Natura 3 to 4
Eco apartment with private patio on a Tuscan hilltop
Nice little touches
- Staying here is a chance to experience an older time, a slowing of lives fast rhythms to something more human and healing.
Good to know
- The Wifi is centered around the common room (which also has games and books) in order to give guests a little internet downtime.
This wonderful apartment is a chance to live on an organic farm, pick your own vegetables and relax into a slower and greener timescale. Between Siena and the Mediterranean sea to the West there are forested hills rich in history, minerals and culture, less well-known than the renowned hills of Chianti. A young family have renovated a collection of farm-buildings and brought the surrounding land back to life with organic crops.
Today visitors are invited to share in the produce of the organic garden and try the golden olive oil of nearby trees. If asked, Lucia may well share a secret or two that good Tuscan cooks are raised with.
This is not a place of golden-tapped baths and satellite TVs, it is an invitation to savour the land and the Tuscan way of life. Your hosts will help you arrange for bikes or horse-trekking to discover the environs at a slower pace and, depending on the season, guide you in the harvest of mushrooms, chestnuts or wild asparagus. And in nearby villages perched on their hilltops there are weekly markets and coffee shops and summer festivals in wide piazzas - all reasons to make this hilltop your home.
Accommodation
Enjoying its quieter position at the ground floor back corner of the farmhouse, Natura is reached via a curtained glass door off the stone walkway at the back of the house. One enters directly into the main room of the house, the best furnished of the farm kitchens. In addition to the dishwasher, there is a second wood-fired oven as well as all the features needed to provide delicious family dinners.
Off the main room is a small bedroom with bunk beds, perfect for the younger guests and, in a small alcove, a sofa that invites one to settle down with a travel guide and plan for the coming day. This apartment is best for a family as the bunk beds are not a great size for adults. It works well for two to three adults, or two adults and two children.
At the back of the apartment is an attractive shower room with hydro-massage shower and a double bedroom whose wooden door leads into a spacious wardrobe. The private outdoor area for guests in this apartment is just across the walkway on a terracotta patio furnished with sunbeds, umbrella and table and chairs.
Features
Villa Details
- Heating by firewood stove - firewood included
- Shared pool
- Insect screens
- Free wifi available in the common room and in some areas of faggio and outdoor areas
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- 1 double bedroom
- 1 bunk-bed room
- 1 single sofa-bed
- 1 shower-room
Kitchen equipment
- Coffee maker (american and italian)
- Kettle
- Oven
- Toaster
Amenities
- Baby bed and high chair on request
- Portable barbecue on request
- Fans (on request)
- Iron and ironing board on request
- Washing machine in shared laundry
- Ground floor apartment for easy access, but shower room is not eu standard
What's included
- Final cleaning included
- Pool towels provided
Extras on request
- Arrival groceries available on request
Outdoors
- Mountain bikes for hire
- Events and excursions can be organised
- Furnished outdoor areas
- Shared pool - dim: 8 x 20 m., depth .1.40–3 m. pool has circular steps in a corner of the shallow end. patio at one end for sun loungers. infinity edge and very panoramic position
Nearby
- Tennis court in montieri, 9 km.
- Restaurant nearby bistro in ciciano, 4 km and pizzeria in montieri, 9 km
Photos
Reviews
Where is Natura ?
Getting here
- Pisa Airport: 1hr 45 mins
- Florence Airport 1hr 30 mins
- Rome Airport: 2 hrs 30 mins
- Piombino Port for ferry to Elba 1hr
Around Natura
At first glance it may seem that the woods go on forever, yet the property is not far from the quintessential spots one has come in search of. Bocccheggiano, seen on an opposite hillside, thrived for its silver and copper mines for over six centuries; yet today people make its way to the town for a much praised restaurant and for the 'Garden of Sounds' sculpture garden which gives wind a voice.
Just down the road is the historic Abbey of San Galgano; this Gothic church is now roofless but nonetheless a marvellous venue for concerts throughout the summer and stands near the frescoed rotonda tomb of the saint who had planted a sword in a stone to mark the end of his association with warfare.
Less than a half hour away is the beautiful medieval city of Massa Marittima, where opera is performed in the cathedral square and people flock to see the 13th c. fresco of the Fertility Tree.
The beaches of the Tyrrhenian coast near Follonica can be reached in under an hour and only slightly more and you could catch the ferry for a day's trip to the island of Elba. Heading in the other direction brings you to the heart of Tuscany in the ancient city of Siena and its famed shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. And at the end of the day out, how pleasing to return to a hilltop home and relax, recharge and simply think back on the day.
Nearby
- Restaurant and Sunday a.m. grocery in Ciciano, 4 km, Chiusdino, 6 km
- Historic Abbey and concert venue at San Galgano, 8 km
- Pizzeria, tennis court, horseback riding at Montieri, 9 km
- Restaurants and festivals in Massa Marittima, 22 ams & Radicondoli, 27 km
- Seaside and train connections at Follonica, 41 kms
- Medieval cities of Siena, 50 km, San Gimignano 60 km
Local Towns and Places to Visit
Massa Marittima is a wonderful town under 30 minutes away, with a beautiful cathedral and a charming mining museum to visit.
The amazing roofless Abbey of san Galgano is very close, and has a great program of concerts and events through the summer.
Siena is under an hour's drive away
The magical "Giardino dei Tarocchi" is an hour and 30 minutes away south down the coast
Sleeps : 3 to 4
From € 100 to 120 per day
From € 700 to € 840 per week
From € 100 per day
Calendar for Natura
How to book
Is Natura 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 "Booking Protect" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel.
For more details see our Booking Conditions and Booking Protect. You can add Booking Protect 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
- This property requires a 200 euro cash deposit on arrival. This will be returned minus any costs or damage on your departure.
