Arezzo holiday townhouse rental, Sansepolcro with walking, log fire, balcony/terrace, rural retreat, TV, DVD

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Monterchi Village House (townhouse)

Home description

Casa Monterchi is a beautiful townhouse with lots of character - wooden ceilings and beams, terracotta floors, stone door surrounds and 19th century frescoed ceilings. The house has a wonderful balcony where you can sit looking onto the church, the Medieval archway and the fields beyond. Downstairs there is a spacious kitchen with wood-fired range and a small bathroom. On the first floor there is a sitting room, which leads out onto the balcony, and a dining room. On the top floor there are two double bedrooms with windows looking out over the church tower and the terracotta roofs and a larger bathroom (with a stunning view over the countryside!)

The house is in the historic centre on Monterchi, one of Tuscany's most beautiful hilltop villages. Casa Monterchi is yards from the main square (and a fantastic restaurant, bar and enoteca). The house also overlooks the church of San Simeone. The house is an ideal base to explore Tuscany, Umbria, the Marches and Emilia Romagna. Monterchi itself is home to Piero della Francesca's enchanting Madonna del Parto and is a must-see for lovers of art or the Renaissance.

The house is ideal for couples, families or groups wanting to experience the culture, life, cuisine and beautiful countryside of the region. You could take a tour of the superb enotecas (wine shops) and restaurants or walk and cycle in the hills and plains around the town. We have lots of walking and cycling maps available showing routes through the local countryside. Dawes hybrid bikes are available to hire at the house.

view onto the medieval town - our house is at the top just by the church	The house from San Simeone church
View from upper bathroom onto the Tuscan hills and tobacco and corn crops

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/16177

The Tuscany region

Monterchi is a fine example of a medieval hilltop village typical in this region and is regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany. It is situated in the Valtiberina (high Tiber valley) area of Tuscany. This area is quieter and more unspoilt than the westerly parts and has some fantastic attractions of its own. One of these is the Piero della Francesa trail (Monterchi is key to it and houses the famous Madonna del Parto painting, reputedly a homage to Piero's mother, who was from Monterchi). Monterchi is a great base for the Piero trail as it is halfway between Arezzo and Sansepolcro, and gives you the opportunity to experience mush more of Italy than staying in either city. The house is about 3 minutes walk to the museum where the Madonna del Parto is now housed, and ten minutes walk from the small chapel where the painting was found.

Monterchi is perfect for exploring by foot and exploring through its streets. The historical centre is small but there is plenty to see, from the church of San Simeone and the various medieval walls, to the main Piazza and the fortress at the top of the town, it won't take you long to find your bearings but you will be able to stop and admire the views from every angle. The historical centre has three fantastic restaurants and bars (our favourite is the one in the Piazza). Wandering down the steps to the park (and statue of Hercules, for whom the town is named) and the lower part of the town, there are plenty more restaurants, shops and a bank, and the bus/coach stop for Arezzo and Sansepolcro. It's also so easy to wander into the surrounding countryisde for some stunning views back to Monterchi. Further afield. there are easy but worthwhile walks to the neighbouring towns and villages.

The beautiful walled town of Sansepolcro is 15mins from Monterchi, Anghiari with its narrow mediaeval streets and pretty square is less than 5 mins and Caprese Michelangelo (Michelangelo's birthplace and now host to a museum in tribute is 15 mins. The area is also criss-crossed with the trails of St Francis, who received his stigmata nearby at La Verna. Citta di Castello is 13km away and is well worth a vist for its castles, shops and antiques and crafts markets.

This area is a fascinating corner of Tuscany, with its combination of Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Rennaissance history.

It is however within easy day trip reach of Florence (1 1/4 hrs or a stunning 1 1/2 hour drive through the rolling hills), Lucca and Pisa (1 1/2 hours), Siena (1 1/4 hours), Chianti (1 hr) and the beautiful Arno valley (30 mins). The area also has the advantage of being close to the Adriatic Riviera (1 hour +), San Marino, Umbertide, Perugia (35 mins), and Assisi. The E45 motorway which runs 10 mins from the house connects with the Bologna/Ravenna area to the north and Rome to the south (Rome is 2 1/4 hours away).

