Podere Serravalle Tuscany

This beautiful 13th century,five bedroom farmhouse completed restoration in 1996 and is situated on a hilltop dominating the surrounding countryside.

This beautiful 13th century farmhouse completed restoration in 1996 and is situated on a hilltop dominating the surrounding countryside. The grounds surrounding the house are fenced-in to afford maximum privacy, and the farming estate itself is very large with a 17th Century Villa complete with formal park at its center. The Villa belongs to the same owners as the farmhouse and has a tennis court to which guests have access.

All shops, facilities and restaurants are at 3 kms. Montalcino is at 12 kms, Siena is at 23 kms, Firenze is at 85 kms, and Roma is at 200 kms. The golf green at Chianciano Terme is at a 45 minute drive and the Ugolino golf green near Firenze is an hour's drive away.

The property offers magnificent views over the soft hills of the Arbia river valley. Private guest parking is within the fenced-in grounds and in a small structure next to the house is a barbecue and wood oven for baking bread and pizza.

Main private entrance to the house is from one side into a hall with a large room on the left that hosts wardrobes and a laundry that includes washingmachine, clothes dryer and ironing facilities. To the right of the entrance hall is the staircase leading to the upper floor sleeping area of the house. A third door in the hall opens into the spacious, luminous living/dining room that is divided into sections by ample brick arches. There is a fireplace in the central section and satellite TV with DVD. Panoramic glass doors on one end of the living room lead outside near the structure with barbecue. Panoramic glass doors on the opposite end of the living room, where the formal dining area is located, open out onto a covered, furnished terrace. In front of the terrace is a spacious, meticulously well-kept lawn with private 5 X 12 meter swimming pool.

Back inside, a door in the dining area opens into the large, well-equipped kitchen with ample travertine work surface, restaurant-size gas range with steak grill, oven and dishwasher. An open brick arch in the kitchen creates a delightful informal dining area on one side. There is a glass door in the kitchen that opens outside.

The owner has personally directed the restoration of the house and her impeccable taste in colors and fabrics is seen throughout. Use of soft "Siena yellow" adds to the luminosity of the ground floor furnishings and stands out from the woodbeamed ceilings, brickworks and the cotto floors. All the tiles in the the kitchen and bathrooms are decorated by hand.

Back in the entrance hall, up two steps of the staircase is a small landing with door to a service bathroom with washbasin and WC. The stairs culminate in the first floor landing with hallways leading both left and right. Starting on the right, first is a small hall with two doors. One is to a spacious complete bathroom with two washbasins and bathtub. The second is to a double bedroom with antique terracotta fireplace. A second hall, always on the right, has two doors. One is to a walk-in wardrobe. The second is to a double bedroom with ensuite private complete bathroom with walled-in shower. To the left of the landing is a hallway with five doors. They lead to three twin bedded rooms, to a spacious complete bathroom with both walled-in shower and bathtub, and to a small but comfortable bathroom with washbasin, WC and walled-in shower.

The entire house offers modern amenities combined with important antique pieces. The grounds and swimmingpool are maintained by a gardener who lives in a separate farmhouse on the estate property and his wife provides maid service 3 hours per day, 5 days per week. Both are included in the price. There is a telephone with unit counter for guest use, stereo with CD, and central heating is payable on consumption together with firewood. The house has centralized air-conditioning.