Comfortable, well equipped, air-conditioned 2 bedroom apartments with swimming pool and Jacuzzi, set on a historic Tuscan estate amongst wonderful rolling countryside. A great base for exploring the delights of Tuscany.

Dating from the 13th century, the private country estate of Santo Stefano is set amongst a sweeping landscape of gentle hills and valleys in a little known area of northern Tuscany, yet less than an hour from the historic centres of Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena. The estate covers over 1000 acres of rolling countryside, lakes, woodlands, cornfields, olive groves, vineyards - even a wildlife reserve. At its centre is the hamlet of Santo Stefano with the remains of an old castle and church with its Etruscan tombs and cellars which remain in use today.

A number of the estate’s former farmhouses and agricultural buildings have been carefully restored by local craftsmen to offer high quality holiday accommodation with all the facilities demanded by the 21st century holidaymaker, but with all the charm of a classic Tuscan estate.

La Casa comprises 12 apartment suites located in a cluster of three two-storey farmhouses set around cobbled courtyards with fountains, surrounded by lawns and garden areas of roses, various other flower beds and cypress trees. Set in an elevated position in the south of the estate on the way to Montaione, there are far reaching views over the surrounding rolling countryside.

La Casa - the swimming pool and loggia	La Casa - the Jacuzzi with the swimming pool behind
La Casa - looking up from the swimming pool	La Casa - one of the double bedrooms
Photo gallery

Nearby La Casa are the market towns of Castelfiorentino and Montaione (both 6 kms away), each has a good range of shops, cafes, restaurants and weekly markets. Supermarkets and food shops are open Monday to Saturday from 0830 to 1300 and then from 1600 to 1930. Some food shops are open in Montaione on a Sunday morning in summer between 0830 and 1300. Slightly further away are the historic towns of Certaldo, San Miniato and Gambassi Terme with its spas.

Food is an important part of any holiday in Tuscany and there is an excellent selection restaurants ranging from friendly trattorie to internationally renowned restaurants all within easy reach of the estate. One of our favourites and offering good value for money is Il Caminetto, which lies on the edge of the estate and serves wonderful Tuscan home cooking. Osteria del Vicario, set in historic Certaldo Alto, which serves fine creative cooking and I Quattro Gigli in Montopoli and serves Tuscan medieval specialities. All have excellent cellars serving some wonderful Tuscan wines.

There is a good range of sporting facilities in the surrounding area. There is a tennis club in Castelfiorentino, mountain bikes can be rented and riding can be booked at a local ranch. Fishing can be arranged at Montaione and Moriolo and there is an 18 hole golf course at Castelfalfi, just 25 kms away.

The management of the Santo Stefano estate have an unsurpassed knowledge of their local area. They are on hand to assist you to make the very best of your holiday and can recommend places to visit and will make reservations for sports facilities and local restaurants. Through their excellent local contacts private tours and informal visits can be organised to potteries, historic villas, gardens, vineyards and olive mills. They can also advise on the best local shopping outlets, local speciality shops, spas and beauty treatments.

La Casa makes a perfect base if you want to explore the many attractions of Northern Tuscany. Set almost equidistant between Florence, lucca, Siena and Pisa, it is perfectly placed for visiting most of the famous towns and villages of Tuscany. San Gimignano with its medieval 'skyscrapers' is 25 kms, Volterra one of Tuscany’s best kept secrets is 40 kms, Lucca one of Tuscany’s most perfect towns is 60 kms away, whilst the many historic attractions of Florence, Pisa and Siena are all within 50 kms and less than an hour’s drive away.

FLORENCE to the north east of La Casa – known locally as Firenze, the city is located in a valley on the banks of the River Arno amongst low hills covered with olive groves and vineyards. Cradle of the Renaissance and home of Machiavelli, Michelangelo and the Medici you could spend the whole of your holiday in the city. Florence is compact and probably the best way to experience it is to take a guided tour. If your time is limited start on the Ponte Vecchio, then the Uffizi gallery, The Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Gondi, Brunelleschi’s masterpiece the Duomo and Giotto’s Campanile.

SIENA to the south east of La Casa – home of the famous Palio has a wonderful medieval centre bristling with majestic Gothic buildings such as the Palazzo Pubblico on Il Campo (the Piazza del Campo), the main square which is the setting for the Palio. The Duomo, or cathedral is one of Italy’s greatest gothic churches, begun in 1196 and a wonderful example of a Pisan church. Throughout the city a wealth of artwork is to be found in numerous churches and small museums.

PISA to the north west of La Casa – was once a major maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, but today its fame is from an architectural project that went terribly wrong – the Leaning Tower. The tower is a part of a trio of Romanesque pieces of architecture that adorn the Campo dei Miracoli, one of Italy’s most famous squares.

LUCCA to the north west of La Casa - is a Tuscan gem hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls. The walls enclose a compact centre of atmospheric medieval streets and towers, Romanesque churches and palazzo. Piazza’s like the Anfitheatro are a wonderful place for a leisurely meal just watching the world go by.

SAN GIMIGNANO to the south east of La Casa – as you crest a hill approaching the town from the east the 13 towers of this walled city make it look like a medieval Manhattan. The towers, there were once 72, were symbols of the power and wealth of the medieval families during the 12th and 13th centuries.

VOLTERRA due south of La Casa - is set on an imposing rocky plateau and the town’s imposing ramparts give it a forbidding air. Less commercialised than nearby San Gimignano, the streets have a timeless quality and the views over the surrounding countryside are quite exceptional .

The apartment will be available between 1700 and 2000 on your day of arrival and you will be expected to depart between 0800 and 1000 to allow for the preparation of the property for new arrivals. Please take this into account when booking flights.
* The swimming pool, weather permitting, is open from 01 May to 01 October.
* The English manager of the estate is on hand to assist you to make the very best of your holiday at Fattoria Santo Stefano.
* There is daily morning fresh bread and delivery service available as required.

Deposit of 30% of the rental is payable at the time of booking and the balance of 70% is required one month before the start of the holiday rental. Payments can be made by personal cheque and also by credit or debit card using Paypal in either Sterling or Euros. We reserve the right to pass on the relevant merchant charge.

In the case of cancellation the following cancellation fees will apply:
* Up to 30 days before the start of a rental - the cancellation fee is the 30% deposit
* Within 30 days of the start of the rental - the cancellation fee is the full amount of the rental. If the property is relet for the period cancelled by you then a 10% cancellation fee will be made.

We would therefore recommend that you should take out travel insurance including cancellation cover when you book your holiday.

A refundable breakage deposit of Euro 250 per rental is paid to the local management of the apartment on arrival and this will be returned at the end of the rental, assuming that there are no deductions for breakages.

The weekly rental price includes:
* Rental of the property for a week / 7 nights including all linen, utilities and air-conditioning and central heating as required.
* Twice mid weekly cleaning included with a change of bath linens. Additional service on request.
* Final cleaning at the end of the holiday.
* One child cot is included in the cost of the rental with linens.
* High Chair and baby bath can be arranged at a cost of 20 Euros per item paid to the local management.

In promoting the various properties of La Casa, Montaione we are acting on behalf of the owners Fattoria Santo Stefano srl.

During the months of July and August the preferred changeover day is a Saturday. Outside these months there is much more flexibility and rentals can start any day of the week, with a minimum stay of 4 nights.