Cortona Rental Cottage near Cortona "Il Pino"

Full Description

Il Pino was built over 300 years ago. It was a thriving farm in the lush hills between Foiano and Cortona. Signor Bartolini is in charge nowadays - and he’s on hand to help with local information if you need him. He’s lavished care and great expertise on restoring this huge property to make a tiny “village” of 7 exquisite, private properties. The house we are offering is the smallest: a little gem! It’s simple, comfortable and just couldn’t be better located. Stay home and enjoy delicious tranquility amidst the gorgeous rustic scenery or make Il Pino your perfect base for a busy holiday exploring Tuscany and Umbria. You are just 10 minutes drive from the Bettolle exit on the A1 Autostrada del Sole - but you’d never guess it as you soak up the peace at Il Pino, watching the swallows swoop and dip over the pool and listening to the gentle rustling of the olive trees.

Foiano is your nearest village, just 5 km away. A pretty place with shops, restaurants, bars and banks (the cakes from the bar “Del Duca” should go on your must-have list right now). Or head for the shopping outlet on the outskirts of Foiano and snap up a bargain or two. Twenty minutes in the car will get you to Cortona - the famous Etruscan hilltop town founded over 2,000 years ago. Prepare to be awed by both its antiquity and its stylish shops. The art treasures of Siena and Arezzo are all within an hour’s drive of Il Pino, while fabulous Florence will take very little more. If you want the best of Tuscan red wines, then spend a happy day exploring the well-stocked cantinas of atmospheric Montepulciano and the serious reds of fairy-tale-perfect Montalcino. Pause at Pienza and revel in the Renaissance architecture, then drive on to eat in charming San Quirico d’Orcia. Don’t forget to add Umbria’s lovely Lake Trasimeno to the sightseeing list too (Italy’s 4th largest lake and undeniably picturesque - particularly the lakeside towns of Castiglione del Lago, Passignano and Tuoro): it’s only 20 minutes away. Potter about the lake’s islands on the little ferry boats, try the local speciality of tegamaccio (Italy’s version of the Frenchman’s bouillabaisse)

If you still want more ... visit nearby Chiusi and be astonished by its massive stone walls (well over two and a half thousand years old!), admire the fascinating Etruscan exhibits in the local museum and eat a memorable lunch at “La Solita Zuppa”. The castle of the medieval mercenary John Hawkwood is nearby too. There’s an impressive plaque, in honour of his services to Florence, in Florence’s beautiful Duomo). Perugia, Umbria's bustling capital city, is another one for your sightseeing list as is the wedding cake cathedral of Orvieto. And then there are the sulphur baths at tiny, beautiful Bagno Vignoni, the nearby Abbazia di Farneta and the truly outstanding trattoria “Vecchia Osteria” at delightful little Cetona. We could go on listing the many, many sights to see within an hour or so’s drive of Il Pino - but you’ve gotten the idea by now!

Il Pino sits in 12 acres of private land. The estate is surrounded by the kind of well-groomed farmland that makes this one of Tuscany’s loveliest landscapes. The house has its own private garden - with a barbecue and a table for al fresco dining. The front door opens into a large room on the ground floor. It’s simply, but comfortably furnished, as you can see from our photos. The central heating is very efficient, but that open log fire is a very nice plus if you happen to be visiting when the nights are chilly. Upstairs, you’ll find the bathroom neat, clean and efficient. The bedroom boasts a handsome antique wardrobe and that romantic, Italian wrought iron bed. It’s small but perfectly formed, from its great chestnut beams to the pietra serena stairs and its authentically Tuscan window catches.

Restfully worshiping the sun or busily soaking up the culture - you just can’t go wrong with elegantly restored Il Pino!

The location of Il Pino was perfect for folks like us who like to spend our days exploring the possibilities of the surrounding countryside. Our mornings often started in nearby Cortona where we could enjoy cappuccino and a pastry observing the local early morning scene before the tour buses started to arrive. And no matter where our wanderings eventually took us (Arezzo, Siena, Sansepolcro, Montepulciano . . .) we could always use fast roads to be home in well under an hour. It was a real plus to be only minutes away from two motorways, but happily unaware of them on Il Pino’s peaceful hilltop.

Inside, Il Pino was smart, simple and uncluttered. We didn’t feel, as we sometimes have, that we were intruding in someone else’s space - though we did appreciate the owners’ taste in art. We enjoy markets and cooking and the lively Monday morning market in the local village of Praiano was perfect for provisioning ourselves for the week. The kitchen at Il Pino is well equipped, but its small size dictated simple cooking. Our mid-May weather was unseasonably hot and we enjoyed late dinners on the patio with the lights of Cortona twinkling in the distance and the wide expanse of night sky overhead.

Sue and John Stevens, Toronto.

A perfect place to do nothing! We wanted to relax and did so - never venturing further than Montepulciano, Pienza and the pool in our week’s stay. The house had all that we wanted - and more. The borgo sits atop a small hill with wonderful views all the way round. A passeggiata around the borgo in the evening with a glass of wine in hand, accompanied by the darting birds, allows 360 degree views of typical and wonderful Tuscan landscapes.

We would love to return.

Crispin and Sue Davies, Kent.

We had a great experience. Excellent accommodations in a beautiful setting.

Will Rogers, California.

Il Pino has an excellent location with truly panoramic views (especially good of Cortona) and great road access to lots of places to visit. The pool is wonderful, big enough to have a proper swim.

James Legg, London N1.

We had a fantastic holiday. It was an idyllic situation, so peaceful and quiet and as we almost had the whole place to ourselves, loved it. The apartment was really comfortable and we loved living there.

The area is absolutely fabulous and all the small towns around the area were fascinating, so clean and extremely interesting. certainly a place we would recommend and would consider coming back to.

Ian Laing, Scotland.

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