Long term lets (over 1 month) Short-breaks (4 days or less)
Changeover day:
Flexible
Access:
Car essential Nearest amenities: 35 km
Notes:
Sorry - no pets allowed Not suitable for children under 5 Not suitable for elderly or infirm No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
Casa Celeste is a beautiful and recently-renovated holiday apartment south of Siena, in Monticiano, Val di Merse. It is located on the very private top floor of our holiday villa in Tuscany, with independent entrance on the ground floor.
Casa Celeste is ideal for a couple, but it can comfortably accommodate up to 4 people. The guests of Casa Celeste can park their cars in a fenced private area in the back yard of the villa. The apartment has central heating for the winter months and air conditioning for the summer. The apartment (45m2 - approx. 500 sqf) is located on the top floor and is made up of 4 beautifully-decorated rooms with a light blue pastel colour motif.
View from the terrace
The village swimming pool
The kitchen
Sofabed
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/66643
The Tuscany region
Casa Celeste is a vacation rental in Val di Merse, south of Siena, in the village of Monticiano. It is only 5km away from the mysterious Abbey of San Galgano and the legendary sword in the stone.
The apartment occupies the top floor of a villa located in a green residential area, with children's' playground, and public swimming pool nearby. Just a few steps away from the holiday home is a walking trail that leads to the abbey and horseback riding facilities, where the jockeys of the world-famous Palio di Siena train throughout the year.
Monticiano is an equally good base for art lovers and for nature lovers, and it also offers a number of opportunities to discover the culinary tradition of this area of Tuscany.
From Monticiano, guests of Casa Gigliola can easily reach the most popular areas and cities in Tuscany (i.e. Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo, etc.). The village is in the Siena area, in Val di Merse. From here, the Crete Senesi and the Val d'Orcia with Buonconvento, San Quirico d'Orcia, Montalcino and Pienza are easily reachable.
Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra and the Chianti region can be visited with day trips, both via the highway E78 and the old road which offers amazing view of the countryside.
The Montagnola senese, with Sinalunga, but also the border of Tuscany and Umbria, with Cortona and Montepulciano can be reached in an hour.
Being on the border with the Upper Maremma, Massa Marittima and the metalliferous hills as well as hilltop villages such as Roccastrada, Montemassi and the northern coast of the Maremma are both easy daytrip destinations.
For nature lovers, Monticiano and the Val di Merse represent a unique experience. This is one of the best preserved and greenest areas in Tuscany, with its woods and rivers. And the natural hot springs of Petriolo and the thermal baths are only 15 minutes away.
Monticiano is a very old village which dates back to the 12th century. Originally a castle property of the Bishop of Volterra, it later came under the domination of Siena. The remains of the castle are still visible and the little streets of the village are very picturesque. The village has two churches, the Romanesque church of Sant'Agostino of the late 13th century, with baroque interiors, and the older parish, the church of San Giusto and San Clemente, of the 12th century, with a neat stone façade.
The village is located in a beautiful area, in the heart of a valley between the river Merse and the river Farma, approximately 30km from Siena, 100km from Florence and 150km from Pisa. It has less than 1500 inhabitants and all the essential services are available in town (pharmacy, clinics, post office, banks, shops, restaurants and bars). The village will soon have a public swimming pool right by Casa Gigliola: it is scheduled to open at the beginning of 2007. It has children's playgrounds, horseback riding facilities and walking trails.
The village and its surroundings, despite being very conveniently located at a crossroad between the Maremma and Siena, are still an off-the-beaten path destination. For this reason, they make for a perfect location to discover authentic Tuscany far from the crowds.
The oldest part of the village is located on a hilltop, within the remains of the ancient walls. From the top of the hill the view over the valley of the river Merse is breathtaking. The atmosphere among the walls of the village is definitely medieval: stone houses, small parish churches, narrow streets. The origins of the village are celebrated every year in October, when the Palio dei Ciuchi, a donkey race in medieval costumes, brings the past back to life.
Going back in time is very easy in this part of Tuscany: the Abbey of San Galgano with the legendary sword in the stone, the near village of San Lorenzo a Merse with its ancient castle and its Romanesque church, the hamlet of Castello di Tocchi, the ruins of the Castellaccio, of Monte Quoio and Renna make this journey in time very easy.
