Calcina, Italy, is a handsome and well appointed 'casa padronale' farmhouse offering spacious accommodation, with its own private swimming pool and charming little church with naive painted murals.
It sleeps 12 guests in 6 generously sized double bedrooms, has 4 bathrooms, 3 ensuite, satellite tv and video and offers sweeping views from three sides of the house and terraces.
Enjoying a hill top position very close to the beautiful walled city of Sansepolcro, birthplace of Piero de la Francesca, Calcina nestles in the lovely lower foothills of the Alpe Della Luna (mountains of the moon) region, and is set in 20 acres of grounds with gardens orchard olives vines and woodlands. The property offers 360 degree views to Umbria beyond and Tuscany below. It is a quiet and tranquil country setting ideal for children and a family holiday yet conveniently close to the many cultural artistic and culinary delights which attract visitors to italy.
Available for year-round rental, this is an ideal base from which to explore many of Tuscany and Umbria's prime tourist sites, or to simply bask by the pool in the Italian sunshine and admire the lovely countryside.
Accommodations
The farmhouse was built some 200 years ago adjacent to the site of a shrine to San Cerbone which dates back to the 12th century,and which was visited by Saint Francis of Assisi on the pilgrimage to Rome.the house has been fully restored over the last 5 years but retains many original features including age polished pianelli floors, a working stone fireplace, chestnut beamed ceilings, double aspected rooms with high ceilings and long views, extensive terraces to catch the sun all day long, a working walk-in bread and pizza oven, garage and a range of outbuildings including a small deconsecrated private church with altar, pews and seating for 12 people.
FIRST FLOOR The house is on two floors with 3 double and 2 twin bedded rooms on the upper floor and one twin bedded room on the ground floor. The house sits on a hillside and thus has groundlevel access to both floors but has been linked by an internal stonebuilt staircase. The main entrance is via a porch on the upper floor and this opens into a large double aspected comfortable living room with a huge sofa, armchairs, working stone surround fireplace dated 1851, satellite TV and video. The views from this room are towards the medieval city of Anghiari and over the plain of Sansepolcro. The bedrooms are all spacious and comfortable. The largest bedroom is double aspect with long views and has a beamed ceiling, king-size sleigh bed and ensuite bathroom with bath.
There are 2 more large double bedrooms one with a traditional Italian king-size wrought iron bed and antique furniture and the other with a queen size bed with ensuite bathroom with shower. Two further twin bedded rooms overlook the church and share the family bathroom with fabulous views as you laze in the bath.
GROUND FLOOR The ground floor, formerly the cantina, is accessed by double French doors from a wide pergola covered terrace which runs across the front of the house. The well-equipped kitchen is a large and airy room with a wonderful chestnut beamed ceiling. It is designed with an island workstation sink unit in the middle with dishwasher and a built-in range of chestnut cupboards, fridge/freezer, gas hob and electric cooker, with stonebuilt cooker surround and granite working surfaces. The walls boast antique dresser shelving units and the whole is a very pleasing working environment which cooks will find easy to use. This room opens on to the dining room via a wide stone archway. The dining room, which also opens onto the terrace, has a large antique oak dining table seating 12 and a range of antique mountain and country furniture enthusiastically collected by the present owner from local antique fairs.
|