Overview
Overlooking the wide Orcia valley
The name of this house means "beautiful view" - rightly so, as the entire Orcia valley and the Amiata mountain are spread out below. The house lies at 600 metres above sea level, not far from the medieval castle Castelletto belonging to the estate, where exhibitions and a music festival take place in summer. Fields and woods surround Belguardo, which includes a large stone granary. Over the long, two-storied farmhouse grow vines and roses, lavender and rosemary.
This farmhouse is divided into three sections, one of which is occupied by the farmer's family whilst the other two are for rent. The square in front of the house is paved with large flat stones and in Italian is called the 'aia'. This is where the wheat used to be threshed. Behind the house lies a beautifully maintained garden with stunning views.
Both apartments are nicely furnished, the overall atmosphere is one of rustic charm and comfort. Both apartments are very spacious. You will have more the feeling of an entire house than of an apartment. The apartment for 5 persons measures 160 square meters, the other apartment for 8 persons measures 200 square meters. Although these are separate sections they are just the thing for a larger group - plenty of privacy and your very own leafy oasis! Taken together, the houses sleep 13 people (7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms).
French doors lead into the garden. Each apartment has its outside seating to enjoy meals outdoors. At the far end of the garden there is a pool with sunbeds and deckchairs. Due to the altitude, even on the hottest summer day pleasant breezes prevail.
A country restaurant where you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner is in walking distance (1.5 km), if you feel like a stroll.
This house belongs to a large property which extends over the hills overlooking the Val d'Orcia, an enchanting and miraculously unspoilt valley in southern Tuscany, listed as UNESCO world heritage in 2004. Midway between Florence and Rome, the estate is also within easy reach of Siena, Arezzo, Perugia, Assisi and Orvieto. Renaissance and medieval gems such as Pienza, Montepulciano, Monticchiello and Montalcino and the Abbey of Sant'Antimo are only a few miles away.
The countryside around the estate abounds in lovely walks in the woods and the typical "crete senesi" (clay hills) of the region. The food of this region is considered the best in Tuscany and famous wines such as the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino can be sampled in the local cellars.
Guests Reviews
Our Guests Reviews
This estate is so much more than a magnificently beautiful estate with diverse options in which to stay in the World Heritage Val d'Orcia. Last week, with friends, my wife and I stayed again in the aptly named but very spacious Belguardo Piccolo (there is an even larger "Grande") with its magnificent view over the valley to the Fuji-like Mount Amiata and including the artistic, winding Cypress path planted by Antonio that is now Tuscany's international logo.
We took another tour of the etste's wonderful, formal gardens and enjoyed an enchanting olive-tasting dinner in La Chiara's courtyard under the ancient Linden tree. We ate fresh figs and pears off the trees in Belguardo's yard all week and one of our friends braved the cool weather for an occasional dip in our beautifully maintained swimming pool. We made breakfast most mornings in the spacious, well-equipped kitchen, partly as an excuse to linger over our coffee and enjoyment of the panoramic view of the valley. And after fabulous, nearby dinners out, in the evenings we built a wood fire in one of the two fireplaces to enjoy bottles and bottles of good Brunello and Vino Nobile and occasionally wandered outside to enjoy the spectacular show of stars.
Our farmhouse was spotlessly clean and very well maintained with all furniture of good quality and maid service mid-week.
Yet, there are so many historic and beautiful sights and activities nearby that we always pack every day full with familiar and new adventures. This was our sixth week-long stay and already we are planning our return.
Arianna, September 2024
Last week we stayed at the Belguardo house. Had returned after a 13 year absence when we stayed at Castelluccio which has been sold and is under renovation. The views and property layout at the Belguardo are breathtaking. On one side, there are views of the Orca valley with the mountain in the background; on the other side is a well tended garden with a large yard covered with white wild flowers. Behind is a hedge and a swimming pool with views of the valley and the castle. There are innumerable walking paths in the surrounding area which is very natural. Benedetta is a tremendous source of local information including restaurants and ancient towns and sites which are not in the tour books. There are endless activities to fill your day if you can tear yourself away from the views at the Belguardo. The food in the area restaurants is incredible and is a bargain when compared to the United States. Don't miss the garden tour at the estate. I have never seen wisteria in bloom like in this garden. Finally, the literary history of the estate and the role that Iris and Anthony Origos played in reclaiming the land and during WW II provides adds even more texture to the experience. The nearby restaurant is within a half a mile from the Belguardo and a great place to stop for a coffee, lunch or dinner. Don't miss the garden and olive trees in the back of the restaurant. I could go on and on. We would be very fortunate to return again.
Werner, May 2022
My husband and I and my son and his family stayed at "The Belguardo" in late August. We had a wonderful vacation - a very peaceful and beautiful place. The views, along with the rest of Tuscany, were breathtaking and our accommodations couldn't have been better. The grounds were magnificent. The Belguardo was very comfortable - furnishings were simple, but perfect for relaxed living. There were many extra touches - arches, Italian pottery, terra-cotta floors, which added to the perfection of our accommodations. Staff couldn't have been more helpful.
