The Casetta is a lovely cottage in south Tuscany, nestled in our olive grove with lovely views of unspoilt countryside. It offers privacy, good WiFi, its own garden, and is just a short walk through the olive grove to a shop and friendly bar/restaurant.
It's ideally suited for longer stays, to explore this lovely area of Italy, or for digital nomads.
The Casetta is an independent building about 15m distant from the main farm house, with its own entrance and private covered terrace overlooking the olive garden and facing towards the mountain. The kitchen area, dining and living space downstairs opens onto the garden, with bedroom and shower room (shower, WC, bidet & washbasin) up a spiral staircase. There are lovely views in all directions.
There is a washing machine and the kitchen is well enough equipped for longer stays. The bed is kingsize and our linens are 100% cotton.
With stunning views of rolling countryside and small hilltop villages, the restored traditional stone farmbuildings are set within ten acres of certified organic olive grove, situated on the shoulder of Monte Amiata, sacred mountain of the Etruscans.
The area is famous for its hot mineral water springs, and our farm is a great base for discovering the secrets of this lesser known area of Tuscany. Monte Amiata is a habitat for wild flowers, birds and animals such as boar, porcupine, hare and deer.
What to expect from the area: In a really wonderful undiscovered corner of southern Tuscany, the medieval hilltop village of Seggiano lies at a height of 550m on the slopes of Monte Amiata, an extinct volcano. The summit is good for walks through the cool beech forests and mushroom hunting in the appropriate season. In April and early May wildflowers abound; the countryside and views are breathtaking.
There's a strong local culture of traditional food and wine production and we make sure that our guests know where to find the best places to eat and interesting places to visit. Stefania's nearby restaurant offers an excellent meal, an aperitivo or a capuccino just a short walk from the farm.
Despite being 'off the beaten track' the famous centres of Italian Renaissance culture are within easy reach by car; Siena is sixty km and Florence, Arezzo and Assisi are about one and a half hours away. To the south of the mountain, towards the coast (75km) one can find Roman and Etruscan sights
In terms of the immediate vicinity the surrounding villages have shops for all non-specialist supplies, good fresh (often locally grown) food, a cinema, gym and a choice of restaurants. Grosseto is the nearest large commercial centre with national and international rail connections. The only period in which the area gets crowded is August when mostly Italian tourists escape the heat in the cities for the refreshing mountain walks and air of Amiata.
In general the countryside in southern Tuscany is wilder and far less manicured than in the north of the region. There are really brilliant walking itineraries (not for mid summer) and the natural surroundings, birdsong, wildflowers and wild herbs are truly sublime in springtime.
There are some decent restaurants in the area and some really excellent ones. We will give you details and suggested itineraries for day trips.
Swimming: The thermal hot pools, which can be found around the mountain due its volcanic history, are fantastic in cooler weather. The nearest, Bagno Vignone (20 minutes) is a calcium spa swimming pool, whilst Bagno San Felippo, Saturnia and Petriolo have more sulphurous water. A good way to de-stress is to have a soak under the cascade at one of the 'terme', letting the water massage back and shoulders. There is a choice of 'funky' natural pools to visit, or entrance fee-paying swimming pools.
For summer bathing there is a nice privately run pool in the next village, Castel del Piano, (about 10 minutes by car), dips in local streams or a trips to the seaside or Lake Bolsena.
