Things to see/do

San Galgano: 6mins by car/6km you will find the Abbey of San Galgano and the church of Montesiepi (popular for weddings) where the legendary ‘sword in the stone’ was plunged in by Saint Galgano in 1180.  This round church was built around it to honour the Saint. For more information, please see the dedicated website: http://www.sangalgano.org/ENG/swordinthestone.htm

Terme & Thermal baths of Petriolo: 15mins by car and 20mins from the south of Siena lies the hot springs that were popular with both the Romans and the Medici family.

Remnants of the fortified Roman thermal baths dating back from 404AD can be seen above the pools.  The water is salt-sulfate-bicarbonate-alkaline-sulphurous hyperthermal (43 ° C) containing a high rate of sulfur and carbon. It is used for baths, mud, inhalations, facial masks, and is very effective in treating skin diseases, respiratory problems, orthopaedic and rheumatism problems.  Also handy for those who are healthy and wish to soften the skin.

http://www.termepetriolo.it/

The Property

Restored in 2005 by artist Carlo Pizzichini http://www.pizzichini.net, Casa d’Arte is now for sale by its current owner.  Details of the property coming soon!

Being off the beaten path yet close enough to Siena and popular tourist destinations, makes this property/village a suitable location in which to relax, discover and enjoy Tuscany.

This particular need has given birth to ‘ITALIALICIOUS’ …… Top quality Italian food and wines delivered in luxury handcrafted boxes. A unique selection of the best Pasta, Desserts, Sauces, Olive Oils and Luxury Wines linked to an express delivery service able to cover the globe within 72 hours from the moment you place your order.

Only a few clicks on the ITALIALICIOUS web site and you can: select a box, choose the products, customize it with your message and ship it whenever you want in the world! Your only job by then, will be replying to the excited thank you calls and emails from your friends!

Those who get an ITALIALICIOUS present will be so excited by the thought of how much care, time and love you spent looking for such original and unique gift. A present you comfortably and easily purchased during the little time between business meetings or from the comfort of your couch just before going to bed.

This project was born to promote the best in quality Italian food and the ability to send it around the world through its efficient express delivery service! The ITALIALICIOUS adventure starts between the little village of Vetralla (30 miles from Rome) and Pasadena, California, and is driven by the three founders: Valentino Bacocco, Stefania Mazzotta and Maureen McGillan-Sklar, together with marketing director Giorgio Onorato Aquilani. It is quickly becoming a worldwide success. Join the Party and think ITALIALICIOUS!

“The website www.italialicious.com ” explains Giorgio Onorato Aquilani “it works because it’s intuitive and very simple to use. In fact, everybody can select and customize a gift box and send it anywhere around the globe in just three easy clicks!”.

Getting the right present, even just for yourself, has never been easier and quicker than this!

Italialicious: Think – Click – Enjoy

Office in Cambridge, England: Run by Karen Roos, BA in Modern Languages and Business (Italian and French), a fluent Italian speaker, with experience of living in, and restoring and developing properties in Italy. Karen used to be on the FOPDAC (Federation of Overseas Property Developers, Agents and Consultants) committee before its merger with the NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents). Karen has a life-long love of Italy and property and aims to bring you the best possible selection of properties available, whatever your budget. As well as running the agency, Karen works as a consultant and project manager for developers and is involved in several development projects.

Office in Bagni di Lucca, Lucca, Italy: Run by Luciana Gargiulo, a fully qualified and practising estate agent since 1995, licensed by the Chamber of Commerce in Italy and registered with FIAIP – the Federation of Professional Italian Estate Agents. Luciana’s husband is a well-known architect and the Italian estate agency office is shared by a team of architects, geometras and technicians so we are always able to sort out any technical issues, surveys and assist in developing and construction.

We work with colleagues and associates agents throughout Tuscany and beyond to bring you a varied selection of properties, as well as a trusted alliance consisting of Accountant Building Company Financial Institution Property Management team Currency Exchange Dealership to cover all aspects of property purchase, restoration/building and finance. If you dream of owning your own place in Tuscany, we can help you fulfil that dream, guiding you expertly through every stage. Please see our constantly updated selection of properties for sale and request further information on any that interest you. Joining our email list will inform you regularly of all new properties for sale and enable us to see what you are looking for and try to match you with suitable properties. We are increasingly involved in large commercial projects and the acquisition of building land and can source many excellent commercial propositions as soon as they come onto the market, through our wide network of contacts in Italy. We are able to assist throughout the project with both the construction and resale.

