Tuscan Farmhouse Lovingly Restored by Artist Owner Arezzo Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 51855

Front View of Podere Vescina

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Location: Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, Europe (One hour from Florence, one half hour from Siena and Arezzo.)

Accommodations:  Farmhouse, 3 Bedrooms + Attached Unit, 2.5 Baths (Sleeps 6)

PODERE VESCINA

Podere Vescina is a charming, spacious eighteenth century stone-and-brick farm house built in the "Casa Colonica" style, typical of the Siena area. Lovingly restored by its artist owner, the house combines both new and old to create a highly personal and tasteful environment. Its interiors have been featured in international magazines. Located on five acres of land, the house is surrounded by fields of sunflowers and maize. The village of Lucignano, a picturesque, medieval hill town, is five minutes away. From the house there are easy day trips to Florence (one hour), Siena (40 minutes), Arezzo (20 minutes), Perugia (one hour), Cortona (40 minutes).

INTERIORS: The house is divided into two floors. Upside-down in plan, the living space is largely on the upper floor, that provides wonderful views of the pool, gardens and surrounding landscape. The large kitchen has all the necessary appliances for gourmet cooking. Antique ceramics line the walls. The adjacent open dining area makes for easy and comfortable entertaining and a small adjoining terrace is perfect for eating outside.
The living room ceiling is supported by ancient chestnut beams and has a large wood burning fireplace at one end. All of the furnishings are antique, mostly purchased from the Arezzo fair (a wonderful event which takes place the first weekend of every month). Paintings by the owner and friends adorn the whitewashed walls of the house.

The master bedroom has an antique queen-size bed and antique bureaus and night tables. The adjoining bedroom has two single antique beds, side by side, and an antique bureau and closet. All the beds have new and comfortable mattresses. There is a large bathroom with wall decorations painted by the owner. The floors in the house are old ceramic "cotto" and are covered with kilim rugs.

On the first floor is a large, bright artist’s studio with two sets of double doors leading to the rear of the house. A third bedroom has two single antique beds, side by side, also with new and comfortable mattresses. One of its doors open onto the large exterior terrace. One and a half baths adjoin this first floor bedroom.

GARDENS: The long driveway leading up to the house is lined with cypresses, shade, fruit trees and "Ginestra." Surrounding the house are trees of many varieties filled with birds who sing throughout the day. Flowering gardens circle the house and a large vegetable garden sits below the front hedge. Pots of geraniums and large beds of lavender and rosemary abound. The large exterior terrace, covered by grape vines, has a ten foot rustic stone table for entertaining large groups of friends.

SWIMMING POOL: The five meter by 12 meter pool is surrounded by Mediterranean pines, and is flanked by a stone and brick seating area with comfortable lounge furniture. A rustic gazebo shaded by vines provides a cool spot between dips. The antique chestnut table and benches placed under the gazebo allow for simple poolside dining.

LUCIGNANO: The thirteenth century village of Lucignano is one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy and has been much photographed and documented by many architects. It is just five minutes uphill from the house by car or a pleasant twenty-five minute walk. The village has supermarkets, butchers, fruit and vegetable vendors, and a number of good cafes where they make home-made ice cream. There are several trattorias which serve both lunch and dinner. Every Thursday there is a market on the town streets where local farmers and merchants sell their wares. Fresh fruit and vegetables! Lucignano also has a bank with ATM machine, post office, pharmacy, a newsstand and at least three hair dressers.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Washer: Washer is inside the house on the ground floor.
  • Linens Provided
  • Off Street Parking: There is available parking on the property.
  • Wood Fireplace: There is one wood burning fireplace in the livingroom.
• Beds
  • Queen Bed: There is an antique queen size bed in the Master bedroom.
  • Twin/Single Bed: There are two twin beds in each of the other two bedrooms.
• Entertainment
  • Cable/Satellite TV: There is one television with satellite provider in one of the upstairs bedrooms.
  • DVD
  • CD Player
  • Stereo System
  • Private Pool: The pool is open from June through September.
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen: The kitchen is excellent, equipped for every cooking need.
  • Cooking Utensils Provided
  • Refrigerator
  • Dishwasher
  • Catering Available
• Outdoor Features
  • Deck/Patio: There is a patio covered with grapevines that features a stone table that seats twelve.
  • Lanai: An upstairs terrace off the kitchen features a table that seats eight.
  • Gazebo: A shady gazebo sits at one end of the pool area and provides a cool place for reading or eating.
• Communications
  • Telephone
• Other Amenities
  • Central Heating
• Suitability
  • No Pets Allowed
  • Smoking Not Allowed
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Tennis
  • Theme Park (Amusement Park)
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Restaurants
  • Boating
  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Hiking
  • Antiquing
  • Cinemas/Movie Theaters
  • Live Theatre
  • Museums
  • Horseback Riding

Rate Details (In US Dollars)

• Features
• Rate Details
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• Guest Comments (9)
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Personal Currency Assistant™

