Casa del Pastore 8
Spectacular views from this villa in Valdorcia : near Sarteano, south of Siena
Nice little touches
- The spectacular views of the wide valley under Mt. Amiata somehow make you breathe more deeply.
- Nearby Sarteano offers both a notable archeological museum as well as an August Jazz and Blues Festival
- The Val d'Orcia is famous for its wine and cheese, so expect to enjoy some fine tasting experience.
Good to know
- The last section of the road to the house is a dirt track - it is well maintained and easy to drive on but worth knowing.
- While mobile phone coverage is good overall, it is better in some rooms than others.
Set in the picturesque landscape of a UNESCO World Heritage site, this tuscan villa was recently listed in the Telegraph's list of perfect holiday villas, and then in the Sunday Times' List of 50 Best Villas in Europe. The ancient construction of golden local stone has generous spaces reflecting the wide Val d'Orcia valley just outside its doors.
This makes it the ideal location for relaxed family reunions or a holiday retreat for friends happy to eschew snarled traffic in favor of uncluttered hillsides and willing to leave full agendas behind. Once owned by a shepherd who produced fabulous Pecorino cheese here, today it has been transformed into a spacious and elegant family holiday home. There are spaces for family fun, with a table tennis table and fabulous pool, as well as understated interior design elegance for relaxing. The living room even features an original vinyl record deck, with an eclectic collection of records - some of our return guests even bring their own!
The house sits easily amongst the cultivated hills and towns perched on rocky outcrops which have been captured by artists since the Renaissance, surrounded by soul-renewing views. It was certainly not chance that brought the Sienese Pope Pius II to build his Ideal City of Pienza in this valley, though these days, the area is feted more perhaps for its Brunello wine and pecorino cheese for which the area is famous.
Accommodation
One enters the house directly into the large country kitchen. The dimensions are generous, with modern appliances, travertine countertops and a wooden table good for preparation. A furnished patio just outside is perfect for eating alfresco.
A doorway from the kitchen leads to a games room with table soccer and a door to the front garden. To the right of this room is the dining room with a table for 8, while to the left is a room set up with a ping pong table. This room connects through a doorway cut in the house's thick walls to the main hall that runs deep from the wide glass doors to the garden to the corner fireplace at the end of the room. With its original beamed ceiling, terracotta flooring, comfy sofas and golden walls, this is a room that will draw the crowd.
The top floor is reach either by doors from the front garden to an internal staircase or a hallway from the dining room that accesses the same stairway through a room with the original bread oven and a handy washing machine.
From a landing near the top of the stairs a glass door leads to the first of four bedroom suites, this one with twin beds under the eaves, the same view enjoyed from the pool and an ensuite shower room. A long hallway with arched brick ceiling leads to three further suites - two doubles and one twin/double bedroom, all with ensuite shower rooms. All the bedrooms are very spacious and furnished with country antiques suiting the style of the house.
Features
Villa Details
- All ensuite
- Wifi
- Free Parking
- Private Pool
- Insect Screens
- Fans
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- 2 Double Bedrooms
- 2 Twin Bedrooms
- 4 Ensuite Bathrooms With Showers, One With Additional Free-Standing Bath
- Silent Ceiling Fans In All Bedrooms
- Insect Screens On All Windows
- Hair Dryer In Each Bathroom
- Extra Single Bed Available On Request
Kitchen equipment
- Full Kitchen
- 2 Dishwashers
- 2 Fridges
- Oven
- Coffee Maker (Italian Moka)
- Microwave
- Kettle
- Toaster
Amenities
- Hd Tv And Dvd Player With Collection Of Dvds
- Televison For Dvd Use Only
- Bose Bluetooth
- Record Deck And Large Vinyl Collection
- Washing Machine
- Iron And Ironing Board
- Baby Bed And High Chair Available
- Table Football
- Ping Pong Table (Table Tennis)
What's included
- Final Cleaning Included
- Pool Towels Provided
Extras
- Central Heating Is Charged On Consumption
- Arrival Groceries Organized For A Small Fee
- Cooking Lessons Available On Request
- Babysitting Organized On Request
- Additional Fold-Down Beds For Children If Required
Outdoors
- Infinity Swimming Pool: Dim: 4.5 X 16 M.; Depth: 1.6 M.
