Casa Fantone is a typical stunning detached farmhouse, 300 years old, remodelled and updated with a wide private garden and park of 5 hectares and a private pool of 6 x 12 meters using salt instead of chlorine. The villa lies in a quiet hill near Poppi village, 30 km to Arezzo and 50 km to Florence, and it has a good level of furniture. The villa has modern kitchen and bathroom facilities, but it still gives one the feeling of stepping back in history. The villa, made by stones, is exposed to the sun and it has a fantastic view on the Casentino valley. Absolute privacy and a maximum of security are guaranteed, also because the property is fenced and the access is possible only through an automatic gate. A typical Tuscan terrace close to the kitchen can be an opportunity to have your breakfast or to drink a glass of Chianti with your friends looking down at the beautiful valley. In the terrace you will also discover an ancient baking oven which could hold at least 20 pizzas at a time. If only those walls could talk!
How to get the property:
1. Firenze airport
Take A1 motorway, south direction ( Roma ) and exit 'Firenze sud' gate.
1.1 Drive to direction of: 'Bagno a Ripoli', Pontassieve, 'Passo della Consuma', Bibbiena, ( SR 70).
1.2. At Ponte a Poppi cross the Arno river to the village of Poppi and go to 'Larniano' direction. One kilometer and half, after Larniano church, on the left there is the villa.
2. Pisa airport
Take the superstrada Firenze-Pisa-Livorno ( FI-PI-LI) close to the airport. Exit at Firenze and take motorway A1.
Then the same as paragraph 1.
3. Bologna airport.
Drive to Cesena direction by A1 motorway. At Cesena take superstrada E45 to 'Bagno di Romagna'.
Then go to the direction of: 'Passo dei Mandrioli', Badia Prataglia, Soci, Ponte a Poppi.
Then as 1.2
4.Roma airport.
Take motorway A1 to Arezzo, north direction. Exit Arezzo and follow indications as Subbiano, Bibbiena, Poppi.
At Ponte a Poppi as 1.2 paragraph.
At the airport you have to rent a car.
TUSCANY is famous in the world because its beautiful landscape, its cities art, its wine, its food, its history.
FLORENCE, one of the the most beautiful city in the world, shows in every corner priceless treasures. An open-air museum with an incredible artistic and historical heritage.
Florence is a city of art by definition. During the period of the Renaissance passed the great names of painting, sculpture and architecture. In Florence also born artists such as Giotto, Cimabue, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Botticelli, Masaccio, Verrocchio, Ghirlandaio, della Robbia and ending with LEONARDO da Vinci and MICHELANGELO.
They lived in Florence with the greatest exponents of the poetry of the time, big names of literature such as Dante, Boccaccio, Gucciardini and Machiavelli. This predominance of art and poetry also meant the primacy of Tuscany between Florence and Italian dialects.
Works of art created by artists more grandiose: the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Accademia Gallery, Palazzo Pitti, the Bargello National Museum and the Museums of San Marco are just a part of these treasures of art.
Piazza della Signoria, one of the most elegant squares where there are the most impressive monuments, and Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers a breathtaking view over the city, are some charming places.
Keepers of the jewels of the past, such as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Basilica of Santa Croce, the church of Santa Maria Novella and the fascinating Medici Villas.
AREZZO, was founded by an Etruscan settlement in the fourth century. B.C. The city retains a medieval structure characteristic of great artistic and historical value, a constant attraction for the beautiful works of art it contains. And 'it ideal not only for those who love art and culture, but also for those who love walking down old buildings. Furthermore, in the city takes place the famous medieval 'Giostra del Saracino'.
Piazza Grande also known as Piazza Vasari, is among the most scenic and picturesque squares in Italy, site of the Giostra del Saracino and well-known antiques fair. This fair is held the first weekend of every month.
Remember the cathedral (completed early '500) and S. Domenico church where inside, the center of the apse, you can see the huge painted crucifix, an early masterpiece by Cimabue (1260-65).
In Arezzo was shot part of the film 'La vita è bella' by Roberto Benigni.
SIENA, is one of the best preserved historical cities of Tuscany. Ancient medieval city built on three hills, is still surrounded by walls. The whole city of Siena, built around the Piazza del Campo, was conceived as a work of art that blends into the landscape of the Crete Senesi. To remember the Palio, traditional medieval horse race, is run around the Piazza del Campo each year. July 2 and August 16 are the dates when the Palio di Siena is held.