Stefania, August 2019
Amenities
HOLIDAY HOME AMENITIES
- Pool: 8 x 4.5m / shared pool
- Air conditioning in the bedrooms
- Internet WIFI connection
- Satellite TV
- Fireplace
- Fridge with freezer
- Stove with oven
- Dishwasher
- Electric kettle
- Coffee maker
- Toaster
- Mobile fans for the bedrooms
- Iron and ironing board
- Hair dryer
- Garden
- Parking
For communal use:
- Barbecue grill
- Laundry with washing machine
- Tennis court of the estate (5 km)
Touring ideas
Restaurant, bar 1.5 km
Tennis 5 km
Next grocery shop 7 km
Thermal baths Chianciano 7 km
Montepulciano 7 km
Monticchiello 10 km
Pienza 20 km
Chiusi 20 km
San Quirico d`Orcia 27 km
Montalcino 38 km
Arezzo 50 km
Orvieto 50 km
Perugia 60 km
Siena 60 km
Viterbo 70 km
Assisi 80 km
Florence 130 km
Rome 170 km
Photos
Activities
The property's location makes excursions to Siena, Assisi, Orvieto, Perugia, Arezzo and Florence an easy day trip.
Florence and Rome can be reached by train in one and a half hours from the nearby station Chiusi.
In San Quirico d'Orcia make sure you see the Horti Leonini, an early Renaissance garden, as well as the western door in the city wall and the Collegiata (main church).
Montalcino is beautifully situated on a hill inhabited since Etruscan times, swathed in vineyards and olive groves. It is a quiet, affluent, attractive town with pretty buildings and flower-filled squares, and many shops selling the Brunello di Montalcino.
Montepulcino is a graceful Tuscan hill town, best known for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which was being praised by connoisseurs over 200 years ago and can certainly contend with Italy's best today.
Pienza, the unfinished "utopian” city, was commissioned by Pope Pius II in 1459. In just three years the cathedral, the papal and bishop’s palaces and the central part of the town were completed, but the extensive project ended abruptly when Pius died only two years after the consacration of the cathedral.
Monte Oliveto Maggiore: This abbey was founded by three Sienese noblemen who left the city to live a life dedicated to prayer, religion, etc. and who founded the Olivetan order – an off-shoot of the Benedictines. The most important thing to see at this still active and working Monastery is the cycle of frescoes that decorate the monumental cloister. They describe the live of Saint Benedict and were painted by Signorelli and Sodoma. There are also some beautiful marquetry stalls in the church itself. It is a very magical and serene place set in the midst of exceptionally beautiful countryside. It is home to a dozen monks who specialize in restoring old books, and make wine, honey and olive oil.
Sant’Anna in Camprena is a rambling monastery on the road between Pienza and San Quirico d’Orcia. A very romantic setting which served as location for the film The English Patient. In the refectory there is a fresco by the renaissance painter Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, known as Il Sodoma.
Sant'Antimo is surely one of the loveliest Romanesque buildings in all of Italy. It is hard to imagine a more sympathetic combination of architectural grace and natural setting. Originally founded by Charlemagne in 800, the abbey was once home to a prominent Benedictine community. Creamy stone bricks, luminous Volterran alabaster, playful carvings and frescoes of animals give it a peculiarly sunny air. A group of French Cistercian monks now runs the abbey, celebrating Mass with Gregorian chants several times a day.
The landscape in this region of Tuscany is spectacular: The Crete Senesi are the eroded clay hills in the Orcia valley. These strange, pale, barren looking slopes, with their bare cliffs, broken gullies and white Jurassic limestone, look altogehter more lunar than terrestial.
Tuscany is famous for its Hot springs, belonging to a geothermical system that more or less encircles Monte Amiata: the most spectacular is Saturnia in the south west of the region. Steaming water collects in a number of white limestone basins - a rare natural spectacle and great fun to bathe in! Swimming possible both in the natural basins and in smart thermal baths. Saturnia offers a wide range of comforts and even a sauna.
Close to the property is Bagno Vignoni which has been popular since Etruscan times. St. Catherine of Siena is said to have appreciated its thearpeutic qualities, as is Lorenzo the Magnificent, whose family built the splendid arcaded pool - a kind of flooded, bubbling piazza, famously used by Tarkowsky for some of the more surreal passages of his film Nolstalgia. Not far from this antique piazza there is a hotel with a lovely open air swimming pool, fed from hot springs. This is also available to external guests.
Bagni San Filippo may go into the books as the world's smallest thermal spa - a telephone booth, a few old houses, outdoor spring in the middle of the woods with glistening limestone formations and one small hotel with a public pool.
Just 7 km from the property you will find the thermal spa Terme di Chianciano with a highly modern health and thermal centre. Those wanting to combine holidays with a wellness break can enjoy fango baths, cosmetic and therapeutic treatments, solarium, massages and hydromassages.