$3000/week
There is a minimum one week stay.
Weeks are from Saturday to Saturday.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

Property Photos

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Guest Comments (9)

• Features
• Rate Details
• All Photos (5)
• Guest Comments (9)
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• 10/13/09
  Positive Rating
  Leah Tahbaz ,
  • We have stayed in this house many times over the years; and this summer we brought our four children plus one adult friend. The spacious and immaculate house had ample room for all of us, and was well set up for cooking, relaxing by the pool, dining and comfortable sleep. The setting is idyllic -- sunflower fields, vegetable gardens and Lucignano in the distance. We look forward to many more family visits to this vacation "heaven on earth".
• 08/05/09
  Positive Rating
  corinne greene ,
  • 5 of us ( including two pregnant ladies!) had our dream come true. Even better than the photos. Each detail is perfection. Have Elisa cook for you, a divine treat when returning from a trip, and Marino's herbs and vegetables make home-cooking fun. Central to everything, but a joy just to be by the pool all day. Linda is the perfect "hostess" - having sent us her own suggestions for travel and eating, which were just right. The house is filled with books, art and flowers. The place is spotless, authentic, tasteful. We've told all our friends to go!
• 12/01/07
  Positive Rating
  Edie Sanchez , New York and California
  • This wonderful home has become our piece of heaven. We have returned 6 times over the past 10 years, and find ourselves yearning to be there every year. We always invite friends and family -- everyone adores their time here, and some have returned with their own families. The house and grounds are user-friendly and very comfortable. Eating under the grape arbor in the warm evenings is the perfect end to a day. Linda's recommendations for day trips and restaurants and shops have all been 5 star experiences,complete with detailed directions and suggestions for specifics. From antique markets in Arezzo to a treasure hunt to find Piero della Francesca frescoes, from country restaurants to museums in Florence, it has all been the best vacations we've ever had in the most beautful home imaginable. I am happy to discuss on the phone. Edie
• 11/19/07
  Positive Rating
  Joan Amron , New York, N.Y.
  • We spent a fantastic two weeks at the house in early July '05. Not only is it delightfully restored, but it is wonderfully comfortable. The grounds are charming, the pool a treat. Linda, the owner left specific instructions re day trips in the area which we never would have known about otherwise. In fact, she got us tickets for a Lucignano feast held outdoors the night we arrived; we had a wonderful time at long tables speaking almost no Italian to townspeople who spoke almost no English! We really felt a part of the town and by the time we left, people greeted us on our daily newspaper or shopping runs. The entire area is wonderful! A really marvelous vacation!
• 11/15/07
  Positive Rating
  , Cambridge, MA
  • We have returned to this wonderful house three times during the last four years and each time has been special. The house is beautifully restored and delightfully furnished. The gardens and pool area are beautiful and perfect for relaxation and renewal. The owner's suggestions of day trips and special outings go far beyond the usual travel guide insights and provided us with special memories of Tuscany. I highly recommend this property.
• 11/08/07
  Positive Rating
  Marcie Charlesworth , El Dorado Hills, CA
  • Our stay in Lucignano in September 2007, was the highlight of our 4 week trip to Italy. The villa is comfortable and well-taken care of. It is obviously a home, not just a rental, which is reflected in all the artistic touches and the beautiful grounds. The owner, Linda, was very helpful prior to our trip by providing a great many suggestions, and those we followed, we were very happy with. The location is wonderful, out in the country, but near enough to main roads to travel around Tuscany with ease. We will definitely return!
• 11/05/07
  Positive Rating
  NickyD'Attilio ,
  • A beautiful, art-filled villa with every possible advantage in location. Day trips to most places in Tuscany one would choose to visit are easily accomplished. Lucignano itself is a charming, friendly town with good restaurants and easy grocery shopping. A real find for a vacation with friends or family! So much better than a hotel stay!
• 11/04/07
  Positive Rating
  Diane and David Powell , Delafield, Wisconsin
  • Our stay in Lucignano this October was wonderful.The farmhouse is beautful inside and out, with interesting art work and well-maintained grounds. All the facilities, including the bedrooms and the bathrooms are comfortable and well-maintained. Our group enjoyed preparing meals, sitting on the balcony having wine and traveling to various hill towns on daily excursions. The town of Lucinano was perfect for walking, shopping and evening meals in several fine restaurants. If you are looking for a place to relax and submerge yourself in the culture of Tuscany, this farmhouse is the place. We loved it.
• 11/02/07
  Positive Rating
  Jacqueline Guttman , Englewood, NJ
  • We had a fabulous time here, "under the Tuscan sun" and hope to return some day. The house and furnishings are as described except the artist's studio, which is (understandably) locked. The grounds are gorgeous and the lettuce, tomatoes and zuccini delicious! There's a gardner/pool man and a housekeeper who is a wonderful cook. There's a terrace off the kitchen for al fresco dining, which we loved. It's a magical place and exceeded our expectations.

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