OVERVIEW Chiarentana – Tiglio
Chiarentana was once a medieval fortress and has been ‘de-gentrified’ over the centuries, becoming one of the main farm buildings on the property.
The 6 apartments are still named after the peasant families who last lived here. The square building surrounds a large, shady courtyard planted with climbing roses, lavender and a deliciously scented lime tree. The arched entrance admits a cool breeze and leads out into the wide landscaped garden with a pool (15×7 m) and a tennis court.
The view from here is spectacular and surveys the entire valley, but your eye will finally settle on the dominating Monte Amiata, Tuscany’s highest mountain. The garden is furnished with tables and chairs for all apartments, each far enough from the other to guarantee each party sufficient privacy.
Just a few steps lead from the courtyard into the light and friendly living room. The windows of both bedrooms look out over the entire valley.
Warm colourings, terracotta floor tiles and open fireplaces are part of the Tuscan lifestyle.
On this video, listen to the owner Donata Origo as she talks about the restoration of Chiarentana, which took up to 20 years.
Amenities and services
Villa is equiped with:
- Pool: 15 x 7m
- Internet access
- Fireplace
- Telephone
- Hifi stereo
- Satellite TV
- Dishwasher
- Washingmachine
Rent includes:
- Bed & bath linens
- Midweek change of towels
- Baby equipment
- Final cleaning
Service on request:
- First shopping
- Arrival dinner
- Babysitter
- Central heating
Floorplan of the villa
First floor
Living and dining room
Kitchen
1 double_bedroom
1 twin_bedroom
1 bathroom with tub and hand shower
Garden :
The garden is furnished with tables and chairs for all apartments, each far enough from the other to guarantee each party sufficient privacy.
The saltwater pool (15×7 m.) is shared with the other guests.
Tennis court
Trampolin
The Chiarentana estate extends over 200 hectares in what is probably the most beautiful nook of the famous Val d’Orcia, a Unesco World Heritage site since 2002.
Chiarentana is the sister estate of the famous La Foce estate, legacy of the author Iris Origo and her husband Antonio.
This is a fascinating story: When Iris and Antonio Origo came to the Val d’Orcia, Chiarentana was one of the many farms on the La Foce estate, in fact certainly the largest, with over seven families and their livestock living around the large square building with a central courtyard.
Its history goes back to the early Middle Ages, when it was one of the many small castles where pilgrims would stop on their way to Rome on the via Francigena. Emperor Otto I is said to have stopped here himself on his way to visit the Pope in the second half of the10th century.
During the 14th century Chiarentana became one of the first Communes, with its own statute, complete with a set of laws and sanctions. Thereafter the fortunes of Chiarentana followed those of its neighbors – a downhill story of war and devastation, poverty and degradation.
In 1924 when the Origos bought the property it was in conditions of severe destitution. Through their lifelong and passionate joint efforts they succeeded in bringing progress and social change to this poverty-ridden land, leading to a miraculous transformation of the conditions of the people living on it. La Foce became a bustling prosperous farm, reforestation and water management prevented the erosion which had ravaged the land for centuries, farmland was reclaimed from the expanses of clay hillocks, dams were built for irrigation purposes, roads were made, schools annihilated the prevailing illiteracy, basic health services were provided to all. La Foce was considered a model estate, and as such was spared the land reform that broke up most large properties in the 50s. Upon their death La Foce was divided into two properties by the Origo daughters: the Chiarentana estate is run by their second daughter Donata.
The Chiarentana estate is made up of the main building and several free standing farms. In the main building 6 apartments surround a paved courtyard shaded by an old linden tree. There is a large garden with secluded corners for each apartment, a pool, a tennis court and a children’s playground.
Delicious freshly cooked meals are served on 2 evenings of the week, indoors during the colder months, in the candle-lit courtyard in summer. Oil-tasting dinners with specially paired recipes are served once a week. 3 freestanding farms which offer charm as well as comfort and a private pool can also be rented.
Chiarentana has focused on the production of the highest quality olive oil; olive groves with particular varieties of olive trees surround the main Chiarentana building, while extensive wheat and hay fields cover the rolling hills leading down to the bottom of the valley. In the midst of these hills are some of the few remaining wild areas of the “crete senesi”, the clay hills depicted in the Sienese paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries. These areas are now the home to wild boar, roebuck, porcupines and hares, as well as rare forms of orchids, dog-roses, prickly pear and broom.
Read more about Chiarentana
GUEST REVIEWS, Chiarentana – Tiglio, Chiarentana
Wir kommen zurück von einem wunderbaren Aufenthalt auf dem Gut La Foce. Wie immer sind die schönen Urlaube sehr intensiv, aber immer zu kurz. Daher kommen wir sicher wieder und freuen uns bereits auf die weiteren wunderbaren Momente in der Toskana im nächsten Jahr. Herzlichen Dank auch nochmal für die so reibungslose und sehr serviceorientierte Vermittlung. Es ist gut zu wissen, dass wir mit Trust & Travel nun endlich eine Agentur gefunden haben, die unsere Anforderungen an Standard und Geschmack eines idealen Feriendomizils erfüllt.
AWS, Deutschland, August 2015
When me and my husband thought about travelling to Tuscany, never imagined it would be as great as it turned out to be. Its landscape is thrilling, its food magnificent, its wine superb… and, of course, its people so nice and friendly. This is the ideal spot to relax and be with your dears. It really exceeded our expectations. See you soon La Foce!
Caterine v.d.K. , PORTUGAL
LOCATION
Chiarentana lies south of Siena, overlooking the wide and open Orcia valley, close to Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza. The nearest village lies at a distance of 7 km.
- Montepulciano 13 km – 20 min
- Pienza 20 km – 30 min
- Cetona 23 km – 35 min
- Montalcino 35 km – 40 min
- Arezzo 80 km – 1 hr
- Orvieto 64 km – 1 hr
- Siena 70 km – 1 hr 15 min
- Cortona 43 km – 1 hr
- Assisi 95 km – 1 hr 40 min
- Florence 135 km – 1 hr 40 min
- Rome 170 km – 2 hr