Tuscany Villa With Views of San Gimignano
Fortezza del Colle
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AboutTheExperience
This interesting medieval villa dating back to the 10th century is situated on a very private estate and offers panoramic views of the Val d’Elsa. A unique experience, which is all possible here, is to lessons from an art professor or photographer and bring back handmade and personal souvenirs to remember your visit. Of course it must be added that San Gimignano, which you can see from this villa rental, is just four kilometers away.
LocationDescription
The property is located four kilometers from San Gimignano. San Gimignano is one of the most visited towns in Tuscany and is full of life and things to do. You are steps away from the famous towers, the 12th century Duomo, the People's Palace, and museums dedicated to artwork and archeology. There are also plenty of wine tasting tours, art galleries, shops, and delicious restaurants. Numerous celebrations and gatherings are held every year including a music festival featuring theater, ballet, and opera performances, and a Medieval Harvest festival where the people of San Gimignano dress up as knights and play medieval games and have tournaments. If you’d like to explore bigger cities in Italy, a train station is located in the nearby Poggibonsi that can connect you to destinations like Siena, Florence, or Pisa.
Pisa: 80 km
Florence: 60 km
Siena: 45 km
Poggibonsi: 17 km
San Gimignano: 4 km
ExteriorDescription
(120,000 m2) This lovely villa offers a panoramic view of the Val d'Elsa, including the towers of nearby San Gimignano. Believed to be of Etruscan origin, the building dates back to the 10th century. It has been carefully restored according to strict architectural standards. The villa is surrounded by 12 private hectares, and it overlooks a garden with a terrace. There is also a gazebo with a table and chairs for outdoor dining. Below the villa, near an olive grove, there is a swimming pool (6m x 12m), as well as access to hiking trails in an ancient forest.
InteriorDescription
(500 m2) Three floors. The villa is furnished with antiques and handcrafted Tuscan pieces. Each bedroom features interesting fabrics, paintings, and family treasures. There are grand fireplaces, and the floors and ceilings are made with antique, handmade tiles. The ceilings are also vaulted with exposed chestnut beams.
Ground floor: The entrance leads directly into a large living/dining room with a fireplace and a table which seats 12 people. There is a kitchen equipped with stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, frisge/freezer, and American coffee maker. There is also a sitting room with a TV, a study, a bathroom with shower. There is one double bedroom with two twin beds (which can be converted to a queen bed upon request) and an en suite bathroom with shower. This bedroom is handicap accessible. There is also a laundry room which is for staff use only; clients do not have access. Clients may ask the staff do laundry for them for an extra charge.
First floor: There are four double bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom (two with showers, two with tubs). Three of these bedrooms have a queen size bed, and one has two twin beds (which can be converted to a queen bed upon request).
Second floor:
There is a double bedroom suite, called the Cortesiana Suite, which includes one double bed, an en suite bathroom (with tub and shower stall), a sitting room with a fireplace, and a small kitchen.
FeaturesDescription
Available Amenities: Swimming pool (6m x 12m; open May 28th – September 30th), satellite TV, DVD player, telephone (available for an extra cost), wireless internet access in the study (must be requested at least one week prior to arrival), oven, microwave, dishwasher, American and Italian coffee makers, hairdryers, daily cleaning of bedrooms and bathrooms, weekly linen change, safe in each bedroom, screens on the bedroom windows, laundry service (4 washings per week). A welcome basket is provided upon arrival with wine, water, olive oil, tea, spices, and more. There is also a welcome appetizer upon arrival with snacks that include cold cuts and cheeses.
Extra Services: The following are listed as an aid for trip planning; the services and prices are approximate and cannot be guaranteed by Rentvillas. All extra services are payable locally in cash.
Heating: 500 euros per weekAir conditioning (in bedrooms): 57 Euros/dayWelcome grocery shoppingPrivate cook for dinnerBreakfast serviceCar and bike rentalShuttle to and from the airports of: Florence, Pisa, Bologna, RomeGuided tours Cooking classesArt professor, watercolor artist, professional photographer available upon request.Baby sitterExtra cleaning service (for the kitchen)Pool towelsNote: Extra services must be arranged at the time of booking.
Please Note:
The house is attached at one end to the owner's house; the owner is available to arrange dinners and other services.
A car is recommended.
No dogs or children under age 12 allowed.
This villa is handicap accessible.
Property Seasons & Rates (USD)
| Date Range | | Weekly | | | | | | | | | | Min
Stay |
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Apr-24-2010 - Oct-02-2010
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| $14,470
$10,129 |
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1 wk
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Oct-02-2010 - Dec-18-2010
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| $12,058
$10,852 |
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1 wk
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Dec-18-2010 - Jan-01-2011
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| $14,470
$13,023 |
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1 wk
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Feb-12-2011 - Apr-16-2011
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| $12,058
$10,852 |
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1 wk
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Apr-16-2011 - Oct-01-2011
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| $14,470
$13,023 |
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1 wk
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Oct-01-2011 - Dec-17-2011
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| $12,058
$10,852 |
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1 wk
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Dec-17-2011 - Jan-07-2012
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| $14,470
$13,023 |
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1 wk
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For exact pricing and conditions, click the View Availability button and then click View Pricing and Conditions.
Arrival Times
Please note: Official Arrival Times:
Questions and Answers From Our Clients
(Click the question to view the answer)
Q: Were the beds comfortable? Location? Screens on windows? How well was the kitchen equipped? Was there a caretaker available?
