Filigrano Nuovo

Plenty of room in a wide natural landscape

It is here, that in summer of 1857, the Arch-Duke of Tuscany invited Pope Pius IX to enjoy the beauty of Tuscany and to savour it's fine wines and oil. It's a heavenly place to stay, perched on a hill surveying sloping vineyards and olive groves. This ancient estate crowns the top of a hill in the Chianti Classico region halfway between Florence and Siena.

A 2 km private gravel road leads to the hamlet. The estate stretches across 60 acres of farmland which lies 300-400 meters above sea level. Looking down from the position of this house, you have a wonderful view over the valleys, woods and fields below. Hot summer days are sweetened by a pleasant freshness up here and the local home-made wine is delicious. The fattoria (farm) products can be purchased in the hamlet: Chianti Classico, table wines, vintages, white wines, Vinsanto, Grappa and olive oil.

All houses on this extensive estate are built of stone and are bordered by patios, gravel courtyards and flower beds; vineyards, olive groves and woods merge with the open Mediterranean countryside. The property has two different buildings available: this offer refers to FILIGRANO NUOVO - a very large country house completely renovated in 2003 (with five holiday apartments, two of which offered here) and a small, detached former hay barn (La Casetta).

At a distance of around 600 m we find the main house, FILIGRANO (also featured in our portfolio) - in which the owner lives with his family and where further holiday apartments are dotted among large lawns shared by the guests. These other apartments mainly stem from the early 1990s. The lovely pool and the tennis court are shared between Filigrano and Filigrano Nuovo and lie between the main building and our stone house.

Extensive outdoor areas provide enough variety: mountain bikes can be hired, there are hiking trails on the estate and you may stroll through the olive groves and vineyards surrounding the farm, there is a children's play area near to the pool, hard tennis court dating back to the early nineties, a barbecue and of course the large pool. The pool is a proud 16 x 8 meters of which a small area (4 x 2) is designed as a baby pool.

The pool is about 300 m from the house - on a large, sunny plateau with stunning views in all directions. From here you enjoy a magnificent view of beautiful valleys to the Castellina in Chianti opposite and San Donato in Poggio. A stone patio with sun loungers borders the pool and a few steps away you will find a large lawn with further seating arrangements. So get those suitcases packed and don't forget the swimsuits!

During the renovation of the stone house at Filigrano Nuovo, great care was taken to provide comfort and quality. The apartments are spacious - redecorated using top quality traditional materials - and the furnishings chic: the ceilings are supported by solid wooden beams, while pale pink hand-fired terracotta tiles decorate the floor. The walls are painted in warm Mediterranean colors and elegant materials have been chosen for the furniture, curtains and bedclothes. The modern kitchen cabinets are of dark wood, topped with pale marble work surfaces and are all equipped with dishwasher, oven and hob, fridge and freezer. The dining areas of each unit are large enough to seat 6 people.

The apartments for 4 people have two bedrooms and two pleasantly tiled bathrooms each, making those units just right for two couples travelling together. The Macine Grande unit has even three bedrooms. Each apartment has its own outdoor area in front of the apartment, with attractive cast iron furniture. The views from outside are wonderful - stretching over vineyards to forested hills along the horizon.

The nearest shops are 3 km away in San Donato - approx. a 10 minute's drive from the apartments. This pretty Medieval village offers grocery stores, a cappuccino bar, a bank, post office, gas station and two restaurants. There are many other small trattoria and specialty restaurants in the area - enough to try a different one every evening! We will provide you with tips for this region.

The little Chianti town of Castellina is only 13 km away and the famous Medieval town of San Gimignano a mere 25 km. Florence and Siena are both just 30 km from the apartments. The driving time from the airport is approx.: Florence 45 min, Pisa 1 hr 15 min, Bologna 1 hr 40 min.