Near Siena / Monticiano area
Val di Merse is one of the regions of the province of Siena. It is located on the border with the Upper Maremma and it is renowned for its unspoilt nature. The territory comprises the area between the rivers Farma and Merse and it is covered in woods which hide medieval hamlets and castles. It is an area rich in waters known for their healing powers, such as the Petriolo hot springs.
Visitors to the Siena area in Tuscany who wish to enjoy the Tuscan countryside will find Val di Merse their ideal destination. The hiking trails through the woods - such as the one which leads from Monticiano to the beautiful Abbey of San Galgano – offer the opportunity to enjoy the sounds of nature and the peace of an area which has changed very little over the centuries. A real journey back in time.
Get back to nature Petriolo hot springs For nature lovers, Val di Merse is the perfect place. The Petriolo hot springs offer the opportunity to indulge in a natural hot bath in the middle of the woods. One of the largest spa centres in Italy is soon to be opened on the highway E78, just a few kilometres from Monticiano.
Bike riding People who love to bike will find 11 cycling itineraries in Val di Merse with descriptions, detailed maps and altimetry, and useful addresses and information in the guidebook “Terre di Siena - Val di Merse in bici (by bike)” available from the local tourist boards or by request from Gruppo Ciclistico Val di Merse and visible also on their website. Another useful resource with more than 50 itineraries is Terre di Siena in Bici.
Horseback riding Another excellent way to see the Val di Merse is on horseback. Through silent and peaceful paths, you come across abandoned castles, towers clinging to crags and ridges, hermitages secluded in the woods, wild animals and breathtaking views. You can visit mediaeval villages approaching them as medieval knights used to do in bygone times. Brenna, Torri, Lestine, and farms in the Tuscan countryside such as the Fattoria di Montestigliano appear from the woods and provide moments which are hard to forget. Beautiful rides are those along the rivers Farma and Merse and through the woods of the Montagnola Senese.
The Villages of the Val di Merse Val di Merse is not only nature though. There area several beautiful villages to visit, such as Monticiano, Chiusdino, Murlo and Sovicille. Monticiano is the village where Casa Gigliola is located, a medieval village with incredible views over the valley of the river Merse.
Chiusdino Chiusdino is also in a superb location, on a hilltop overlooking both the valley of the river Merse and the Metalliferous Hills of the Maremma, home to the great town of Massa Marittima. The village has the structure of a fortified castle and dates back to the 9th century. In Chiusdino you can visit the Church of San Martino, the Prepositura di San Michele next to the house where Saint Galgano was born and the church of the Compagnia di San Galgano where there is a beautiful bas-relief depicting the saint cutting the stone with his sword. Near Chiusdino the ancient castle of the Della Gherardesca Counts, the 11th century hamlet of Frosini, is well worth a visit and so are Luriano , Castelletto and the Montalcinello castle.
Murlo Murlo is a very old “castle-village”. The castle was built in the 12th century and it underwent remarkable changes in the 16th century after the end of the power of the Republic of Siena. Buildings of note include the Bishop’s Palace, which houses the Archeological Museum, the cathedral and the old prison.
It is located on a high hill which overlooks the wooded valley of the river Crevole. This part of the Val di Merse is on the border with the Val d’Arbia in the Crete Senesi area. From the village, visitors can enjoy the view over the valley of the river Ombrone up to the hill of Montalcino. Murlo is of Etruscan origin and remains of the Etruscan settlements were found at Poggio Civitate and Poggio Aguzzo.
Vescovado Near Murlo, we recommend a visit to Vescovado, whose peculiarity is that of having been created by the fusion of the villages of Andica and Tinoni, still separated at the beginning of the 19th century. In the village church visitors can see a painting of the Holy Virgin by Benvenuto di Giovanni (15th century).
Sovicille Sovicille is approximately 10 km west of Siena on the old via Maremmana, the road which linked Siena with the coast of the Maremma. This area has been inhabited since the Stone Age and archaeologists have found remains of prehistoric, Etruscan and Roman settlements. Sovicille and its surrounding area are rich in historic-artistic treasures: abbeys and Romanesque parish churches such as those of San Giusto a Balli, Pernina, Molli, Ponte allo Spino, San Lorenzo a Sovicille and Torri where visitors can admire the beautiful polychromatic cloister in the Abbey of Santa Mustiola (13th century). There are also some remarkable villas such as Villa Cetinale (17th century, designed by Carlo Fontana),Villa Celsa with its beautiful gardens and Villa Linari (18th century).
