Volterra | Podere Scopicciolo

And now for something quintessentially Tuscan. A beautiful stone farmhouse set at the end of a cypress-lined drive in the rolling hills between Pisa and Siena, impeccably appointed down to the tiniest detail in that elegant, classic-arcadian style and equipped with all the requisites of easy living. The only problem may be finding a vacancy. Podere Scopicciolo is a villa, an apartment in an annexe, patios, gardens and a pool, all with views to die for, all for weekly let. With four double rooms – each with its en-suite luxury bathroom – and one single, the villa itself sleeps 11 very comfortably. A state-of-the-art kitchen and a smart lounge area with an antique stone fireplace make up the rest of it. Indoors, that is. The annexe, La Limonaia, is meant for two, with the bedroom on a mezzanine floor and the kitchen and lounge at ground level, though the sofa-bed could sleep two more and there’s a second bathroom down there. The garden is lovely; the pool is surrounded by seating and sunbeds; and there’s all you need for alfresco dining including a barbecue area and a wood-fired oven.

All the requisites of easy living indeed and also some for an easy conscience, should you need them, for Podere Scopicciolo was conceived as an eco-friendly model. Green building techniques, solar panels and cells, geothermal technology and constructed wetlands account for space heating and cooling, water heating, waste water recycling and all electrical energy needed to run this idyllic property. The proud owners are Cecilia and Marco. They’re always on hand, discreetly, to dispense a warm welcome and extra services (including catering on request) as well as lots of friendly advice. Far from the madding crowd it may be, and silence and serenity distinguishing features, but Podere Scopicciolo is only a few minutes by car from Volterra, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni and within easy reach of Siena and the Chianti area, Pisa, Florence and even some of Tuscany’s finest beaches.