Italy country vacations - These bright, spacious vacation apartments for rent lie in a recently restored, traditional Tuscan residence. With a swimming pool and easy access to nearby Cortona this is a great spot for a family vacation.
Il Palazzo is a fine old house with a fascinating history. It was built at the end of the nineteenth century by a local squire Arturo, who immediately had to sell it, a victim of his expensive and profligate lifestyle.
The house passed in time to the Barboni family, and has been carefully and lovingly restored by the owners. The keynote has been to both maintain the architectural characteristics of the old house, returning Il Palazzo to its original splendour, while creating a holiday environment both comfortable and inviting. The apartments blend in beautifully, with arched ceilings of wood or terracotta-fired brick. These holiday flats reflect the colours of the flora of the Tuscan countryside; these are interiors where you can find the perfect atmosphere for relaxing with family and friends.
The six flats each have parking, and small pets are allowed on the property. Your hosts speak English and French, and there is a babysitter available on request. There's plenty to do at the palazzo, with a swimming pool, bowls and table tennis, all set within lovely gardens. There are stables and horse riding 3km away, and a number of fascinating and ancient cities to explore.
Nearby lies the lovely town of Cortona. An ancient city, one of the 12 cities of the Etruscan League, substantial fragments of its old defences can still be seen, incorporated within the newer mediaeval walls. Apart from a few fine Renaissance palaces, the prevailing character of Cortona's architecture is mediaeval, and the steep narrow streets convey a strong atmosphere of the Tuscany of half a millennium ago. The city sits in a commanding position, some 600 metres above the Val di Chiana, and there is a magnificent panorama of the countryside below.
[ local map | map of Tuscany ]
