OVERVIEW Casa di Lilli
Casa di Lilli is a small 2 storeyed house located next to the romanesque church of Vivo d’Orcia. It was fully restored and turned into a charming retreat for two.
You enter the house through French windows which lead into the sole room on the ground floor – the living dining kitchen. This room has a comfortable sofa, a proper dining table and a kitchen line covered with a solid slab of the local travertine.
On the first floor lie bedroom and en-suite bathroom. French windows lead onto a small balcony with steps down into the walled-in orchard of the estate. The house is equipped with tables and chairs for dining outside.
The saltwater pool of the estate is a 2 minute walk from the house.
Amenities and services
Villa is equiped with:
- Pool: 10 x 6m
- Fenced Pool
- Internet access
- Fireplace
- Hifi stereo
- Satellite TV
- Dishwasher
- Dogs welcome
Service on request:
- First shopping
- Arrival dinner
- Baby equipment
- Central heating
Floorplan of the villa
Ground floor
1 room which serves as living, dining and kitchen
First floor
1 double bedroom with door leading outside
1 en-suite bathroom (tub)
Garden :
Table and chairs for al fresco dining
Fenced saltwater pool, 6 x 10 m, can be reached in 2 minutes by foot and is shared with other tenants
“Vivo d’Orcia is not a place, it is a way of life…” The Castle of Vivo d’Orcia lies in the widespread Orcia valley in southern Tuscany, 2 hours from Florence, 1 hour from Siena, close to such cultural jewels as Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano, to name but a few.
The hamlet Vivo D’Orcia lies at an altitude of 900 m above sea level. The particular combination of altitude and meditteranean climate creates an unusual whealth of flora and fauna. Many wild animals such as deer, wild boar and foxes as well as the most deliscious truffles call the Monte Amiata their home.
A pope’s refuge: the estate with the impressive castle and the romanesque church reaches back to the 11th century. The humble hermitage was transformed into a sophisticated and well-organised agricultural center when Cardinal Marcello Cervini, later Pope Marcello II, acquired the estate in 1534. The property is still owned by the family today, they spend the summer months in residence as attentive and interesting hosts. Incidentally, their castle was featured in the jan. 2005 issue of THE WORLD OF INTERIORS.
Century old chestnut trees cast their shade in the gardens of the houses, ideal for al-fresco meals outdoors. Fresh fruit and tomatoes, spicy sausages, homemade pasta and polenta, mushrooms from the woods next door, truffles, and of course the precious local olive oils and wines.
Read more about Vivo d'Orcia
GUEST REVIEWS, Casa di Lilli, Vivo d'Orcia
In the meantime, we have been home for 2 weeks. The 2
accommodations arranged by you were very different, as expected,
and both beautiful. Wonderful quiet location, tasteful and complete furnishings, huge gardens with cosy comfortable seating. No wish was left unfulfilled. The assistance by the owners and property manager was very friendly and obliging (freshly picked flowers as decoration, food and drinks, wine from their own vineyard). We could not have done better. Many thanks for that.
Dr. S.S., Germany, June 2021 12/07/2021
Casa di Lilli war wie erwartet. Ein mit viel Liebe und Können eingerichtetes kleines Steinhaus. Der Empfang durch Signora Laura war sehr freundlich und herzlich, was man bereits am Telefon erahnen konnte. Die Kontakte mit allen auf dem Borgo getroffenen Personen war freundlich und man fühlte sich nicht so sehr wie ein Tourist, sondern fast wie ein Mitglied einer Dorfgemeinschaft. Sogar die Katzen liessen sich immer begeistert kraulen. Man unterhielt sich über den Dachs, welcher im unteren Teil des Geländes seine Heimat gefunden hat, über frisch gepflückte Beeren, Blumen, Pilze oder wo man essen geht oder welche Pasta man wo kaufen kann oder wann der Dorfladen geschlossen ist. Unser Highlight war ein kleiner zufälliger Apéro mit Besichtigung einigerZimmer des grandiosen,interessanten Palazzos durch die sehr charmanten und liebenswürdigen Gastgeber Herrn und Frau Cervini.
