Tuscany

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Villas of Charme

Il Gelso

Il Gelso
Tuscany
A fabulously designed Chianti farmhouse in walking distance of a favorite country trattoria. The house has fabulous views and excellent staff.
people
8, 10
bedrooms
7 BR
bathrooms
6
airport
Florence 40km
pool
Daily maid
Cook
wifi
Air condition
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OVERVIEW

Il Gelso is a meticulously restored traditional farmhouse built around 1500. Until the actual owners bought it, it was part of a historic estate dating back to the 11th century. The property is surrounded by hills planted with olive groves, woodland and vineyards. Due to its elevated position, it offers 360° views of the picturesque countryside of Chianti, which you can savour throughout the villa and its wonderful outdoor dining and living areas.

The villa is spread over three stone buildings, a Tuscan farmhouse capped by a small turret-dovecote and two self-contained cottages, which are connected by a courtyard. The recently completed renovation work shows the care and passion that the owner has given to this property.

The airy interiors have large archways, traditional terracotta tiles, working fireplaces, exposed wooden beams and lots of openings onto the garden. These are complemented with antiques, solid wooden furniture, exotic art objects and modern design lamps. The ground floor of the main villa has a stylish living room with fireplace and comfortable seating, to one side of which is a library and to the other an office. There is also a separate TV room with deep sofas made to lounge.

There’s a large kitchen where the villa’s locally renowned cook prepares Tuscan specialties made with both local ingredients and fresh vegetables from the villa’s abundant vegetable garden. You can enjoy meals either in the interior dining room or on one of the two panoramic outdoor dining terraces. There is also a wood-fire pizza oven for a special pizza evening.

Upstairs you can find an inviting sitting room and five of the villa’s seven bedrooms. All the bedrooms have their own personality and include iron or canopied beds draped in 100% cotton carefully selected by the villa’s owners. The en suite bathrooms feature lovely details such as stone basins, clawfoot tubs and large rain showers.

One of the cottages has an elegant living area, kitchenette, an en suite and a double bedroom with French doors which lead outdoors. The second cottage has a twin room with chic Chinese art objects and its own private veranda.

The infinity pool is located on a terrace below the villa and is ideally set for enjoying the picturesque vista. Sunbeds surround the pool which has a shaded area and a pool house with changing room and bathroom. The staff fills the fridge at the pool, lays out the towels in the morning and cleans up the pool at the end of the day.

The house is looked after by a couple who live in a separate cottage. They prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner, do the daily housekeeping and can assist you with organizing restaurant reservations, food shopping, taxis and airport transfers.

Situated in Rignana, in the heart of the Chianti Classico area not far from Panzano, there is an array of beautiful places to visit and things to do near the villa. The famous Cantinetta di Rignana, a wonderful trattoria that serves country fare is just up the road. The hamlet of Passignano, surrounding the historic Benedictine Abbey of Badia a Passignano, is a 10-minute drive from Villa Il Gelso. The abbey contains many beautiful frescoes, among which is one by the Renaissance master Domenico Ghirlandaio. If you visit the hamlet around lunchtime, you can enjoy a meal at the Cantinetta which serves delicious cuisine, or choose the more rustic neighbouring trattoria.

The house accommodates up to 10 adults in summer and up to 8 adults in winter. This is due to the nature of the dining spaces.
Outdoors
● 360° views over hills with olive groves, vineyards and woodland
● 3 buildings: main house with 5 bedrooms and 2 cottages with a bedroom each
● Landscaped garden around the villa and its terraces
● Infinity pool located on a terrace below the villa
● Pool house with restroom and facilities for making drinks
● Covered outdoor terrace with cushioned seating
● Outdoor canopied dining table seating 10 and outdoor dining table with BBQ/Pizza Oven, fridge and sink seating 16
● Walking distance from the delicious restaurant, La Cantinetta di Rignana
● Vegetable garden where a variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown, along with olive oil made from the surrounding olive groves

Indoors
● Many different living spaces: living room, TV room, library, office
● Eclectic and fashionable interior design
● Dining room seating 8 (therefore in winter max 8 guests)
● In the main house there are 5 bedrooms with 4 en suite bathrooms.
● Cottage one is a self-contained flat with a guest bedroom, sitting room with kitchenette and a bathroom
● Cottage two has a guest bedroom, en suite bathroom and private veranda
● All bedrooms have A/C
● This property is not indicated for people with mobility issues as there are many steps indoors and outdoors

