3 bedrooms, sleeps 2-5 people
At the heart of the Chianti region and just 1km from the pretty medieval town of Colle Val d'Elsa, Villa Abatino is beautiful stone built house, peacefully located in the countryside yet still within easy reach of Tuscany's major historic and arts centres, and many charming villages. Originally a barn belonging to the nearby farmhouse where the owners live, Villa Abatino has now been lovingly transformed into a beautiful and most comfortable semi-detached villa with private swimming pool, ideal for spending a relaxing holiday in the very heart of Tuscany. Decorated in a rustic Tuscan style with exposed brickwork detail, terracotta floor tiles and exposed beams, the house offers a wonderfully cool retreat from the warm Tuscan sun and a comfortable place to relax after a day exploring the charming villages and treasures of this delightful area. Entry to the house is via electric gates and indeed the whole property is fully enclosed. The villa comprises a dining area with two archways, one leading to the kitchen and the other to the living room. The kitchen is fully fitted and well equipped with a hob and full oven as well as a dishwasher. The living room offers comfortable seating, a television and French doors leading to the terrace. Also on the ground floor is a double bedroom, bathroom with shower and a laundry room offering a washing machine, large washing basin and an iron/ironing board. Steps from the living room lead up to the first floor where there are two further bedrooms; one with twin beds that can be made into a double and a single room. There is also a small bathroom with bathtub (low head height). Outside is a good sized terrace with table and chairs, shaded by a gazebo so that you can eat al fresco even during the heat of the day. Children will enjoy the garden and superb 9 x 6m freeform pool, whilst adults will appreciate the nice views and relaxed ambiance as well as the extra touches such as sun umbrellas and pretty flowerpots which all add to a feeling of quality and care. Approximately 1km from Villa Abatino is the town of Colle di Val d'Elsa. Here one can find a whole range of services such as shops, restaurants, supermarket, golf course, tennis and even horseriding. Sitting above the valley of the river Elsa on the ancient 'via Francigena' pilgrim route, it has a small but attractive old town with two important provincial museums, the Museum of Civic and Religious Art and the Archaeological Museum, as well as quite a good Museum of Lead-Crystal Glass. During the 17th century, the Usimbardi family introduced glass production into Colle di Val d'Elsa, and the paper industry was replaced by the new iron and glass industries. The production of glass evolved into lead-glass crystal production and this became the principal industrial activity of Colle di Val d'Elsa, which became known as the Bohemia of Italy in the 19 C. Today Colle di Val d'Elsa produces 15% of the world's crystal. Of course there are many other things to see and do in the area, from simply exploring some of the charming villages in the Chianti region, or the major sites of San Gimignano (12km), Siena (15km), Volterra (28 km), Florence (40km), the beaches of Cecina (65km) and Follonica (85km), Pisa (90km), or even Rome if you fancy venturing a little further! Please note that the pool will be open from 1 May until 30 October. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ PRICES 2010 - prices shown are per week Dates Amount 27 March - 30 April 1000 € 1 - 28 May 1240 € 29 May - 25 June 1465 € 26 June - 27 August 1875 € 28 August - 24 September 1465 € 25 September - 31 October 1000 € Cot 26 € per week Security/breakage deposit 250 € Bookings and further information: e-mail: booking@directtuscany.com. For your convenience, payments for this property can be made in sterling via directTuscany ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Property Location Pool ............................. Restaurants ................. Shops .......................... Main Town .................. Airport ......................... Port .............................. Linen ........................... Arrival day ...................   Yes, 9 x 6m 1km 1km 1km, Colle Val d'Elsa Florence 50km or Pisa 90km Livorno 133km Included SATURDAYS | Villas | Apartments | Hotels | Flights | Car Hire |