The historic center of Siena since 1995 among the world heritage sites by UNESCO.
Tuscany offers also some historical, well-mantained and very interesting villages as Cortona, S.Gemignano, Volterra and Monteriggioni.
Land between Siena and Firenze is famous for the production of Chianti wine ( 'Chiantishire' ).
Tuscany is also the land of the wines: Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Monte Pulciano.
POPPI, is at the center of the Casentino valley, a valley among the most beautiful in Tuscany.
It's a medieval walled city and at the top dominates the Castle of the Counts Guidi ( Conti Guidi ), the work of the famous family of architects Di Cambio, 'prototype' of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Built in the thirteenth century, it is characterized by a façade of mullioned windows, the center of which comes off a high tower, and surrounded by a wall with battlements Guelfi and a wide moat. Thanks to constant restorations over the centuries, the castle of Poppi is currently in excellent condition.
Inside, the Library Rilliana, full of hundreds of medieval manuscripts and incunabula.
Another key element of importance is the chapel of the Counts with a fourteenth-century frescoes attributed to Taddeo Gaddi, a pupil of Giotto.
An important event in Poppi, at the end of August: 'the Gusto of Guidi':
The taste and selling exhibition of Tuscany wines and traditional and organic products of Casentino valley.
With the opportunity to enter in the old cellars of Poppi, no longer used, but still with the old tools for the production of wine.
The Golf course Casentino offers a relaxing view of the village of Poppi and Casentino Valley. Five minutes of driving are enough to get the golf course from my property.
PARCO delle FORESTE CASENTINESI
The Park stands out as one of the most prized forest areas in Europe. At the heart of the park are the Foreste Demaniali Casentinesi [State Casentino forests], within which can be found the Riserva Naturale Integrale (Integral Nature Reserve) of Sasso Fratino, founded in 1959. The territory also has towns and villages rich in history and artistic and architectural heritage, which present themselves to the visitor in a wonderful natural frame, rich in flora and fauna, including the most important population of the Apennine wolf, as well as the exceptional presence of five species of ungulates (mammals with hooves): wild boar, roe deer, fallow deer, common deer, and mouflon (mountain sheep).
Inside the park there are two points of great interest and spiritual importance: the Sanctuary of La Verna and the Hermitage of Camaldoli. At La Verna St. Francis of Assisi had the stigmata.
The protected area can be visited by pleasant excursions on foot, mountain bike, horseback along a path network of approximately 600 kilometres.
Poppi has also a zoo, with local fauna, but not only.
SHOPS & SERVICES
S.Martino and Quota are the nearest villages to the property, 1,5 miles far from the villa. They have a grocery and a bar. Quota has also a family restaurant. Ponte a Poppi, far 3 miles, has supermarkets, restaurants and any other kind of shop. In Bibbiena, 5 miles away, there is a wide and new commercial centre: 'COOP of Casentino'. There is also the Casentino valley hospital. Every day of the week there is an outdoor market in some of Casentino's villages. Tuesday is the Ponte a Poppi day for its open market. The fourth Saturday of each month, in Bibbiena, it’s possible to buy agricultural products directly from the producer. Every first week end of the month in Arezzo there is an important fair of antiques.
At the villa it is possible to buy organic olive oil from Casa Fantone olives. You can also buy Chianti wine.
You find a bottle of these products in the welcome basket.
Two outlet are available: Foiano della Chiana outlet, Montevarchi outlet.
Hospitality and Privacy.
The property is rented to only one party and only the people of this party live into the villa. My family, who became the Casa Fantone owner almost a century ago, lives in a little village 1.5 miles far from the farmhouse. We are satisfied of our work only if our guests have no problems. Friendliness, a welcome basket with some local products as a bottle of Casa Fantone organic olive oil, any information and help are offered. We will care for everything that is necessary to allow Casa Fantone’s guests a good holiday.
Houseguests can taste natural fruit and vegetables from the garden, when they are available. They can also buy olive oil and Chianti wine.
For stays of 2 weeks or more a welcome breakfast, based on the Mediterranean diet, is offered at the owner's house.
The villa offers a great privacy. Twelve acres of private garden ( cypress, olive trees, apple trees, grape trees, flowers, meadows, vegetable garden...) around the villa are fenced. You enter through an automatic gate enjoying freedom, silence and a beautiful place.