A.N., Schweiz September 2018 25/09/2018
The houses (Lilli & Pietro) were absolutely charming. Each had their own unique beauty. Casa Lilly with the amazing Maroni trees just in front of the house and the stunning view each morning was delightful. Being greeted by woodpeckers, butterflies, cats, hogs and little wrens was for us city dwellers a real treat! Both houses were absolutely clean, well equipped, the flowers enchanting and the fireplaces an extra bonus. Little Con: The beds were for us extremely hard - but that is difficult to adjust - some people might like it? The first few nights we were unable to sleep until we added extra padding. Your service, Katharina, was already a good start and helped us very much to prepare for the holiday. We were a bit dissapointed at the beginning to be limited in our arrival time as this is so difficult to project with holiday traffic. However, it all worked out perfectly. Laura was delightful and very keen to help which made our arrival and stay very safe - knowing someone was arround to help in a moments notice. Daria Cervini was very kind to explain a bit of the history of the estate and especially for allowing us to see the church and the house next door. To share a heritage like this is very special. Each evening when we traversed the bridge and saw this romantic gate was uplifting - what a place! It is not easy to transform this medival village into such an enchanted place for guests to stay. Each house is renovated with care - but most of all the kindness of the people impressed us. Last but not least - Achilles was wonderful - he showed us the church and explained it in such a way that with a few words of Italian we understood one another. A highlight of our stay. And absolute highlight was the pool! Whilst it was too cool for my partner to swim in (but he swims even in a warm pool only 5 mins) - it was my favorite part of the day - as the water was saltwater based. We encountered this type of pool only once before and were always wondering why hotels do not adopt this more often. It is environmentally so responsible, not too mention that it is so much more enjoyable to swim in water that is not chlorinated. Personally, I felt it was improving my health which is interesting in such a short time. THANK YOU.
Peter & Karina, Germany September 2017 06/09/2017
La maison et le jardin était parfaitement équipés et conforme á ce que nous attendions. En revanche la piscine mériterait d'être chauffée car elle était glaciale ce qui
était un peu dommage et nous a empêché d'en profiter complètement.
La personne qui nous a accueilli était adorable. Nous avons eu l'occasion d'acheter du vin de la propriété le dernier jour et c'était parfait. Je recommande vivement de prendre l'option "diner" le soir d'arrivée car c'est vraiment délicieux et agréable de ne pas courir faire les courses en arrivant. Nous sommes retournés á ce restaurant plus tard du coup. Les indications transmises en amont de la réservation étaient très bien.
A.S - France, septembre 2016
Ausstattung war sehr gut. Es hat an nichts gefehlt und obwohl nicht angeführt stand zB auch tolles Olivenöl in der Unterkunft zur Verfügung.
Auch der Check-Out am Freitag um den Reiseverkehr Samstags zu umgehen und eine Abreise bereits in der Nacht zu ermöglichen war kein Problem. Fand ich sehr zuvorkommend. Die Kontaktperson war auch sehr sehr nett und hilfsbereit.
Unsere Erwartungen wurden defnitiv Übertroffen, obwohl diese aufgrund der Beschreibungen und Fotos auf ihrer Homepage bereits sehr hoch waren. Es war wunderschön und entspannend. Gerne wieder!!!
B.S. - Deutschland, September 2016
Das Ferienhaus liegt in einer traumhaften Anlage-sehr ruhig und abgeschieden! Alles entspricht den Vorstellungen vom Leben in der Toskana. Für uns waren es die Flitterwochen und wir hätten es uns nicht schöner vorstellen können! Die Zentralität zu Siena wie aber auch die Erreichbarkeit von Florenz war optimal.