Museums Antiquarium di Poggio Civitate Archaeological Museum Murlo hosts an Archaeological Museum in what once was the Bishop’s Palace. In the museum visitors can admire some important finds from the Poggio Civitate area. These treasures greatly helped our understanding of Etruscan civilization thanks to the excavation of a noble palace (7th century BC) and a craftsman’s workshop, which opened a whole new window to this people, who until that point were studied mostly through the excavation of villages and tombs.
Musuem of the Wood Besides the Archaeological museums, Val di Merse hosts some other interesting museums, among which the Museum of the Wood in Orgia that cannot be missed if one wants to learn the history and environment of this area of the Siena region. The museum is located in an old barn and it houses objects used by woodsmen and charcoal burners which describe in a very effective manner the life of this area as it was until 50 years ago.
The museum proposes five walking itineraries: the Charcoal Burners (4 kilometres); the Hermitage (5 kilometres); the River (4 km), and Castiglion che Dio sol Sa (21 kilometres) which are perfect for people who love to hike. It is a journey through anthropology, botany, fauna and landscape which provides a good insight into the life in the woods and related activities. There are also some theme visits such as “The wood as laboratory ” which consists of a visit of one of the itineraries with a more detailed explanation of aspects relative to the plants, animals, and territory of the Val di Merse. Detailed maps are also available.
Charcoal Burners The museum and the hikes will be of interest to those interested in pre-industrial archaeology who want to know more about a very important profession in this area, the work of charcoal burners. You can learn about the “palaioli ” who cut the poles, the “vetturini” who transported the timber with the aid of tireless mules, the “charcoal burners”, blackened men who lived in huts, from time to time selecting the most suitable areas for the production of charcoal. They knew the ancient art of transforming timber into charcoal through a slow burning process that took up to 5 days. The vetturini then came with the “imballini”, the men who put the charcoal in balle, big hemp bags, and checked their exact weight. Of course, the new industrial production methods and the exploitation of other sources of energy have condemned this ancient profession to a rapid decline.
If you are interested in the way people lived in this area in the past, a walk through the woods of the Val di Merse will be of great interest. In the area of the rivers Farma and Merse, there are many visible remains of mills that in the Middle Ages exploited the waters to produce energy for their pre-industrial productions. In the Chiusdino area, after the year 1000, castles were built, like the one in Miranduolo, where people specialised in exploiting local mineral deposits and rich monasteries like those of Saint Galgano or at Saint Maria di Serena built dozens of corn grinding mills and fulling mills for working wool. Numerous mills were owned by monasteries and aristocratic families. In the 13th century the abbey of Santa Trinità di Torri and the Municipality of Siena worked together to build a series of large mills along the river Merse between the villages Brenna and Orgia, to supply Siena with flour. Near Murlo, metal has been worked since the Etruscan age, and near Monticiano, along the river Farma, on territory governed by the municipality of Roccastrada, several ironworks built from the late 13th century onwards are still visible.
The Culinary Tradition of the Val di Merse Val di Merse has also a long culinary tradition. Cinta senese pork, from the breed of the same name, minestraccia, a soup typical of the cucina povera toscana (the Tuscan cuisine based on ingredients that even poor people could afford), and all the mushroom dishes are a must in this area. Upon request, we arrange cooking classes, olive oil tasting and wine tasting tours.
How to get there
Monticiano is reachable from Siena via the SS73bis or via the SS223/E78, exit San Lorenzo a Merse and SS32A.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Pisa or Florence: 150 km
Railway:
Siena: 35 km
Activities near Near Siena
Sports: Horse Riding
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats Cycling holidays
Sofabeds (1), Double beds (1), Dining seating for 4, Lounge seating for 4, Sleeps maximum of 4
Other:
Linen and towels provided.
Outdoors:
Balcony / Terrace, Shared outdoor pool (unheated)
Access:
Parking space
Further details indoors: The holiday flat near Siena (35km) has one double bedroom, with ample storage space. In the living room there is a double sofa bed. Linens are provided.
Casa Celeste has one bathroom with shower, bidet and washing machine. Towels and hair-dryer are provided. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything necessary for our guests to cook delicious meals. There is a table and chairs for four as well.
The kitchen has a microwave; fridge and freezer; a gas stove; toaster; pots and pans. Cutlery, plates and glasses and kitchen towels are provided.
