Location: Arezzo, Arezzo Province, 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)
Keywords: Farmhouse
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
- 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
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Other Amenities
- Central Heating
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Boating
- Swimming
- Biking
- Antiquing
- Live Theatre
- Horseback Riding
- Theme Park (Amusement Park)
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Hiking
- Restaurants
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$3200/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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- Front View of Podere Vescina - Arezzo, Italy Accommodation
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- Kitchen and dining room - Arezzo, Italy Accommodation
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- Living room - Arezzo, Italy Accommodation
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- Pool and Surroundings
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- Master Bedroom
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- Terrace under the pergola
Traveler Reviews (14)
Charming
Guest: KLF
(East Coast United States)
Date of Stay: 07/24/11
Review Submitted: 11/07/11
My family and I rented this beautiful home in Tuscany in July 2011 following a wedding we attended and it was perfect for our needs. The location was excellent for day trips and Linda was outstanding at providing insights and introductions to many of her personal favorites. You cannot go wrong with her recommendations. The home is truly exceptional and the grounds were very romantic just as we imagined a trip would be to Tuscany. The accommodations will not disappoint as the home is well furnished and surrounded by beautiful artwork and gardens. It is a place to call home while in Tuscany and one in which you are provided a backdrop fitting of Tuscany to build beautiful memories. Linda is wonderful to work with while making all your plans and I would recommend her home to anyone. She sets the bar for what VRBO is all about. Thanks and I hope you take advantage of her beautiful home!”
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+.
A Great Decision!
Guest: KSR
(Providence, RI, USA)
Date of Stay: 07/05/11
Review Submitted: 10/10/11
A good decision was made when my family chose to rent this charming and restful farmhouse. My husband and I, and our 2 grown children and their loved ones all spent one week here in July. The house is spacious and so comfortable, and the grounds...wow! There are beautiful gardens, and a lovely pool tucked on one side of the house. Did I mention the views? Spectacular!!! It's in a great spot for travelling around Tuscany. In fact, Lucignano is just five minutes away...you can go there every morning for a Cappucino, and see a real slice of Tuscan life...perfect. Or...make your own Cappucino at home, because the rustic kitchen is fully equipped. There is also a vegetable garden for making your own dinners. We loved it, and we highly recommend it. A week was not enough!
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+.
Wonderful home near Lucignano
Guest: Geoff
(Midwest)
Date of Stay: 05/27/11
Review Submitted: 07/16/11
On our most recent trip to Italy our family enjoyed a wonderful stay in this lovely restored Farmhouse near Lucignano. The home is very comfortable and nicely furnished with a wonderful dinner table outside on the upstairs patio where we enjoyed our dinners each night. The gardens are carefully tended and nice retreats for reading, painting and evening wine tasting. Eliza checked on us daily and was a great help during our stay. Day trips included Siena, Cortona, Volterra, Firenze! A special treat was the annual Maggiolata festival in Lucignano that we fortunate to attend.
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+.
Lovely Stay!!
Guest: Elizabetta
(Madison, MS, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/01/10
Review Submitted: 06/05/10
We stayed here the first of May 2010. Our group of 5 women, on a painting holiday, stayed at lovely Podere Vescina. First, let me say how completely gracious and helpful the owner was. We corresponded by multiple emails between the time when I first inquired about her home until the time we actually arrived. She left nothing to chance. Any question I had was answered and I felt I already knew her and her home before we left. Linda, the owner, graciously made dinner reservations for us ( In a place we would NEVER have known about as non-locals!), arranged for the refrigerator and pantry to be stocked for our arrival, and had her darling housekeeper prepare dinner for our first evening. ( I highly recommend this - definately your first night - other nights, too, if you want an in-home authentic Italian feast! Elisa is very sweet and charges reasonably for this luxury.) The photos you see are very accurate. The Master Bedroom is HUGE and you canot tell that by the photos. All the bedrooms are good sizes, the bathrooms are modern with plenty of hot water, and the kitchen is absolutely charming! Several evenings, we returned to the comfort of "our house", prepared simple meals, and hosted tastings of the wines, cheeses and various goodies we accumulated on our excursions. Unfortunately, we were a bit early for "pool weather' but the setting is wonderful. The grounds are beautiful, private, and totaly inviting for outdoor cocktails, dining, and soaking up the views. Other towns high on the tourist trail are easily accessable. Lucignano itself is a 5 minute drive away. Don't miss the Arezzo antiques fair if you are there the first weekend of the month ( it's every month). If you've always wanted to live in a Tuscan farmhouse, look no further. You'll love this home!
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway, families with teenagers, age 55+.
Just what you'd hope for when renting a Tuscan Villa
Guest: KJ from NY
(Westchester, NY)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10
Review Submitted: 06/03/10
a group of 6 of us stayed here for a week in mid-May, 2010. It was just perfect. It's gorgeous and comfortable. Linda's suggestions are fantastic - do as many of them as you have time for. Linda arranged for dinner to be brought to the house on our arrival day - what a way to start the week! I definitely recommend requesting that. Easy to cook there, do laundry, etc, but that's not why you're there! the location is perfect for day trips and there's so much to see. Definitely ask Linda to make reservations for you at Dal Bindi. You'll have a truly unique and magnificent meal.
Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.
Guest: Leah Tahbaz
(-)
Date of Stay: 10/13/09
Review Submitted: 10/13/09
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".
Recommended for:
Guest: corinne greene
(-)
Date of Stay: 08/05/09
Review Submitted: 08/05/09
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!
Recommended for:
Guest: Edie Sanchez
(New York and California)
Date of Stay: 12/01/07
Review Submitted: 12/01/07
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
Recommended for:
Guest: Joan Amron
(New York, N.Y.)
Date of Stay: 11/19/07
Review Submitted: 11/19/07
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!
Recommended for:
Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/15/07
Review Submitted: 11/15/07
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.
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #51855
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