Firenze Peretola (63km; 50’), Pisa Galilei (77km; 1h 15’), Bologna Marconi (144km; 1h 40’), Perugia Sant’Egidio (151km; 1h 50’), Roma Ciampino (279km; 3h 10’), Roma Fiumicino (294km; 3h), Milano Linate (341km; 3h 25’), Milano Malpensa (394km; 4h)
PRICE
Price upon request
DESCRIPTION
SAN GIMIGNANO, LUXURY VILLA FOR SALE IN TUSCANY
◄◄ PROPERTY TOUR WITH DANILO ROMOLINI
▲ PROPERTY TOUR WITH ▲ DANILO ROMOLINI
▲ PROPERTY TOUR WITH DANILO ROMOLINI ▲
Not far from SanGimignano, this beautiful resort with 31 bedrooms is the result of the careful renovation of a historic villa. The property has been finely brought back to its original look and is currently run as an accommodationbusiness with 11 apartments, restaurant and swimming pool.
The estate is easily reached and is provided with all the necessary services by the nearby town of San Gimignano (5km; 10’), whose beautiful and unique towers can be seen from the property. The locations is also convenient if one wants to move around Tuscany.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDINGS
The villa (28 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms) result of the renovation operated on a beautiful historic mansion nowadays converted into a luxury resort, is made up of a manorial residence plus a guesthouse. All the apartments have been restored according to the typical Tuscan style.
- Apartment N°1: living room, dining area with kitchenette, two double bedrooms with en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet, bedroom and bathroom, .terrace and private garden;
- Apartment N°2 (on two floors):
- Ground floor: living room with kitchen, double bedroom and bathroom; the private portico is equipe with furniture;
- First floor: studio, double bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet;
- Apartment N°3: living room with kitchenette and fireplace, three double bedrooms, two bathrooms and terrace;
- Apartment N°4: living room with fireplace, dining room with kitchenette, studio, three double bedrooms, single bedroom (gallery) and three bathrooms;
- Apartment N°5: living room with kitchenette, two double bedrooms and two bathrooms;
- Apartment N°6: entrance hall, living room with kitchenette, two double bedrooms (one of which on the upper floor) and two bathrooms;
- Apartment N°7: living/dining room with kitchenette, double bedroom and bathroom;
- Apartment N°8: living room, dining room with kitchenette, four double bedrooms (one of which on the upper floor) and two bathrooms;
- Apartment N°9: living room with kitchenette, three bedrooms (one of which on the upper floor) and two bathrooms;
- Apartment N°10: living/dining room with kitchen and fireplace, three double bedrooms, single bedroom and two bathrooms.
The guesthouse (3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms) hosts the apartment N°11, made up of living room with kitchenette and fireplace, three double bedrooms and to bathrooms. The building also boasts a private garden for the guests.
Other than the apartment, the property includes a restaurant hall with professional kitchen, pantry and services, built in the underground floor in those rooms once used as cellars. On the outside we can find a nice old-brick pergola for the guests.
The remaining surface of the building is split among technical rooms and storage rooms, plus a working laundry for the guests.
The whole building is surrounded by Tuscan-terracotta-paved walkways, terraces and aprons.
HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY
The property, located not far from San Gimignano, is first mentioned in documents dating back to the beginning of the 14th century: the history of the complex is linked to the nearby villa, once property of a noble Tuscan family. The building at the heart of the property was originally built as a watchtower.
The whole podere was bought by another rich Florentine family in 1410 and in their hands remained until a series of bad financial decisions forced the family to alienate a good part of their belongings to the Archbishop of Pisa.
In 1867, the wedding of one of the archbishop’s heir with a member of the Savoy family brought the villa into the hands of the royal family. Savoy kept possession of the villa until 1946 (when they were exiled after the results of the Italian Referendum) and after that the building ended up in the hands of a countess.
At the end of the 1990s the villa, after decades of neglect, was bought by current owners who, with a carefully-carried-out renovation, brought the buildings back to their original glory.
EXTERNAL AREA
The estate covers approximately 4.5 hectares, partially covered by woodland while the remaining surface is divided among arable and grazing land. An olive grove (approx. 150 trees) allows producing an excellent olive oil which is then used in the preparation of meals for the guests.
Not far from the complex is located the 16 x 8 m swimming pool, paved in mosaic tiles and surrounded by a solarium in Izzalini stone (often called Pietra di Todi) reserved for the guests of the property.
The garden hosts an ample pergola which is used during summer for al fresco dinners, as an alternative to the indoor restaurant.
USE AND POTENTIAL USES
The property has been finely renovated by the current owners is currently run as an accommodation business thanks to the many bedrooms available and the restaurant. The proximity to the most interesting centers of Tuscany is another strong point of a property which allows easily reaching cities like Florence, Siena, Lucca and Pisa in no more than a hour and a half of travel.
The word Villa refers to an architectural typology whose meaning has evolved over the centuries. In the Roman Age, the villa was a house built for the upper classes. In the Post Roman Age, villa referred to a sort of village, similar to a fortified and self-sufficient farm whose inhabitants were called "villani" or "villici". It is with the architect and philosopher Leon Battista Alberti and his masterpieces Villa and De re edificatoria that the Villa starts to be considered as a place of pleasure and leisure. In the Renaissance villas, the first example of which is considered Villa Medici in Fiesole, the typically military and defensive features of rustic medieval castles are, for the first time, abandoned. This new conception of villa starts, therefore in Tuscany and, then, spreads to other courts of Italy and Europe. The Palladian villas, built in the sixteenth century in the area of Vicenza and along the Riviera del Brenta, represent examples that remained very influential for over four centuries.
It is very interesting to note how the term "villa" is commonly used in the English language. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, in fact, even in England this new architectural style became fashion and the word "villa" was so officially adopted also by the into English language. In the nineteenth century people began to talk about Villas simply referring to isolated buildings in the countryside, to emphasize the contrast with the houses joined together. This is a brief history of the architectural style protagonist of this portal, the Villa, whether we are talking about a farmhouse converted into a prestigious dwelling, a modern villa, a castle, a Medicean villa or a villa abroad.
FLOOR PLANS OF THE BUILDING