Der Kontakt zu den Vermietern war sehr freundschaftlich und aufmerksam! Als Überraschung für unsere Flitterwochen stand ein frischer Kuchen in der Küche!!
Während der der zwei Wochen hatten wir dauerhaft Kontakt, da die Familie im Castello wohnt bzw. Teile der Familie ihren Urlaub dort verbracht hat.
Ein Familienmitglied baut selbst Wein an, der im Castello im Weinkeller gelagert wird, selbst diesen durften in freundschaftlicher Atmosphäre anschauen!
Ein rundum gelungener Urlaub - sehr empfehlenswert!
Auch Ihre Betreuung als "Reiseveranstalter" ist sehr kompetent und hilfreich!
K.O., Deutschland - August 2016
Votre site est excellent, vos conseils se sont révélés extrêmement pertinents et la semaine que nous avons passée à Vivo d'Orcia fut merveilleuse.
Hadrien Rhonat, France - Août 2015
Wir sind zurück. Leider ! Es war ein wunderschöner, erholsamer Urlaub. Alles hat gestimmt.
Die Organisation war einwandfrei. Wir sind rundum zufrieden und wirklich nur sehr ungerne nach 2 Wochen abgereist.
Das Haus, die Umgebung, diese Ruhe, der angrenzende Ort mit allen Einkaufmöglichkeiten und div. guten Restaurants …. für einen so kleinen Ort erstaunlich.
Die Lage zu den umliegenden Sehenswürdigkeiten optimal. Wir haben nicht alles geschafft und wollen wieder kommen.
Man kann das ganze nur weiter empfehlen.
U.B., Deutschland, Juli 2014
I would like to say that the holiday we had at Palazzo Cervini in Vivo d'Orcia last week was an experience which left me a deep impression.
The house we staye, Casa di Lili, was cozy and a perfect size for 2 people. It had a very gentle and restoring atmosphere, being surrounded by nature.
The Cervini family were very friendly and welcoming. We are grateful for Daria Cervini who showed and told us about the estate, as well as local information, in her beautiful English.
There are many interesting towns nearby, both historically and gastronomically, and they are connected by rolling hills with trees and farm houses, most beautiful.
We also had occasions to share some time with other people. We had a walk and mushroom hunting in a nearby forest with a young family who were renting the bigger house, Casa dell'Ambasciatore, next to ours, and Giulia who worked in the estate's office. On the last evening, we had an impromptu gathering of music and wine under a pergola of vine tree with the Cervini family and residents of the estate. The occasion tied fragmented meetings of people during the week nicely.
I hope that many more people will have wonderful experience at the place.
Ken Aiso, Great Britain, September 2013
I would just like to give the warmest possible recommendation for this venue as a holiday.
We were accommodated in Casa di Lilli, on the Estate of the Palazzo Cervini, which was set in an idyllic location, surrounded by beautiful vistas of woodland and picturesque mediaeval buildings. The weather was warm enough to dine outside, next to the ancient chestnut trees, and the only sounds were the rustling leaves, burbling river and the birdsong.
This place is an ideal holiday venue for anyone seeking a simple, escapist, peaceful and inspirational experience. It is ideal for artists and nature-lovers, and has a rich and long history, which is still much in evidence. The buildings have been sympathetically restored, and are well-equipped with all one needs for cooking the delicious and abundant local produce, and adorned with simple but effective artefacts. There is a small swimming-pool set in a charming and sheltered garden, which uses the estate's own spring water, purified with a saline rather than chlorine solution.
The Cervini Family were extremely welcoming and helpful, throughout the week, as was their charming representative, Giulia, and we followed their excellent recommendations of places to visit and restaurants. We very much hope to re-visit!