- Furnished Terraces And Dining Pergola
- 8 Acres Of Surrounding Fields, Lawns, Fruit And Olive Trees
Nearby Activities
- Tennis Court In Sarteano, 20 Min.
- Horse Riding Within Walking Distance
- Restaurant Within Walking Distance
- Read more about the area around Casa del Pastore
Photos
Reviews
Where is Casa del Pastore ?
Getting here
- Rome Fiumicino Airport 2hrs
- Florence airport 2 hrs
- Perugia airport 1 hr
- Pisa Airport 2hrs 30 mins
- Closest Train Station: Chiusi 15 mins
Around Casa del Pastore
An early outing may be to Castiglioncello di Trinoro, the 12th century village that crowns the hill behind the house and offers restaurants, an art gallery and summer concerts.
The Jazz and Blues Festival takes place in August in the nearest town, Sarteano. Dominated by its 15th century castle, this lively town has been inhabited for thousands of years.
The Etruscan 'Tomb of the Chariot from Hell', unearthed only in 2001, merits a visit.
A half-hour's drive leads to Bagno Vignoni, whose underground acquifer made the small village the spa of choice for popes, saints, and politicians, or to Iris Origo's beautiful villa 'La Foce' and its famed gardens designed by English architect Cecil Pinsent, both venues for concerts throughout the summer. La Foce Concert Programme.
The restaurant Dopolavoro is nearby the Foce gardens and an excellent choice for drinks or dinner after you visit to the gardens. For wine tasting try to local producer of the excellent Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Boscarelli.
An easy day trip could take in one of the cultural and artistic centers of the Val di Chiana: Cortona, of 'Under the Tuscan Sun' fame, which spills down the hillside and offers stunning views over its medieval walls or Arezzo, whose Piazza Grande fills with jousting knights for the Giostra del Saracino or with bargain hunters at its monthly Antiques Fair. With the medieval gems Siena and Perugia only slightly further, it will simply be a choice of where to head next. Of course, if contemplation of this happens while lying in the sun near the long pool or tucking into a Tuscan meal under the furnished pergola, the option of staying put may take the day.
Nearby Activities
- Bar & restaurant in Castiglioncello di Trinoro 15 min
- Supermarket and restaurants in Sarteano 20 min
- Spa at Bagno Vignone 30 min
- Cortona 1 hr
- Siena 1 hr 15 mins
- Perugia 1 hr 15 mins
Local Towns and Places to Visit
People have been enjoying the hot waters of Bagno Vignoni since before Roman times - the village square is one enormous hat water pool.
The local town of Sarteano has a museum dedicated to the recently discovered tomb with amazingly fresh 2000 year old paintings.
This charming recently restored hamlet is a short drive or a walk away from Casa del Pastore
Close to Casa del Pastore, these stunning formal gardens designed by Cecil Pinsent for Iris Origo are well worth a visit.
Jazz and Blues in the square of Sarteano - normally in the third week of August. Image © Mauro Sini
Siena, with its famous Piazza del campo, Cathedral, Pinacoteca and other museums and sights, is only a short drive away
Calendar for Casa del Pastore
How to book
Is Casa del Pastore perfect for you?
For availability and pricing see the calendar above. If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you choose and book the best villa for your holidays.
We can hold dates for you for 48 hours while you make sure everything lines up, then you simply pay the deposit (30% of total) to secure your booking. The balance will then be due 10 weeks before you travel. You can also add "XCover" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel.
For more details see our Booking Conditions and XCover. You can add XCover to your booking at any time until you have paid your balance, simply ask your agent.
Worth knowing
Many local administrations now charge a “Tourist Tax” for people staying in rented accommodation and these vary from town to town. The charges are generally per person per night with a maximum number of nights, usually around 5 but sometimes 7, beyond which they will not charge. The charges range between 50 cents to 3 euro. Children are sometimes included, sometimes not and these charges should be collected by the property owners.
Not sure?
It can often be faster to contact us to ask for advice - we visit all the houses so can give you first hand advice based on your wishlist. Once you find a villa you like we can hold dates for you for up to 48 hours while you check flights or make sure everybody is on board.
Any more questions?
Please ring us with any queries - there are a lot of answers in our FAQ page too. If you want to keep searching, have a look at our suggestions below!
Booking Notes
- Heating costs to be paid directly to the owner.
