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Very few roads in Tuscany are more beautiful than the one that winds for
about 8 km from Pienza to Castelmuzio. Indeed, if the Academy of Arts and
Sciences awarded an Oscar for Best Location Scout, surely the prize would
have gone to the inspired individual who chose this road as the Italian setting
for "The English Patient." No one who saw that film has ever forgotten
the picturesque countryside around the ancient church, nor Sodoma's dramatic
frescoes in its nave. That red brick monastery, still perfectly preserved
and very well hidden by a silent oak forest, is called Sant'Anna in Camprena,
and it is only about a half-hour's country walk from this very authentic
farmhouse.
You are less than ten minutes from Pienza here, yet there is no hint of the
modern world that has discovered the "Pearl of the Renaissance." After
meandering down that cinematic road, lined with deep green or golden fields,
vineyards, the occasional farmhouse or sheep farm, you turn off onto a
short dirt road that takes you back a few hundred years. Yet as remote
as you may feel, Pienza is not the only world-class site in the environs.
Less than half an hour away are Montalcino and Montepulciano, as well as
a dozen untouched Tuscan hilltowns such as Trequanda, Castelmuzio and San
Quirico d'Orcia. A delightful young Swiss-Italian couple who speak perfect
English have stables just down the road where you can join daily rides
through the woods to visit these towns, and if you have small children
you can safely leave them with Gaelle and the ponies in the paddock. When
you feel like venturing farther afield, drive an hour to Siena or Cortona,
or to our favorite, Volterra.
No matter how many day trips you may wish to take while here, you will also
want to enjoy your lodgings and the typical Tuscan gardens, with their
360-degree views of rolling hills and farms. Each family has its own private
part of the garden, furnished with a picnic table for al fresco dining.
There are just three apartments and four rooms, so you will certainly never
feel crowded. The largest apartment, Casa del Guardia (970 square feet),
has a big eat-in kitchen with cook top, mini-fridge, oven and fireplace,
plus a double room, a triple room and a twin room, and two bathrooms with
separate shower and bathtub. Another wing of the property hosts Casa del
Merlo (860 square feet), an apartment with similar kitchen, two double
bedrooms and two bathrooms; plus La Torretta (540 square feet), an independent
mansard room with double bed, single bed, hideaway kitchenette, dining
table and bathroom that can be rented separately or with the apartment.
Celeste (195 square feet) is another double bedroom with bathroom, also
in this wing, which can be part of this unit to make a total of four bedrooms
and four bathrooms. On the other end of the building is Casa di Amato (485
square feet), a third apartment, which has the same kind of kitchen, a
double bedroom and a bathroom. Rounding out the accommodations are Gialla
(300 square feet) and Rosa (225 square feet), two more double bedrooms,
each with a hideaway kitchenette and a bathroom.
The property is large, offering plenty of room for a barbecue, a big common
dining room and living room (where there is a telephone), a covered patio
for afternoon drinks, a laundry room with washing machine and drying facilities.
Your friendly hosts, Monica, Gianni and his mother Lorena, are happy to
assist with your travel plans, but mainly their goal is to make sure you
learn to love the truly medieval atmosphere of this tiny corner of Tuscany,
which has somehow managed to keep its character despite the encroachment
of the 21st century.
Exact address of the property: Strada Provinciale 71 Per S. Anna
In Camprena – 53026
Pienza (SI)
Number of apartments: There are three apartments and four double rooms;
apartments and rooms can be combined to offer apartments that have one bedroom,
two bedrooms,
three bedrooms and four bedrooms, with a total of seven en suite bathrooms
Price Range: 455.-1386. Euro/week
Open 365 days/year? Closed January 15-31
Sunday check-in OK? Yes
Languages spoken by host/greeter: English, French, Italian
Are credit cards accepted for extra expenses? No
What is the nearest town? Castelmuzio or Pienza
How far? 3 or 4 km
How long does it take to walk to the nearest town? 30 minutes to Castelmuzio,
40 minutes to Pienza
How many km to the nearest supermarket? 4 km
How many km to the nearest train station? 30 km (Chiusi Scalo)
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