Relais Della Rovere For Wine Lovers - Historic Residence - Green Vacations - Romantic Lodgings

Character: Extremely historical landmark buildings furnished for the most part with sleek modern Italian design. Advantages: Most of all, the location, which is great for visiting anywhere in Tuscany. Location: Just outside Colle Val d'Elsa in the very center of Tuscany. Siena and San Gimignano are very nearby; Florence is about 45 minutes. Click here to see a map. Size: 20 rooms, junior suites and suites. All rooms are non-smoking, and each is totally unique and furnished with upscale modern appointments. Some have whirlpool bathtubs. Suites and junior suites have two bathrooms. Features: Elevator, heating, air-conditioning, whirlpool bathtub or shower, direct-dial phone with DSL line, satellite TV, safe, mini-bar, restaurant, swimming pool, Internet point, wine cellar. Breakfast is included in the price. Minimum stay: One night. Disadvantages: It is nice to be on the edge of a town so you can walk to shops and restaurants, but this cuts down on the views. Car needed: No, but it is highly recommended for touring.

It is unknown what year this stunning residence was built, but people have been writing about it since as far back as the 11th century, when this part of Europe still belonged to the Holy Roman Empire. For several centuries it was a prosperous Benedictine abbey - and this is clear both from the valuable materials used in its construction and from the layout of the structure: a succession of rooms opening off either side of a long, broad corridor. In the late 1400s the complex caught the eye of Cardinale Giuliano Della Rovere, who later became Pope Julius II. To say the least, this fascinating prelate had an aesthetic eye. For half a lifetime he was the leading patron of Michelangelo. Most of us know how he forced the unwilling Tuscan genius to transform the boring blue and gold ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. What he did when he turned this abbey into his own personal residence was a little less monumental, but it was every bit as impeccable, and it remained the home of the local bishop for almost 400 years.

As so often has happened in Italy, the building had fallen into disuse by the mid-20th century. In 1993 it was purchased and closed to the public: the ensuing restorations uncovered many elements whose existence was no longer even recorded. Today it is a pleasant hotel surrounded by a quiet garden located at the very center of Tuscany, halfway between Siena and San Gimignano. No matter how nervewracked you may be after driving the winding roads of Chianti or the streets of Florence, when you return here in the late afternoon, perhaps for a leisurely swim in the pool or a soothing treat of vin santo and biscotti, you will be restored by the same peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the abbey 900 years ago.

Guest accommodations at the Relais are in the Cardinal's 15th-century home and the adjoining 11th-century abbey. All roms arenon-smoking. Each room is unique:

• Five standard double rooms in the abbey, with modern furnishings, mini-bar, safe, air conditioning, satellite TV, direct-dial telephone with DSL line, private bathroom with stall shower and hair dryer
• Eighteen superior double rooms in the abbey, which are larger and also have modern furnishings, plus mini-bar, safe, air conditioning, satellite TV, direct-dial telephone with DSL line, private bathroom with whirlpool bathtub or shower, and hair dryer
• Five luxury double rooms in the Cardinal's home; they are furnished with valuable antiques and have mini-bar, safe, air conditioning, satellite TV, direct-dial telephone with DSL line, private bathroom with whirlpool bathtub and hair dryer
• Three junior suites in the abbey, with modern furnishings featuring a sitting area with single sleep sofa, and mini-bar, safe, air conditioning, satellite TV, direct-dial telephone with DSL line, one private bathroom with whirlpool bathtub and hair dryer and a second bathroom with stall shower and hair dryer
• Two suites in the abbey; they have a separate sitting room, modern furnishings, two mini-bars, two safes, air conditioning, two satellite TVs, direct-dial telephone with DSL line, one private bathroom with whirlpool bathtub and hair dryer and a second bathroom with stall shower and hair dryer

Relais della Rovere's location on the outskirts of Colle Val d'Elsa is perfect for day trips to almost any part of Tuscany. Siena and San Gimignano are just down the road. Florence is a 45-minute drive; Arezzo, Cortona, Montepulciano, Volterra and Montalcino are only slightly farther. You can enjoy dinner at the restaurant, or choose from an excellent array of local restaurants, trattorie and pizzerias.

CLOSED JANUARY-MARCH

For this property:
A baby crib is available free of charge and must be requested at time of booking.

Click here for information about private transfers to the property.

You can stay here without a car, but if you are planning to tour throughout the area, we strongly recommend you have one.

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