Cortona Rental Villa near Cortona Tuscany "Dardano"

Full Description

Dardano is just 3 km from the centre of the splendid hilltop town of Cortona. The Tuscans are not noted for their modesty and in the case of Cortona, they haven’t held back in their urge to demonstrate its ancient origins. Annio Viterbese, who wrote a 15th Century version of The Rough Guide, would have us believe the city was founded 273 years after the Flood. Apparently Noah was so taken with “the altitude, the amenities and the air of tranquility,” that one of his offspring, a certain Crano, was detailed to create this delightful little walled citadel. Noah saw that goodly works had been done and bestowed the name Corito (derived from the Latin word for sceptre, the symbol of a king’s power) on his relative, and thus Cortona got its name. Whatever the truth may be, there is no doubt that Cortona is indeed ancient, and within its walls you’ll find eateries, smart shops and a museum housing the famous Etruscan lampadario.

Dardano is a deceptively large house, full of atmosphere. It is a simple country home, basic even, but with an elemental charm. You drive up to the house with its ancient stone well and to one side there’s a little vine-covered area for shady outdoor eating. The garden is a neatly mown meadow with glorious views of the surrounding countryside, while the barn to one side gives welcome shaded parking. A flight of steps leads to the front door and into the old farmhouse kitchen, which also takes a stab at doubling as a sitting room. The stone floor and old fireplace (with a medieval “spy hole” hidden in it) has authentic Tuscany stamped all over it. We couldn’t call the place smart; it isn’t! But it’ll charm you nevertheless with its comfortable bedrooms, ancient arched windows and huge old beams. Also on the first floor are a double bedroom, a bedroom with twin beds and a bathroom with shower.

From here you climb the characterful stairs in the picture to reach the tower, which covers two floors. The double bedroom at this level has an en suite bathroom (with shower) and stairs up to the double bedroom right at the top.

Try Cortona’s market for fresh bread, huge tomatoes bursting with sunshine flavour, real mozzarella and a flagon of local wine to enjoy in the garden - that’s what Dardano’s all about! It’s plain, simple and appealing. And Noah would most certainly have approved!

Lovely property with beautiful fields of sunflowers. It was also huge!

Katy Bishop, West Yorkshire.

We felt that the location of the house to be superb; very quiet and peaceful, yet within easy reach of Camucia and the beautiful hilltop town of Cortona. A car is essential. The hosts, Carla and Paolo were fantastic and cooked us a wonderful meal as part of the package. This was a very nice touch, and with typical Italian hospitality they were even happy for our friends staying nearby to join us. Overall, we would have no hesitation in recommending Summer’s Leases [the property description was accurate and did not exaggerate as some do] and the property itself.

David Lee, Hampshire.

Dardano was just perfect for what we needed, and could certainly have accommodated even more people with our party. There was plenty of room, and it was centrally located so as to provide a convenient spot for day trips. The setting was quite peaceful, and the bedrooms were very comfortable. Plus, Francesco and Paulo were extremely accommodating and welcoming.

Liz Wolford, New York.

Dardano was just what we were looking for and our family had a wonderful time. In particular, we were looking for a place a little more authentic than is generally being offered. We don’t need TV or a pool, but we do want a place away from the noise and bustle, where we can feel a part of the countryside. We found that. Still, the house is convenient to Cortona, the trains, the Autostrada. It is an comfortable, secluded headquarters for a visit to Tuscany. We loved it! We loved Paolo and Carla too.

Kathy & Tom Corey, Missouri.

The house was wonderful - and more spacious than we thought the web site had led us to believe. It comfortably held 6 people (including 2 children) and made for a great base of operations as we packed in a tour of that area of Tuscany. Our hosts were very attentive and friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay (our first holiday of this type).

Will recommend Dardano to other friends and work colleagues.

Haydn Parry, Kent.

We loved Dardano. It really was better than we had hoped. The area outside the house was lovely for sitting and one was always able to find some shade. It was a lovely place to come back to after a hot day’s sightseeing and it really did become our home for two weeks.

Honestly one of the best holidays we’ve had. Carla was very helpful and informative telling us about places to visit and where to eat. We are very glad we found you.

Tom Pinckheard, Bath.

We really enjoyed the stay and recommended it (and Summer’s Leases) to some of our great friends, who will also be staying at Dardano this summer.

James Cullinan, London SW7.

The house and its setting were everything that we hoped it would be (and more!). The house is truly beautiful, we loved the genuine traditional feel to it. The views are fantastic and Cortona is a lovely town. Francesco and Paolo made us very welcome. Altogether an idyllic place.

Sue Taylor, Surrey.

We thoroughly enjoyed staying at Dardano - charming, lovely, sleeping arrangements perfect for a family. Dining al fresco on the little porch a highlight. We also enjoyed sharing our time between San Silvestro and Dardano - hope to return for another visit.

Bill and Lois Burroughs, Solvang, CA.

Just as advertised, Dardano is not luxurious, but wonderfully “real” with a feeling of connection to the land. We loved the evening breezes (the house maintained comfortable temperatures even in late July), dining in the grape arbor, nearby fields of sunflowers. Great location for day trips to Arezzo, Siena, Montepulciano, Pienza, Sansepolcro, Lake Trasimeno, and of course, Cortona. And our Italian hosts could not have been more charming or hospitable. This was just the place we were looking for!

Susan S, Nashville.

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