This lovely old farmhouse is surrounded by hectares of olive groves & woodland with panoramic views across rural Tuscany featuring beautiful sunrises & sunsets. It’s hidden away up an incline off the road terminating in the small village of Ristonchia, so no through traffic makes it secluded and peaceful. A standout feature of the farmhouse is its generously sized pool which is well kept by a maintenance man and a pool cleaning robot. It isn’t heated so was a bit cold on some days in September. The shallow end is perfect for children and less confident swimmers, while the very deep end is lovely for diving & floating.
There’s lots of indoor & outdoor space including dining room, two lounge areas and outside eating area. Calling the farmhouse “ideal for 10 people” is perhaps a bit of a stretch. It could accommodate two families with children with its two double rooms (one with a cot), two twin rooms (with quite small beds) and two bathrooms. The beds aren’t the most comfortable (the four poster is split into two single mattresses). The kitchen and downstairs bathroom are a little dated and we missed having a kettle. The upstairs bathroom was very nice but the bath could do with a shower screen.
We were met by the non-English speaking maintenance man, who came daily to tend to the pool; we were otherwise given complete privacy. The host lives away so we did not meet him in person, but he was available and responsive by WhatsApp.
Being in the middle of the countryside there are plenty of creepy crawlies around. The small lizards and butterflies are fascinating to watch. We rescued a few frogs from the pool. We did find a couple of scorpions indoors but the only creatures that really bothered us were wasps who were trying to nest in one of the parasols by the pool and pestered us constantly. The host was responsive in trying to deal with the problem.
The nearest town is Castiglion Fiorentino which is a walled town with narrow streets full of shops, cafes, restaurants and a museum. We particularly recommend Ristorante Da Muzzicone for truffles & steak. There are also nearby wine producers offering tours and wine tasting. Nestled in the middle of Tuscany, you’re well placed to explore the walled towns of Arezzo to the North and Cortona to the South and drive through the scenic Val di Chiana and Val d’Orcia. Siena and Florence also within fairly easy reach and Lake Trasimeno and Assisi are just across the border in Umbria.
Lovely relaxing holiday.