OVERVIEW Gallinaio
Il Gallinaio, the former chicken coop of the castle, has been converted into a charming cottage for 2. The small house stands a little apart from the castle, surrounded by fir and chestnut trees.
The views are of the garden filled with flowers, the orchard, the medieval hamlet and the Monte Amiata.
Il Gallinaio used to be the chicken coop of the estate, something which is difficult to believe today. It is small, but has everything you need and is very cosy.
The cottage was restored by Lucilla Tognozzi, who paints porcelain in real life. Here, she painted the tiles of the bathroom.
She has succeeded in creating a happy and comfortable space which will have been prepared with great care for your arrival. The rooms are scented with a wonderful home fragrance, fresh flowers will have been put in the living room and on the terrace you will find a pot with fresh herbs from the vegetable garden.
Amenities and services
Villa is equiped with:
- Internet access
- Telephone
- Hifi stereo
- Dishwasher
- Washingmachine
- Dogs welcome
Rent includes:
- Bed & bath linens
- Final cleaning
- Fresh flowers in your house - fresh herbs in the garden
Service on request:
- First shopping
- Arrival dinner
- Cook
- Central heating
Floorplan of the villa
First floor1 double bedroom with door leading outside
1 bathroom
Ground floorDining room
Living room
Kitchen
Garden :
Terrace in front of the house with table and chairs looking out onto the orchard and the hamlet with romanic church. A charming garden below the terrace also belongs to the house.
“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, Gallinaio, Vivo d'Orcia
On arrival we were met by charming hostess Lucilla and a table set with wine, fruits, local meats and cheeses. The little house was like a home with all of the essentials but with a soul, fine rustic furniture and decor, artwork and personal memorabilia. A cute little fireplace kept us warm in the evening and the house, set back in a wooded area of the estate, came alive with birdsongs in the early morning. We enjoyed our late afternoon drinks in the garden overlooking the property as we reviewed the day’s events and the next day’s plan. Gallinaio is a perfect small getaway for two, hidden away from the busy tourist towns of Tuscany. The house is close to a hiking trail and to easily accessible hot springs in nearby Bagni San Filipo. It is conveniently located for day trips to surrounding towns and walking trails. All in all a memorable week. Thx.
Henry J., Canada, May 2022
Galliano, a charming house inside and outside, surrounded by pure nature (visually and acoustically). Run by the most lovable and warmest host, Lucilla, one can simply feel at home, enjoy and relax. Her recommendation of the I Lecci restaurant must also be mentioned, you can eat very well. It was difficult to say goodbye!
Ms C.A., Germany, September 2021
"Il Gallinaio" was the perfect start to our holiday. We felt very comfortable above the hamlet in the lovingly designed house and garden. The furnishings with the many detailed arrangements, the bouquets of flowers, fragrances.
The kitchen with various spices and espresso coffee surprised us pleasantly - we had never experienced anything like it in a holiday home. The table for the first meal, which was brought in style in a large basket, was very beautifully set and our hostess Lucilla had even thought of salt nuts as an aperitif. We immediately felt very comfortable and at home.
The contact with her and her brother was characterised by attentiveness and at the same time respect for our privacy. Lucilla gave us a special gift when she opened the partially restored chapel for us. That was a very special moment.
B. & R.R., Germany, 12/09/2021
We were very satisfied. The house is decorated with great care, and has everything one could need.
The contact with the owner was excellent. The owners are wonderful people, Alessandro and Lucilla took great care of us. Everything was beautifully prepared. It could not have been better. We were really happy and content, and would rent it again, or generally rent trough Trus&Travel again. Thank you so much.
Ina and Wolfgang Geister, Germany, June 2017
Gallinaio was better than expected and perfectly equipped.
The owner was very nice and helpful, and we had a wonderful stay.
Elisabeth Stein, Austria, May 2017
The quality of the accomodation was much better than we expected. The equipment and the villa itself are perfect, and Lucilla is a perfect hostess.
We not only loved the property, also the Trust&Travel website and the blog are perfect. Thank you for this excellent service.
C.W., Austria, May 2917
Nous tenons a vous remercier pour cette location de maison au Domaine Vivo D Orcia le produit à répondu a nos attentes , et les propriétaires Madame Lucilla ; d une grande gentillesse et discrétion . Nous ne manquerons pas de vous solliciter pour la prochaine location de maison .
Mr et Me Eddie Fassel, France, Octobre 2015
We are pleased to say that it was an altogether excellent experience, and the administration of our bookings by Trust & Travel was vey efficient at every stage. Similarly, the welcome given to us at Il Gallinaio by Lucilla was most warm and helpful. She took great care to ensure that we had everything which we needed, and our ten days at the cottage were throughly enjoyable.
With our thanks to you all,
MB & RB, United Kingdom, June 2015
Nous avons adoré notre séjour à Vivo en Italie cet été. Lucilla est une hôte généreuse et adorable.
