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This heavenly, mountaintop retreat on 1000 acres is located on the country estate of an Italian gentleman whose family goes back 2000 years. Overlooking the ancient Etruscan town of Cortona, the sweeping property includes 1000 acres of mountain paths, sloping pastures, and shepherd's huts, and commands a stunning view of the rooftops of Cortona, the Valdichiana, and in the distance Lake Trasimeno, Monte Amiata, and Monte Cetone.
For rent is the simple but spacious and beautifully renovated 13th-century stone cottage within 100 yards of the villa. A central kitchen with fireplace and table leads into two master bedroom suites, each with bath and anteroom (one with additional twin beds). From the windows one can see the rooftops of Cortona and sloping, verdant pastures; sheep and horses graze the hillside. A small eighth-century hermitage still stands behind the house. Mountain breezes keep this spot cool even in the heat of summer; birdsong fills the air from dawn to dusk.
On foot one can follow traces of the ancient Roman Road down to the cleft below Cortona where St. Francis established a monastery in 1211. Or take your walking stick and circle the mountain's heights, on wooded trails that open to 360-degree views. Just out the door are miles of mountain trails, ranging from a shady stroll on even ground to a day's demanding hike.
The property and its lovely green lawns provide an ever cool and fresh retreat from sightseeing in the heat of the Italian summer. Yet it is only a short drive from the town of Cortona (15 minutes by car) Arezzo (20 miles), Montepulciano (15 miles), Siena (50 miles), Perugia (32 miles), Florence (62 miles), and dozens of other storied towns and cities of Umbria and Tuscany. Express trains from Terontola station speed to Rome and Florence at regular intervals.
Note: A smaller cottage on a hillside below Cortona is also available for rent, as is a beautifully restored and furnished farmhouse (sleeps 9) from which one can walk to town. Please inquire. |