We have appeared on ‘I Want that House’ (UK TV) twice, on ‘House Hunters in the Sun’ (Irish tv) and been quoted in the Financial Times, Daily Mail, Sunday Business Post (Ireland), Living for Retirement magazine, Manchester Evening News, to name but a few. Karen has also written articles for ‘Italy’ magazine. We have also had properties featured in ‘A Place in the Sun’, ‘Grand Designs – trade secrets’ among others. Please read the Info and Services section for full details on the purchase process, viewing arrangements and much more.

I offer FREE consultations in order to help individuals and families living abroad, structure and manage their financial affairs in the most cost effective and tax efficient manner. Knowledge of local and international products and taxes enables me to deliver truly valuable and independent advice. Although moving abroad can offer tremendous career and lifestyle benefits, the life of an international expatriate or professional can create significant challenges for individual financial planning and management. Consider that many of the financial structures you establish, insurance products or personal pension plans for example, are often not fully portable or suitable in other countries or jurisdictions. Life is dynamic and one should adjust accordingly but with moving from one country to another it is not easy! Perhaps you could benefit from one of the following areas:

• Mortgages
• Foreign exchange transactions
• Worldwide Health Insurance
• Saving plans and Pension planning
• Portfolio and wealth management
• Tax and Estate planning
• Alternative investments
• QROPS
• International and Offshore Banking

For further information please feel free to contact me and ask to benefit from a free consultation. At the very least it will afford you the peace of mind that your finances are healthy and suitably structured.

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN Tours offers chauffeured driven guided tours of Florence and Tuscany, renowed throughout the world for their art, culture, history, traditions, food and beautiful landscapes. Our established reputation for reliability and professionalism ensures a wide range of personalised and professional services in comfortable vehicles. At Tuscany Limousine Service we have the flexibility to tailor our services to meet the needs of travellers to Tuscany who want to get a real taste of this wonderful Italian region.

Let us guide you as you discover and savour the flavours and parfumes of Tuscany. On our tours you will visit and see some of the most fascinating places. You will be accompanied by professional drivers in comfortable and fully equipped cars.

TOUR & DRIVER GUIDES

FULL DAY TOURS IN TUSCANY

HALF DAY TOURS IN TUSCANY

FLORENCE WALKING TOURS

SIGHTSEEING IN FLORENCE

EXCURSIONS OUTSIDE TUSCANY

TAXI SERVICES AND TRANSFERS

SHORE EXCURSIONS

SHOPPING & OUTLET TOUR

COOKING CLASSES IN TUSCANY

APARTMENTS

There are 5 apartments in the main building

• TULIPANO - (Sleeps 6+2) Ground floor: living room with double convertible sofa; double bedroom; shower room. First Floor: 2 double bedroom; shower room. Garden
• PAPAVERO (sleeps 2+2) – First Floor: living room with double convertible sofa and kitchen; Double bedroom, shower room. Wide panoramic balcony.
• LAVANDA (sleeps 2+2) – First floor : kitchen/living room; shower room. Second floor: 2 double bedroom. Wide panoramic balcony

• CASA ROSA  (sleeps 2+2) – Ground floor : living room with double convertible sofa and kitchen; First floor : double bedroom with balcony. Garden

• CASA GIGLIO  (Sleeps 6+2) Ground floor: living room with double convertible sofa and kitchen; shower room. First Floor: 2 double bedroom; 1 room with twin beds.  Garden

GENERAL

Roughly halfway between Florence and Pisa, there is a small sleepy hilltop village called Sorana, one of the ten villages of the ‘Swizerland of Pescia’ that straddle precipitous valleys covered in chestnut trees and terraced with olive groves. Winding narrow alleyways, and small piazzas characterise these places and Sorana’s main Piazza San Pietro hosts events in the high summer.  The village itself was featured in the Chanel 4 series The Italian Dream in 2008 and is famous throughout the region for its production of Sorana beans. A short walk from here is Casa Belvedere, a three-level house that overlooks a stunning valley-panorama from one of its sides, as its name suggests. Very comfortable and nicely decorated and furnished, it is a great holiday house for four or five people. However it is not suitable for young children due to the stone staircases and low windows.

LOCATION

There are essential shops, banks and chemists and a Saturday market in Pescia 20 minutes away.  Montecatini 40 minutes away  has a Thursday market and its shops cater for the tourist trade and is famous as a spa resort, the Tettuccio being its grandest establishment.  You can take the historical funicular up to the hill village of Montecatini Alto. Pisa, and its airport, is one hour away. Cars in Sorana are required to park in one of two car parks above and below the village, both just a short walk away. Being a peaceful relaxed place, there is a bar and excellent and not expensive restaurant “Da Sandrino” and pizzeria “Da Carla” on the valley floor, close to the bean fields.  (Fagioli di Sorana are one of the most popular dishes on the menu.)

PRICE

£750 Per week