Historic House in the heart of Valdorcia near Pienza and Montepulciano.

Our stay at this amazing home in Contignano was so memorable, it was the quintessential experience in a Southern Tuscan village. It is located centrally to many attractions, spacious, well appointed, comfortable, clean, decorated beautifully and accommodates a variety of people and needs well. It appears that no expense was spared renovating this lovely home. The qualities reminiscent of the location were restored impeccably while creating modern amenities that make the home feel very functional. We enjoyed the kitchen, the living areas, dining areas, the lovely private garden/patio, and that each bedroom had its own ensuite. As we strolled through the community the common areas offer amazing views. The hosts also do a great job documenting user friendly instructions so that the stay is seamless and easy. We will certainly be returning on our next adventure through Italy.

Gino’s home in Contignano is spacious, comfortable, historic and perfectly renovated. The home is located in the hilltop village of Contignano, a place where our extended family (grandparents, my wife and I, and our two children, ages 2 and 4) felt instantly welcomed. Neighbors strolling through the village would always offer a buon giorno or buona sera, even if you had just seen them minutes before. The village has the essentials (a small market about 10 steps away, a post office open a couple of mornings a week, and a nice restaurant a few minutes walk) and is a short drive to a full supermarket and many impressive and special places in Tuscany. We loved Montepulciano, Monticchiello, and Chianciano Terme (all less than 30 minutes drive) and Siena (about an hour’s drive). The driving is easy and beautiful – some roads are winding but nothing nerve wracking like we’d experienced navigating Ireland during a recent visit.

The village pool was closed (for repair?) during our stay. We were initially disappointed but ended up visiting the “Piscine Comunale” in Chianciano Terme (about 15 minutes away) several times – it was large, clean and fun, with a separate kids pool and a separate diving pool. Bathing caps are required but they sold them for a few dollars at the front desk.

Gino had let us know when we booked that our stay coincided with the annual Sagra del Raviolo in Contignano. We enjoyed getting to attend a festival which seemed to attract mainly Italians, as well as getting to feel part of the “behind the scenes” as temporary town residents. Note to future guests – two of the nights during the sagra there was live music in the piazza right next to our house, one night ending around 1AM. We ended up embracing it, enjoying the high quality music and partying with our kids in the piazza until late.

The caretakers of the property, Aurora and Marinella, were warm, available and helpful, giving us advice on practical things (how to empty the water from the dryer) and tips on things going on in neighboring towns. A highlight of the stay was when, on our final night, we hired Aurora and Marinella to cook dinner for us at the house. They made a delicious meal, with fresh homemade pasta, delicious chicken, a salad, and homemade cake. They even brought a bottle of wine “from the farm”, unlabeled, fresh, and “corked” with a beer bottle cap.

We feel privileged to have gotten to stay at this home and look forward to visiting again someday!

This was our trip of a lifetime. 8 girlfriends spent a week in Rome and then had the good luck to rent this house in Contignano. It is beautifully furnished, very clean, and roomy. We spent many evenings in the private garden. The two women, Aurora and Marinella were helpful and very friendly. It was easy to travel to other towns and also to Venice from here. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a genuine experience in Tuscany. Hope to return someday!

Wow -- what a wonderful home and village for a family vacation. This was a wonderful place to stay during our family's summer escape to Italy. The home is beautiful, perfectly appointed with modern appliances, comfortable bedrooms, spacious bathrooms and a wonderful garden. The layout afforded people to find their perfect niche to read, relax, draw, cook or whatever was of interest. The tiny village of Contignano is charming and a perfect base for exploring Val D'Orcia and the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Gino went out of his way to assist with our plans for arrival from Rome and getting around to the region's different points of interest. Make sure to bring/rent a GPS for navigating to the different towns. We found the GPS on our mobile phones were not as reliable as the rental car’s GPS and we were happy to have had it. It really is a wonderful place to visit and exactly what you dream of when thinking about a Tuscan vacation home.

Three couples, including three artists from Australia, enjoyed our stay in this generously appointed home. It was a great base for the artists, as Contignano is a unique, quiet small village in the Val D'Orcia with stunning views and easy access by car to many famous Tuscan treasures. We were met by Aurora and Marinella and came to know their families and other members of the village. The house is in an area where, over our three weeks stay, we were inspired and encouraged by the results of many centuries of hard labour. Gino responded quickly and effectively to our enquiries. Highly recommended.