Italy accommodation - Village vacation apartment near Volterra and San Gimignano, Siena, Tuscany

Italy accommodation - This two vacation apartments for rent lie in a twelfth century Tuscan convent in the countryside northwest of Siena, in Tuscany, Italy. Providing self-catering accommodation, this is a marvellous spot to holiday in the Italian countryside.

Great care has been taken to leave unspoiled the architecture of this Benedictine Convent, and within lies Casa Arianna, a lovely holiday flat composed of two apartments: Apartment Arianna and Apartment Francesca.

Apartment Arianna is sitting on the ground floor, it contains a very nice living room, seating four, with TV. The dining area seats six, and there is a kitchenette with dishwasher, fridge, oven and four-ring hob. There are two bedrooms, one with a double bed, one with two singles, and there is a good-sized bathroom with shower. The living room with sofa-bed sleeping one further person contains an old well, traditionally used for the storing of corn or olive oil. Casa Arianna also has a portico in which you can eat, relax or drink the marvellous local wines offered by the owners.

Weekly rental of the apartment is €460 in high season and €360 in low season. The rental runs from Saturday to Saturday, with check-in after 4pm and check-out before 10am. For 2 days (weekend) the cost is €120. The flat covers around 70 square metres, and is centrally heated. Children and long-term lets are welcome. Please contact the owners should you wish to bring pets. We regret the property is unsuitable for the elderly or infirm, and isn't accessible to wheelchair users.

Apartment Francesca lies on the first floor, accessible via a lovely stone staircase. The terrace offers marvellous views over the surrounding countryside. The flat covers 55 m2 and is composed of: a living room with a kitchenette and dining area, a spacious double bedroom, a single bedroom (an extra bed can be added), and a bathroom with shower. The kitchen is equipped with fridge/freezer, oven and cooking surface. Sattelite TV available. Weekly rental is €430 in high season and €330 in low season. For 2 days (weekend) the cost is €120.

Outside, there is car parking, a garden and garden chairs. Nearby you'll find fishing, golf, horse riding, mountain biking, swimming, tennis and good walking.

The local village of Montegabbro also dates from the 12th century; a hamlet of ten houses, it now has just ten inhabitants. Nearby there are some fascinating Etruscan tombs, and it's superbly positioned for exploring this part of Tuscany. Ten minutes in the car take you to San Gimignano, Volterra and Colle di Val d'Elsa. Monteriggioni and Siena are around 20 minutes away.

San Gimignano is probably the most famous small town in Italy - there are few places that evoke the atmosphere of mediaeval Tuscany so powerfully. Its 15 towers soar into the sky, making this little hilltop town a spectacular place to visit. Volterra, meanwhile, encloses 3,000 years of history within its fortifications - the first town wall was raised in the 4th century BC. Thanks to its isolated position, Volterra is unspoiled by the 21st century, retaining its mediaeval character. You will be able to visit Etruscan remains, the Roman baths, amphitheatre and Acropolis, museums and galleries, churches and the Duomo, or walk around the mediaeval wall and gates.

At the very heart of the Chianti region, Siena rewards a day (or days) of exploration. It has a fine 12th century Gothic and Romanesque Cathedral built in stunning black and white marble, and one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1240. Its Campo is a unique medieval square at the heart of the city - quite possibly the most complete Gothic piazza in Italy; you'll find marvellous restaurants, cafes, bars and shops here. And Monterrigioni sits within its perfectly preserved walls, dominating the countryside for miles around. This citadel, begun by the rulers of Siena in 1213, was immortalised by Dante in his Inferno.

[ View on Google Map | map of region ]

This, of course, is merely a taste of the delights that this marvellous part of Italy has to offer. Click below to find out more and begin planning your vacation in Tuscany.