Terra di Siena

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This roomy, comfortable property is the epitome of the Sienese farmhouse. In this part of Tuscany, they don't use as much stone to build their houses. They use the most abundant resource they have, which turns out to be the rust-colored earth whence derives the word, terracotta, meaning "cooked earth." Originally, the term referred only to the bricks that resulted when the dirt in this small region of Italy was baked into oblong blocks. Eventually these bricks came to be used all over the country for flooring, but you rarely see walls of them outside of the area called Terra di Siena. This ancient example is set on a picturesque hillside about 20 km south of Siena, and though it is only 500 yards from a restaurant, it is surrounded by peace and tranquility.

Yes, this is a standalone house with total privacy, but it is part of a thriving farm that produces wheat, wine, olive oil, honey and sheep's cheese. The affable owners are delighted to let their guests witness, or even participate in, the seasonal activities that represent the heartbeat of Tuscany: the wine harvest, picking the olives, milking the sheep, sowing the fields. Or you can pack a lunch and dedicate a day to hiking through the woods on the estate. You have a good chance of seeing a deer or a clutch of pheasants. And if you walk too far or too fast, drive over to Rapolano Terme the next day for a soothing massage or a dip in the thermal pool. Anyone who's up at 10 am on Sunday is also welcome to stroll to the closest building, a Romanesque chapel where mass is celebrated every week.

Because this started its life as a farmhouse, where the animals lived below and the family above, you enter by climbing about 10 steps up to a landing. Inside is a wide central hallway with church-pew benches, flanked by all the rooms. Again, as dictated by Tuscan traditional, the largest room is the kitchen, where the original fireplace is still warming the place up on chilly evenings. There is also a beautiful tiled table for ten, a stove with five burners and oven, a full fridge/freezer, a dishwasher and several cupboards stocked with loads of dishes and cooking utensils. Next door is the sunny living room, which has two couches and a card table. Across the hall from the kitchen is a large dining room, but we bet you'll be eating the way the family did: in the kitchen!

There are five bedrooms at Terra di Siena, two next to the living room and three across the hall. The room next to the living room, a bedroom with a queen bed, is the only one that does not have an en suite bathroom. To make up for having to cross the hall, the lucky residents of this room have a bathroom almost as big as the bedrooms. All the other bedrooms have en suite bathrooms with stall showers. In all, there are three rooms with one queen-sized bed and two rooms with two beds that can be made up as twins or as one king. The house also has a telephone and an Italian television.

When the weather is nice, you will want to spend most of your time outside, perhaps using the barbecue to prepare a meal to be enjoyed under the covered porch, or admiring the view from the swimming pool. We doubt you'll be too worried about doing laundry, but when that moment comes, you'll be glad to know there's a laundry room with a washing machine, iron and board.

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2008 Weekly Prices (for the house)
Jan. 12-March 1 Nov. 8-Dec. 20	Jan. 1-12 March 1-22 March 29-May 10 Sept. 20-Nov. 8	March 22-29 May 10-June 21 Aug. 23-Sept. 20 Dec. 20-Jan. 3, 2009	June 21-August 23
1566.00 EURO	1800.00 EURO	2425.00 EURO	2770.00 EURO

All rentals are from Saturday-to-Saturday
Click here to consult a calendar

2009 Weekly Prices (for the house)
Jan. 10-March 7 Nov. 7-Dec. 19	March 7-April 11 April 18-May 9 Sept. 19-Nov. 7	Jan. 3-10 April 11-18 May 9-June 20 Aug. 22-Sept. 19 Dec. 19-Jan. 9, 2010	June 20-August 22
1566.00 EURO	1800.00 EURO	2425.00 EURO	2770.00 EURO

All rentals are from Saturday-to-Saturday
Click here to consult a calendar

Prices include: taxes, services, gas, water and electricity, along with one change of linen per week, final cleaning, and use of the swimming pool (open May 9-September 30)
Metered heating is extra, paid to the owner
Baby bed available for no charge (linen not included)
Sorry, no pets allowed

Check-in: 4:30-7 p.m.
Check-out: 10 a.m.
Security deposit: 200 Euro

Click here for information about private transfers to the property.

Please note that you need a car to stay here.

Please note that it is not possible to guarantee Internet access at any property, because the property does not generate the service, it merely provides access from a server. If the server experiences any kind of problem at all, the property regrets it cannot be responsible for any inconvenience caused by subsequent lack of service.

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