Annette Isserlis, Great Britain, September 2013
Casa de Lili est un charmant cottage, juste comme vous l'aviez rêvé. Tout a été rénové dans le respect des traditions toscanes mais la modernité est là aussi. Une cuisine bien pratique, même un lave-vaisselle, et tout ce dont vous avez besoin pour cuisiner agréablement. Le lit est fabuleux, comfortable et vraiment grand. une garde-robe et des étagères sont largement suffisantes pour 2 semaines de séjour. La salle de bains est aussi grande et vous permet de ranger vos affaires à votre aise. La vue du jardin est magnifique et vous pouvez bronzer en toute tranquilité. L'accueil de Giulia était agréable et elle est toujours à disposition si vous avez des questions. Nous avons suivi les conseils et trouvé de fabuleux restaurants. Bref, un endroit où retourner et où la vie tranquille et sereine prend tout son sens. Merci à Trust & Travel pour leurs bons soins avant et pendant le séjour.
Isabelle Dunat, Belgique, Juin 2013
We just returned from our stay at Casa di Lilli in Vivo D'Orcia and we are already homesick... And we are at home! Casa di Lilli felt like our little Tuscan home for us (me, my wife Angella and our 1 1/2 year old son Storm). Too bad it only lasted for one week. The Tuscan weather was in favor of us and we visited wonderful places, tasted the local flavors and enjoyed the Tuscan hospitality. And talking about local flavors. Our arrival dinner at the house provided by the local restaurant I Lecci was absolutely great. So we finished our stay again with a dinner at their beautiful restaurant. But we also enjoyed our evenings with a roaring fire in the big fireplace accompanied by some good local wine & cheese. What could you wish for more! Last, but not least, we would like to thank Alessandra for her warm welcome, fast acting on & solving of an encountered problem (water heating) and regularly checking upon us with good advice. It's for sure that we will be back at the Cervini Estate!
Jason & Angella + Storm Tak, The Netherlands, April 2012
Die casa di Lilli ist der schönste Ort ist, an dem ich jemals Zeit verbracht habe. Die Ruhe ist so unglaublich intensiv, mit der Energie des Vulkans gemischt, und dem sooo gemütlich hergrichtetem Haus. Die unbeschreibliche Ruhe, umgeben von einer mir unbekannten Natur mit den wunderbaren Edelkastanien und Eichen, dem Licht und Schatten den sie spenden. Tagelang fuhr ich einfach nicht weg, weil es so unbeschreiblich schön war. Sobald ich kann, fahre ich sicher wieder hin. EinHighlight war der Besuch in Castello di Potentino, wo ich mich mit Chris und Charlotte sofort verstanden habe. Wir hätten sicher bis Mitternacht interessant sprechen können. Aber ich war auch in La Foce und sehr begeistert. Gott sei Dank nur wenig Touristen.
Ich sehe die Wiese vor meinem Haus, die uralten Kastanien und Nussbaeume, das Tal mit dem vielen Ginster, die Rufe der Rehe, die tausende Kuckuks (glaube mittlerweile dass das Val d’Orcia der Welt-Treffpunkt dieser Vögel ist ….), und Wildschweine die irgendwo herumgraben. Johnathan war ganz reizend. Am letzten Abend hatten wir ein wirklich nettes Gespräch, ich hatte mittlerweile sein sehr eindrucksvolles Buch gelesen.
Theresa Traun, Mai 2011
Casa di Lilli looked like the perfect place to spend an unusual honeymoon, and so it proved to be. In mid-November we saw the sun shine on autumn leaves, found heaps of chestnuts on our doorstep and enjoyed a roaring fire in the fire place. From the dark wood furniture to the ancient telephone, the appliance in the bathroom, we have found Casa di Lilli to be the cutest hideaway we could image. Our stay was rounded off by an amazing landscape in the Val d’Orcia, not to mention the delicious meal deliveried to our door on Wednesday night. Our compliments to the cook, it was perfectly wonderful, especially the spinach-ricotta ravioli and the tiramisu. Grazie mille for a memorable stay!
Mme B., France, Paris, November 2008 10/01/2009