DETAILS

Amenities
● All bedrooms have A/C units
● WIFI in all rooms, outdoor dining areas and by the pool
● XL flat screen TV
● All beds feature comfortable mattresses and carefully chosen linens
● All bathrooms feature 100% cotton towels and bathrobes, Ortigia bath products and local artisanal soaps
● Laundry
Staff | Service included
● The villa has full-time staff, including a couple who do the cooking, cleaning and shopping, breakfast, lunch and dinner. She is an exceptional cook known for fabulous food. The villas has its own vegetable garden and meals are designed around the available produce. The villa also produces its own olive oil. He does the shopping, and is the butler, laying the table and serving the meals.
● Staff fills the fridge at the pool, lays out the towels, cleans up the pool afterwards.
● The staff will lay and clear the tables for breakfast, lunch and dinner, prepare and serve the food at every mealtime.
● The rooms will be cleaned daily.
● Weekly change of linens and towels
Staff | Service on request
● Extra linen and towels change
● Pizza party
• Taxis and airport transfer
• Palio tickets
• Massages
• Wine tours and tasting
• Gastronomic tours
• Cooking classes
• Private guided tours
• Heating Fee
Distances
• Closest village Panzano in Chianti with shops, restaurants and bank 15 minutes drive, 10 km
• Closest commercial and private airport Florence 40 km - 50 minute’s drive
• Cantinetta di Rignana restaurant 4 minutes walking
• Badia a Passignano 4 km - 10 minute’s drive
• Greve in Chianti 8 km - 20 minute’s drive
• Castellina in Chianti 20 km - 30 minutes drive
• Florence 40 km - 50 minutes drive
• San Gimignano 40 km - 50 minutes drive
• Siena 60 km- 1 hour drive
• Pisa 90 km - 1 hour and half drive
• Lucca 100 km - 1 hour and half drive
• Rome 300 km - 3 hours and half drive
Things to do
• Badia a Passignano with its Abbey dated 395 A.C. and where one of the most famous Chiantis, the "Badia a
Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva D.O.C.G."by the Antinory family is produced. Wine tour in the cellars of the
ancient Abbey can be organised.
• The Chianti area: Famous for its wines - the Chianti Classico - this area of Tuscany has more than just world-class
oenological pleasures to offer. The curious visitor will come accross many delightful villages, each of them with a
history of its own. Let us simply mention lesser known gems such as the romanesque church of Sant'Appiano, the
Basilica of Impruneta, the fortified castle of Monteriggioni and the roofless romanesque abbey of San Galgano which
are all close. And don’t miss the Saturday market in the small town of Greve.
• Siena: The Sienese have no doubt, their town is the most beautiful in all of Tuscany, if not all of Italy. Siena has
remained a Gothic city. Renaissance, one of the major influences in Florence, hardly affected the urban development
of Siena. The city unfolds around the main shell-shaped square called "Il Campo." Twice a year the famous horse race known as the "Palio" takes place here. The narrow streets are lined with old shops and small cafes, while churches and museums are real treasures of the fourteenth century.
• Florence: The city lies on the Arno River and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance; in fact, it has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages.[2] It was long under the de facto rule of the Medici family. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The historic centre of Florence continues to attract millions of tourists each year and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.
• San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly
famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometers outside the
town. The town also is known for the white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, grown in the area.
• The village of Montalcino, home to the famous Brunello di Montalcino stands hilltop covered almost entirely with
vineyards and at its centre signature examples of Medieval architecture: the Palazzo dei Priori and the wonderful
Rocca fortress, built circa XIV century. Nine kilometres to the south of Montalcino, in a timeless rural landscape
surrounded by yet more Brunello vineyards, can be found the Abbey of Sant’Antimo.
• Restaurants: eating out is a way of getting to know the area. Simple local trattorias rub their shoulders with more
sophisticated restaurants specialised in refined cuisine. Fresh local produce allways plays the leading role. You will
find a list of our favourites in the villas.
• Local craftsmanship: hand-made terracotta pots from Impruneta, hand painted pottery from Montelupo,
mouth-blown crystal glass from the neighbouring village Colle Val d'Elsa, not to mention the south bank of the Arno
river in Florence where you will find a multitude of craftsmen working silver, leather, wood, glass, paper and metal.


To receive a complete overview of activities and sightseeing in the area, contact Katharina or Gaia at contact@excellence.villas We will promptly email you an exhaustive document.

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