The sitting room has a double sofa bed, Sat TV and two antique rocking-chairs to relax in the cosy area.
From the kitchen area, guests can access a large private balcony with a table and chairs to eat outside in the warm summer nights. The view of the village of Monticiano and of the surrounding countryside from the terrace is very beautiful.
Further details outdoors: Casa Celeste is ideal for couples: the house is in a very tranquil and safe area, across the road, there are public gardens and only few steps away from the villa, guests can use the village swimming pool (daily fee approx. 5 euros per person).
People who enjoy easy hiking can walk to the Abbey of San Galgano. There is a walking trail with benches along the way, which starts just outside Casa Gigliola and leads straight to the Abbey.
Besides the many activities available in the village itself, Casa Celeste is also an ideal base to explore the Siena area and its most popular sights, such as San Gimignano, Volterra, Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Cortona and much more.
See the pages about the location of Casa Celeste, with our suggestions for things to do in Siena and surroundings. We will be happy to provide you with further information on possible activities in Val di Merse and further recommendations for day trips in Tuscany.
Further details
Swimming pool only available June, July, August and September for a daily fee. The trail to san Galgano abbey might be closed at times due to weather or ground conditions.
The house is only available for rental by the week. We only rent from Saturday to Saturday. Prices are in euros and are for the entire apartment for one week.
The house is in a village 35km from Siena. the roads are small and winding, so it might take as little as 30 and as much as 60 mintues to get to the centre of Siena depending on traffic.
Conditions
The rental price includes:
Bedroom linen, kitchen and bathroom towels (changed weekly) Final cleaning consumption of water, electricity and gas use of the washing machine and iron Check-in Saturdays between 3pm and 6pm. It is possible to alter the arrival time given advance notice. On the day of departure, the house must be vacated by 10am.
Please note: Casa Gigliola is exclusively non-smoking; Pets are not allowed in the house. Guests are responsible for any damages to the house and furniture.
Payment Options A sum equal to 30% of the total rental price must be paid at the time of reservation via international bank transfer. The reservation deposit is non-refundable. The remaining 70% is to be paid in cash at the time of arrival.
Upon arrival, guests must leave a security deposit of 100 euros which will be returned at the time of departure provided that there is no damage to the premises.
Cancellation Policy In the case of a cancellation the reservation deposit is not refundable.
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: Euros €
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
Low season
5 Oct 08
21 Dec 08
350£ 273
7559
7559
3 Nights
Mid season
21 Dec 08
11 Jan 09
400£ 313
9070
9070
5 Nights
Low season
11 Jan 09
5 Apr 09
350£ 273
7559
7559
3 Nights
Mid season
5 Apr 09
31 May 09
400£ 313
8063
8063
5 Nights
High season
31 May 09
6 Sep 09
500£ 391
0-
0-
1 Week
Mid season
6 Sep 09
4 Oct 09
400£ 313
8063
8063
5 Nights
Low season
4 Oct 09
20 Dec 09
350£ 273
7559
7559
3 Nights
61
The owner's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
No Saturday to Saturday policy: arrivals are possible any day of the week. Minimum stay is 3 nights in low season, 5 in mid season.
Payment Options
A sum equal to 30% of the total rental price must be paid at the time of reservation via international bank transfer. The reservation deposit is non-refundable. The remaining 70% is to be paid in cash at the time of arrival.
Upon arrival, guests must leave a security deposit of 100 euros which will be returned at the time of departure provided that there is no damage to the premises.
Cancellation Policy
In the case of a cancellation the reservation deposit is not refundable.
Guestbook
"Thank you for helping to make our holiday in Italy such a memorable one." - Renato and Glenda from Canada
"We had the best time ever." - Maureen and John from UK
"Nous retournons l'année prochaine!" - Mme Rosette from France
"Je ne dirais qu'un mot : super." - Jacques L. from France
"We really had an excellent vacation in the apartment and enjoyed discovering the surroundings and especially the contact with the family Gigliola was a pleasure for all of us." - Marco from Germany
Availability notes
To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/66643
Click to view availability for this property.
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/66643
Contact details for home 66643
Please mention Holiday Lettings
Name:
Antonella Salvini
Languages:
Contact Notes: Email
Advertiser joined: 24 Feb 2005 This property added: 24 Jul 2008
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