The house has the advantage of being easily reached by public transport - Arezzo has many connections throughout Italy by train including a fast train (1 1/4 hours) to Rome and to Florence. Regular coaches and local buses connect the 25km from Arezzo to Monterchi and on to Sansepolcro.

Arezzo / Sansepolcro area

Monterchi is a fantastic place to stay and savour the atmosphere of a genuine and unspoilt Tuscan hilltop village. Whether sitting on the balcony looking onto the church and watching the world go by, or wandering up and down its narrow winding streets, you can enjoy the wonderful views from every corner. The house is right in the historical centre of the village, looking onto the back of the square and the church, and out over onto the fields behind the village.

You can stay local and wander to the Enoteca and Restaurant a few steps away in the square, or wander down to the shops and restaurants in the lower part of the village. Just two streets away is the museum of the Madonna del Parto and another Osteria and delicatessen where you can stop for an Italian coffee. In the main shopping area at the bottom of the hill there are more restaurants, a bar as well as a small bank, pharmacy, great fruit and vegetable shop, butchers and other shops - all run as local businesses.

Alternatively there are so many other towns and villages to explore in the local area. You can visit the other hilltop towns which you can see from Monterchi - Citerna or Santa Maria della Tiberina, or the attractions of Anghiari, Arezzo (28km) or Sansepolcro (12km).

On Sundays, the local market comes to Monterchi. Other shopping highlights are the famous antiques market in nearby Arezzo (1st weekend of the month) and the similar local markets in Citta di Castello, Anghiari and Sansepolcro.

Monterchi is an important stop on the Piero della Francesca trail and within easy reach of many of Tuscany's hidden Renaissance highlights such as Michelangelo's birthplace at Caprese.

The area is very popular with walkers and cyclists - we have books at the house showing a number which start or finish from Monterchi and we can offer the possibility of hiring mountain bikes for the more adventurous!

If you want to see more of Italy then Monterchi is ideally located. Arezzo is a beautiful city in itself and also a major travel hub (easily reachable from Monterchi by either car or bus). There are frequent express trains from Arezzo to the likes of Florence (30 mins by the fastest express) or Rome (1hr 16 mins by the fast train). Equally, if you have a car you are within easy day trip reach of all of the attractions of Tuscany, Umbria and the Adriatic coast. By car Rome is a direct route down the E45 Superstrada (2 1/2 hours), and on the way you can stop off at Perugia, Assisi or Todi.

If you don't want to venture too far then, depending on the season, you could either take a good book out onto the balcony and watch the world go by or close the shutters, light the wood stove (or turn on the heating for the less romantic!) and have a cosy and romantic night in and enjoy the peace of a perfect Tuscan village.

The quality of the food in the local area is just stunning. We send guests a guide to the local restaurants and markets which we particularly like. An additional bonus is the fact that prices in this area of Tuscany are really good value and much lower than those in the more "touristy" areas of Tuscany. Three of our favourites locally are La Pieve Vecchia in Monterchi (in a beautiful restored ancient chapel), La Vecchia Osteria (2 mins walk from the house) and Belvedere in Citerna (which has a stunning view of the valley and mountains). Prices range from about €4-5 for a pizza.

The area around Monterchi is a mixture of farmland (local crops are sunflowers and tobacco) and the wooded mountains of the Appenines. Popular towns include Caprese Michelangelo, La Verna, Poppi, Bibbiena, Umbertide, Citta di Castello and Gubbio. There are many natural parks within easy reach offering a vast range of waymarked walking, cycling and horseriding trails.

If you are a keen cyclist you will particularly love the area, whether it is for mountain biking or road. As with many places in Italy, you'll see lots of club cyclists out on the weekends taking advantage of the good weather, clean mountain air and quiet, stunning roads. We're keen to develop the house for cycle holidays as it's a passion of ours.

How to get there

Monterchi enjoys an excellent central location in northern Italy, perfect for combining Tuscany and Umbria but also within easy day trip reach of the coast and even Rome.

