florence. For more usual foods, try the Pasta Sagra in Fratta, close to Cortona.
Eremo is well placed to get to Siena - you could stay here to go and the famous Palio race around Piazza del Campo. And famous Florence is close by too, and can be easily and conveniently reached by train from Arezzo.
The fact that its location makes it a great base for exploring local hills on horseback or reaching medieval city festivals and antique markets in less than half an hour can only make it better.
Nearby Activities
- Restaurants, bars, shops in Ponticino 2.5 km and Pergine Valdarno 4 km
- Arezzo and Montevarchi 20 km
- Siena 60 km, Florence 80 km
Local Towns and Places to Visit
Calendar for Eremo
How to book
Is Eremo perfect for you?
For availability and pricing see the calendar above. If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you choose and book 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. You can also 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, simply ask your agent.
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 3 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 up to 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!
Booking Notes
- House telephone costs to be paid directly to owners