E.H.W., France, Août 2012
We so enjoyed our lovely stay in Vivo d'Orcia, it was a lovely little house in such a pretty and peaceful location and Alessandro was so welcoming.
We had a fantastic time, the weather was warm and sunny, only 1 day of rain and we enjoyed walking in the local woods, exploring more places and chatting to many lovely Italian people.
Thank you very much for organising the holiday which was seamless with every bit of information we needed and so helpful.
We are very sad to have had to come back to England and we know we will be back in Italy soon!
S.T., Great Britain - May 2012
Ende September bis Anfang Oktober 2011 durften wir Lucillas Gastfreundschaft im Haus Gallinaio in Vivo d'Orcia genießen. Wir waren absolut begeistert von der Ruhe und dem kleinen bezaubernden Häuschen. Das Abendessen am Tage unserer Ankunft war hervorragend. Sehr zufrieden waren wir auch mit ihrem Service rund um die Buchung und die Vorab-Informationen. Vielen Dank für den perfekten Service.
Kathrin Lawincky und Klaus Gruber, Deutschland, Oktober 2011
Wir sind wieder zurück und wir haben uns gut erholt.
Der Urlaub in Vivo d' Orcia war wirklich sehr erholsam und idyllisch.
Die Betreuung vor Ort von Frau Tognozzi war super und wir werden sicher nochmal dorthin reisen. Vielen Dank für die Unterstützung.
A.S., Deutschland, September 2011
We thought that a stay of three weeks at the delightful cottage Il Gallinaio would have been enough to enjoy the pastoral beauty of Tuscany and the Val d’ Orcia but of course it was not. Lucilla was a most gracious hostess and the combination of her hospitality and itinerary suggestions very much added to our holiday. For us it was truly the trip of a lifetime and it shall always hold a special place in our hearts…
David & Teri Birchfield, Alaska - September 2010
We loved our stay at Il Gallinaio in the Val D'Orcia. It was a beautiful location and our hostess Lucilla was absolutely wonderful. She made every effort to make us feel welcome without intruding on our stay. The cottage was a delight - beautifully decorated and filled with gorgeous flower arrangements from the garden when we arrived. Lucilla cooked us a beautiful dinner on our first evening and provided excellent advice about making the best of the surrounding area. Our only piece of advice for guests heading to the same location would be to acquire some good maps of the local walking routes since we found maps were not easy to come by in the nearby shopping centres and local tourist information offices were not well equipped for advising serious walkers, runners or cyclists about circular routes achievable in a day.
clients from UK, August 2010
We have just returned from our two week stay at Il Gallinaio, with our host Lucilla Tognozzi Moreni. We could not leave it more than a day to tell you how wonderful the holiday was and how very kind and attentive Lucilla and Alessandro were. The property was beautifully prepared on our arrival, with fresh flowers and fruit. We have not stayed at any other properties that offer this level of service. Both Alessandro and Lucilla went out of their way to make us feel at home, providing cycling, walking and sightseeing suggestions. They were always available if we needed assistance and they made the stay a real pleasure. We shared a meal with them on our last evening, meeting their parents, a wonderful experience which we shall remember fondly. We have even come away with a special Italian recipe for 'laurel' liquor!
We would not hesitate to recommend this property to any of your clients wishing to explore the Val d'Orcia. We would certainly like to go back and
visit again.
Tim and Celia Barlow, UK - July 2010 28/06/2010
Wir können Häuschen und Vermieterin Lucilla nur wärmstens empfehlen, alle Informationen waren ausreichend. Wir werden, sollten es unsere Termine erlauben, gerne wieder eine Woche im Herbst dort verbringen. Wir werden wieder auf Sie zukommen. Mit freundlichen Grüßen aus München
Ilona Freygang und Gerald Stummer, Deutschland - Mai 2010 10/10/2009
I wanted to drop you a note in response to your recent letter. My stay in Galliano in Vivo d'Orcia was just wonderful. Everything was as promised - no issues at all with the house or property. My only suggestion would be to have approximate distances as part of your directions once people turn off the A-1. There were several times when I turned around thinking I must have driven too far or missed a turn. Other than that, I would certainly use your company again! Thank you.
Carol Thomas, USA - May 2009 05/10/2009
My wife and I, loved out short stay at Gallinaio in Vivo D'Orcia. The cottage was cosy and the location a delight. Lucilla gave us a list of places to visit, within an hours drive, and this gave us a good feel for the Tuscan region. Best regards.
M.B., UK - September 2008 10/01/2009
We had a fantastic time staying at Vivo d'Orcia in the hen house!
Unfortunately we didn't get to meet Lucilla, through a mix up on our part, but did meet her charming brother Allesandro who made sure we
had everything we needed.
Gallinaio was such a peaceful place and it was so good to be out of
the tourist rush but close enough to visit major attractions if you
wanted.Vivo is such a wonderful location and if we get back to Italy would
stay there again. Thanks
Nick Nolan, Australia - June 2008