Airports within easy reach are Perugia, Bologna Forli, Ancona, Pisa and Rome Ciampino. There are numerous budget routes to those airports and any will do (Ryanair is usually cheapest and easiest, from Liverpool or Stansted). Any scheduled or charter airline to those airports would be ideal.

You can get to Monterchi by public transport from most of these airports via Arezzo or Perugia but we would recommend a car if you want to see further afield and the roads are quieter this side of Tuscany. For car hire we have found Hertz (if accessed via Ryanair) cheapest.

We have taken the fast train from Arezzo to Rome and then driven from Arezzo to Monterchi (c20mins). Alternatively, there are buses and coaches from Arezzo or Sansepolcro to Monterchi itself.

You don't have to fly to get to the house. We have also travelled from the UK on overnight train via Paris to Florence, which we'd definitely recommend as a fascinating and romantic alternative. You can then hire a car locally.

Also, why not drive (if coming from the UK). It's a great journey if you take your time and ferry prices are cheap. We've done it a couple of times and treated it like an extension to our holiday. We'd happily help with routes etc - we've a few favourites (which tend to avoid too many toll roads too).

We’re trying to make the house as environmentally friendly as possible with cleaning products, travel, lighting and the wood we buy to fire the stove.

For each person who books with us and gets to Italy by air we will contribute to the International Communities Portfolio from the Carbon Neutral Company. We thought this was a good way to make a positive difference to communities around the world. If you’re travelling by car or train then we’ll give you a £5 discount from your bill unless you’d like us to contribute to the fund for you.

Activities near Arezzo

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The house is built on three storeys plus a cellar and attic. It has the advantage due to its height and position at the top of the village of great views and an open aspect.

Entering on the ground floor, there is a hallway with the kitchen (with wood burning Italian Aga-style cooker and gas cooker) and rich wooden ceiling. Across the other side of the hall is the second bathroom.

Taking the terracotta steps at the rear of the hallway leads to the first floor, with a good-sized living room and dining room, opening onto the balcony, which runs the length of the house. Both of the first floor rooms have beautiful tiled floors and C19th frescoed ceilings. The living room has a sofa bed for extra guests. There are stacks of guide books and historical books if you fancy finding out more about the area not to mention some great Italian cookbooks if you fancy cooking with some of the lovely fresh, local food from one of the many nearby markets.

A further set of wooden steps leads to the second floor, with a corridor and two double bedrooms with windows facing the church and village, and another bathroom with shower and a wonderful view clear over the rooftops to the Tuscan countryside below Monterchi.

Further details outdoors:
Large balcony (suitable for dining for 2) with stunning view of the church of San Simeone and over Monterchi's city walls and gate to the countryside beyond.

Further details

We have listed and priced the house as suitable for up to 4 people but if guests also want to use the sofa bed it can easily sleep 5 (and possibly 6 if children). There may be a small supplement for extra bedding.

We thought hard about the "suitability for children" section. The reason we don't recommend the house for toddlers are there two staircases without gates, so please get in touch if you would like more info on this.

Conditions

We ask for a £75 deposit on booking and the balance 8 weeks before your stay. Please see our personal website for further details and booking terms.

Rental rates

Prices for group size 4
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Christmas Peak 2009	19 Dec 09	9 Jan 10	300£ 300	0-	0-	1 Week

Prices for group size 2
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Autumn Off Peak 2009	4 Oct 09	19 Dec 09	290£ 290	0-	0-	4 Nights
Christmas Peak 2009	19 Dec 09	9 Jan 10	290£ 290	0-	0-	4 Nights
Winter Off Peak 2010	9 Jan 10	28 Mar 10	290£ 290	0-	0-	4 Nights
2010 Peak	28 Mar 10	3 Oct 10	390£ 390	0-	0-	4 Nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

Mid week or weekend bookings may be possible on request.

Supplement of £20 for bed linen for extra guests if required.

We are very happy to discuss discounts for multiple week bookings.

Clean bed linen will be ready for you on your arrival - what we ask is that you make your beds up when you arrive and then leave the bed linen in the laundry basket when you leave and leave the house clean and tidy. Towels can be provided on request.