A: Joan, We were a group of four couples at Fortezza for a week last summer; the villa was everything we hoped for. Every bedroom was a winner; screens were everywhere; all the beds were quite comfortable. The location was good in terms of proximity to the main roads to Florence, Siena, Chianti, etc.....also a reasonable location for a trip to the cinque terra. While it is only about 5 km. from San Gimignano, it isn't a particularly good walk as the road is very heavilly travelled and too narrow for a leisurely stroll...(plan on driving there) The kitchen was better equipped than our own! The owners are a very affable couple living in a separate home across the courtyard from the villa; they were always available to help with any questions or problems and made our stay even better. Enjoy your stay! Ciao, Mark
A: The beds were fine, there are screens, the location is ideal, the kitchen was reasonably well equipped...a sort of smallish stove and fridge for twelve people but we managed fine. There is maid service available but they like to start at about nine and since most of my guests preferred to sleep in, we actually only used the maid service a couple of times. The owner lives at the property so any difficulties can be taken up with her.
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Conditions *
Security Deposit
- Upon arrival at the property you are required to pay to the property representative a security deposit payable in cash. The security deposit will be returned to you prior to your departure minus any extra charges or accidental damages to the property. The listed security deposit is: 1500 EUR
Additional Expenses
- Heating charged according to consumption
- Air conditioning is charged at the daily rate of: 50 EUR
- Telephone and Internet access are available for a minimum weekly charge plus the cost of telephone calls and internet usage. The weekly rate is: 10 EUR
Other Notes
- Extra maid service is usually available upon request and is paid locally.
- If available, heating is allowed by Italian law only from November 1 to April 1 with exceptions made for extreme weather
- If you arrive outside of the acceptable arrival times you will be charged a late arrival fee
- Departures must take place before 10:00 am.
- If available, cook service must be arranged at least two months prior to arrival and is subject to the availability of the cook.
- CLIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE A PHOTOCOPY OF THEIR PASSPORT TO THE LOCAL MANAGER WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THE PROPERTY.
* These prices and conditions may change based on your arrival date and length of stay. For exact conditions, please click on the View Availability button, enter your dates, and then click on View Pricing and Conditions.
View General Rental Agreement
Questions? Please ask us!
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Call us: 1-800-726-6702
Outside the US: +1-805-880-1228
Mon-Fri 7:00-5:30
Sat 10:30-2:30 Pacific Time
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Customer Ratings
Overall-
Peace and Quiet
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View
Outside Area
Living Room-
Kitchen
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Bedrooms
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Bathrooms
Based on 7 Reviews
Customer Reviews
Overall:
We had a wonderful experience. Location was excellent, views wonderful. Owners were very friendly and helpful and even worked hard to get Internet set up quickly when there was a miscommunication over it being needed.
Enjoyed Most:
Views and location were exceptional, and living areas, bedrooms, and grounds were all beautiful.
Unpleasant Surprises:
Some minor quibbles, like temperature control of showers, thickness of towels, operation of dishwasher, soap should have been provided, and lack of toaster, but nothing to really distract from a great experience
Surrounding Area:
Close to many major interesting towns in addition to San Gimignano e.g. Volterra, Certaldo and short drives to Florence, Siena, Pisa and Lucca. Beautiful Tuscan countryside all around made every trip worthwhile.
Nearby Events or Locales:
No towns were withing walking distance, but San Gimignano, Colle Val D'Elsa, and Poggibonsi were all about 10 minute drives. Large supermarket PAM in Poggibonsi
Tips or Restaurants:
Pizzeria Ristorante Le Grazie in Colle Val d'Elsa was excellent local restaurant, several good restaurants in San Gimignano. If not provided in future, make sure to get the correct dishwasher detergent and toilet paper on first shopping trip.
Directions:
Those with GPS had no problems. We used map provided and were directed to villa easily by hotel clerk in San Gimignano.
Check In Out:
The Internet has to be requested before going to the property, since it takes a day to set it up. The owners were very diligent and helpful in getting it set up, so we had no further problems.
Kathy, October, 2008
Show All 7 Reviews
Overall:
Everything was fantastic. We could not have made a better selection for the 9 of us. The public areas of the house were large enough to adequately allow all of us to be together at the same time. This was a great experience. All that we had hoped it would be.
Enjoyed Most:
The owners are great hosts. We loved the chef's preparation of the meal and the cooking school. We would all return tomorrow if possible. Your service is the best.
Unpleasant Surprises:
We can think of no negatives.
Surrounding Area:
The surrounding area is beautiful. The views are just breathtaking.
Nearby Events or Locales:
San Gimignano is close by, but not within waling distance. A car is a necessity.
Tips or Restaurants:
The owners restaurant, Dulcisinfundo, was great. If you can arrange a chef's meal, do it. I would also suggest the use of the self-guided tour itineraries from Italia Roadrunners that you sent literature on. It made getting around to surrounding areas so much easier. The drives he recommended would wonderful.
Directions:
Getting from the rental car facility in Florence was the most difficult part of the drive.
Anna , October, 2007
Show All 7 Reviews
Overall:
The owners live right next door and were lovely and most helpful. They own a restaurant in San Gimignano that we went to one night...very good. T
Enjoyed Most:
The view.
Unpleasant Surprises:
Too many extra charges - should be built into the price. Extra charges for pool towels, air conditioning, laundry, meals....
Tips or Restaurants:
They charge 6 Euros for 1 shirt if you want to have laundry done, which they list as an option, but with no prices...
Melissa, July, 2006
Show All 7 Reviews