Tuscany Art Vacation - Antica Dimora Residenza D'arte is a unique way to vacation in Tuscany. Sumptuous accommodation, in an artists' residence in the countryside south-east of Siena, this hotel-style accommodation has nine suites and an international exhibition centre for paintings, sculptures and artistic events.
The Residence is within striking distance of Umbria and Lake Trasimeno, and overlooks the enchanting Tuscan hill town of Torrita di Siena. Built around the old collegiate church, the Art Residence enjoys a dominating view of the area.
According to some historians, the church was raised on the foundations of an Etruscan temple dedicated, in its time, to Ceres the goddess of vegetation and of land fertility. The Art Residence stands next to the church, and extends halfway around it. This is the original site of Torrita di Siena, and from this sprung the delightful mediaeval town; right in the heart of Tuscany, centuries-old houses, a church and a small cemetery sit within its splendidly preserved walls.
;)
Click to see larger image
The Art Residence itself is a dream for any artist. Here the owners have created a place where the international community of artists, and lovers of all kinds of manifestations of art can have a base. Here is a place for lovers of art to meet, to socialise, and to exhibit their work. Thus, the special feature of the Art Residence is an international exhibition space for painting, sculpture and artistic events. Paintings, iron and bronze sculptures can be viewed in the gardens, the adjacent terraces and in the eight masterfully renovated self-contained suites. Here, antique furniture, fittings and objets d'art sit alongside wonderful pieces of contemporary art.
It's an extraordinary experience. With such a quantity and quality of artworks in the house, gardens and grounds, the Art Residence is a miniature museum. The entire environment is framed by art, and art is the constant companion of every guest. And this lovely building has been restored and modernised with the utmost care, retaining the original elements of the old structure. The estate also contains 10,000 square metres of olive groves and private parking.
[ local map | map of Tuscany ]
Sitting atop its hill 500 metres from the centre of the town, Antica Dimora affords a panoramic view of the Valdichiana. This meeting of nature and art is set in a landscape of rare beauty, surrounded by centuries-old olive and cypress trees. And the Residence is excellently placed to explore surroundings rich in history and culture. There are monuments and other artworks, churches and abbeys to be viewed in nearby Pienza, Montepulciano, San Quirico d'Orcia, Cortona and Siena.
;)
;)
;)
Click to see larger images
Pienza was a mediaeval 'new town'. Conceived as a Utopia by Pope Pius II, it still boasts his residence the Palazzo Piccolomini, though the town never achieved Pius's dream of becoming a city to rival Siena and is little more than a (very grand) village. Montepulciano contains many art and historic attractions, with medieval, renaissance and baroque buildings, palazzi and churches. In the Piazza Grande is the magnificent Palazzo Communale, (a smaller version of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence), and the Duomo. San Quirico d'Orcia, meanwhile, a curious mix of the modern and mediaeval, boasts the remarkable Romanesque Collegiata, a gem of a church amidst the slightly rundown village.
Cortona was one of the twelve cities that made up the Etruscan Federation. Located high on a hill above the Valdichiana, it has spectacular views towards Lake Trasimeno, Monte Amiata and Castiglione Fiorentino. Long a centre of art it is still noted for its architecture and museums, most notably the Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca and the Duomo, and is packed with quaint shops, good restaurants and pretty streets. And 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.
An Italian vacation surrounded by art and with art-rich cities all about. Prices (per person) are Euro €70 for a suite, and €90 for a 'superior' suite. For more details, and for confirmation on prices and availability, please click below.
;)
;)
;)
Click to see larger images
![Siena (Sienna), Tuscany - Planning your art vacation in Italy]](/ch2.gif){kind=small}