Guestbook for Monterchi Village House

We are proud of the house and have a policy of listing all guestbook comments in their entirety so you can see exactly what people thought. We can only put some on Holidaylettings but follow the link to our own website to see the rest. Thanks

May 2009 - "We have now left monterchi with a heavy heart, we had such a lovely time there!! Thank you so much for the use of your cottage, we shall be passing our highest recommendations onto family and friends."

August 2008 - "This is my first visit to Italy, but not my last! I loved the village, sitting on the porch, and meeting the villagers. For the next visitors, do try the supermarket (down the street from the museum) – the prices are much better, but the shopkeepers closer to the home are such a treat that you might want to visit them as well!
Take lots of pictures – you’ll never be able to adequately describe the natural beauty of this place."

August 2008 - "Thanks so much for letting us stay in your lovely house. We have had a wonderful week, lots of rest, relaxation and great food in a fabulous setting. It's our first time in Italy and we will definitely be back! Thanks too for the great recommendations - we particularly enjoyed morning coffee and pastries at Bianchi's - what friendly people! We also managed to drive down to Castiglione del Lago and splash around in a ridiculously warm lake. Hope you like the wine (and we have also left you a few books to add to the collection)"

August 2008 - "This is our second stay in Tuscany in Monterchi townhouse – we came back for more and stayed longer. Thank you Rachael and David! We’ve had a lovely time."

July 2008 - "You really have thought of everything to make your guests comfortable."

June 2008 - "What a wonderful week we have had here in Monterchi. Great atmosphere down at the supermarket. Children enjoyed the playgrounds in Monterchi (down by the river), Anghiari and Citta di Castello (above the old towns). We’re all sad to be leaving such a welcoming, quiet pocket of Tuscany. May you all enjoy it as much as we have."

September 2007 - "We couldn’t have chosen a lovelier place to stay. We have had a fantastic week exploring this delightful part of Italy. After just one day here we found that we had completely unwound. The weather has been perfect – September seems an ideal time to visit this part of Italy. The house itself is well stocked with everything we needed. "

August/September 2007 - Alex and Sue

This place will always be special to us, particularly because we got engaged at this house! We’ve had a fabulous week here in Monterchi, visiting local wineries and meeting the very hospitable Italians. The best times have been relaxing around Monterchi and enjoying the Italian life – especially the food! Wish we were staying longer… but I’m sure we will be back.

August 2007 - Yvonne, Olivier, Tiffany, Jessica

We’ve had an absolutely marvellous holiday in your beautiful house. Coming home to this peaceful village after a busy day in a large city was wonderful. We would have loved to stay another week, there’s so much to see and do. We feel we’ve just scratched the surface – we’ll just have to come back.

July 2007 - Lyuda, Gavin, Vicky and Laura

We’ve had a wonderful, most enjoyable holiday. The only mistake we made is booking 1 week only – 2 weeks would have been just perfect.
Monterchi is a lovely place, very friendly people here.
The house is located in a historical part of the town – it’s amazing to be part of the history (just for a short time)


July 2007 - Steve, Karin and Nia

Our first time in Eastern Tuscany and we certainly hope to return. Lovely house and village and although on Piero della Francesco trail it feels so unspoilt. So much to see nearby but also a good base to tour from. Loved having a supply of books, including the cookery ones. We made the porcini risotto from the G. Locatelli book with products all sourced locally – you can’t do that in Pembrokeshire!


July 2007 - John, Jackie and Jane

Great village with music in square in evenings, and ristorante nearby. Lbrary of books excellent, and kept us reading on the balcony.

June 2007 - Val and Ron

The perfect place to wind down and relax – a lovely house in a lovely spot.
Perhaps we should have made the effort to see more ‘sights’ but we found the local pleasures and people were all we needed.

June 2007 - Claire and Kevv

We have just had the most wonderful and relaxing week here in Tuscany – Monterchi is and absolute delight – so peaceful and tranquil. An ideal, central location for touring the area.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

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To contact this advertiser please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/16177

Contact details for the advertiser of home 16177
Name:	David Worrall
Mobile:	+44 7977 422628
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Advertiser joined: Sep 2006

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