In San Casciano dei Bagni, 30 km away, a few years ago a Medicivilla was converted into a luxury spa center. The view from the pool to the Orcia valley is breathtaking.
Outlet: Fashion addicts can splurge out at the famous Prada factory outlet, which lies on to road to Florence.
Map
Please note: the Google Maps are only approximative, the exact address will be given after finalized booking.
Choose your holiday home
BELGUARDO 1
- Sleeps 5 Guests
- Floor area sq m 160 m2 m2
- Cook
- Fireplace
- Tennis
Ground floor:
- 1 large living/dining with fireplace
- 1 kitchen
- 1 bathroom with tub
First floor:
- 1 smaller sitting room with fireplace
- 2 double bedrooms
- 1 single bedroom
- 2 bathrooms with shower (1 ensuite)
Garden:
- The garden is equipped with a table and chairs. A barbecue is shared with Belguardo 2. At the far end of the gardens lies a charming pool with sunbeds and deckchairs.
This house for 5 people is ideal for a family or group of friends with a taste for space. Even when the house is fully occupied, the size of the rooms and the two living rooms with open fireplaces allow people to spread. You will have more the feeling of an entire house than of an apartment. The lower living room with two wide arches and brick roof with mighty oak beams is the centre of the house. It boasts a large dining table of old oak. All the furniture, mainly local antiques, melts in with the rustic character of the house. A glass door leads into the garden with table and chairs for al fresco meals. The bedrooms on the first floor have been decorated in simple country style and have a fresh and cheerful atmosphere. On this floor is the second living room with a small white fireplace.
26 Apr 2025 - 17 May 2025
18 Oct 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
2550 EUR €
17 May 2025 - 14 Jun 2025
30 Aug 2025 - 18 Oct 2025
3630 EUR €
3950 EUR €
BELGUARDO 2
- Sleeps 8 Guests
- Floor area sq m 200 m2 m2
- Cook
- Fireplace
- Tennis
Ground floor:
- 1 large living room with fireplace
- 1 dining room
- 1 kitchen
First floor:
- 2 double bedrooms
- 2 twin bedrooms
- 3 bathrooms with shower
- 1 bathroom with tub
Garden:
- The garden is equipped with a table and chairs. A barbecue is shared with Belguardo 1. At the far end of the gardens lies a charming pool with sunbeds and deckchairs.
This house for 8 people was restored with great care to keep the original atmosphere intact. The skills of local craftsmen were put to use for that purpose. The old terracotta floors were saved whenever possible, whereas rustic hand-made terracotta liles cover the new kitchen and the dining room floors, which used to be the stables. All the ceilings show the original wooden beams. The house spreads out over several levels, steps leading up and down from one room to another. Light floods in from the windows which look out onto the front garden. On the ground floor all three rooms have glass doors leading into the garden, which has a table and chairs for al fresco meals.
Our tip: although these are separate houses they are just the thing for a larger group. Taken together, the houses sleep 13 people comfortably (7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms).
26 Apr 2025 - 17 May 2025
18 Oct 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
3700 EUR €
17 May 2025 - 14 Jun 2025
30 Aug 2025 - 18 Oct 2025
4900 EUR €
5650 EUR €
Weekly rates in €
Belguardo | 01 Jan 2025 - 19 Apr 2025 26 Apr 2025 - 17 May 2025 18 Oct 2025 - 31 Dec 2025 |
19 Apr 2025 - 26 Apr 2025 17 May 2025 - 14 Jun 2025 30 Aug 2025 - 18 Oct 2025 |
14 Jun 2025 - 30 Aug 2025 |
Availability | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BELGUARDO 1
5
PAX 5
|
2550 EUR € | 3630 EUR € | 3950 EUR € | N/A | Request BookingBELGUARDO 1 | |
BELGUARDO 2
8
PAX 8
|
3700 EUR € | 4900 EUR € | 5650 EUR € | N/A | Request BookingBELGUARDO 2 |
Check availability
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RATE INCLUDES
- Bed, bath and kitchen linens
- Mid-week change of towels
- One pool towel per person
- Small breakfast shopping: bread, 2 liters milk, 1 packet ground coffee, Earl Grey tea, jam (1 jar)
- Air conditioning
- Electricity
- Internet WIFI connection
- Baby bed with linen and high chair
- Mid week cleaning
- Final cleaning
- Pool cleaning
- Garden maintenance
- Should you rent the accommodation for more than 1 week, the house will be cleaned on Saturdays and the linen will be changed.
EXTRAS
- Heating (if required): metered. Please be aware that central heating is very expensive in Italy. The average cost in winter varies according to the outdoor temperature and the amount of time the heating is turned on. Figure approx. EUR 300 - 600 per week for several hours heating a day.
- Wood for fireplace: EUR 15 per basket
SECURITY DEPOSIT
EUR 300 per house are due via credit card on the premises.
SERVICE ON REQUEST (please enquire with us when booking)
- Domestic help (house cleaning, washing and ironing): EUR 15 per hour
- Typical Tuscan meal on your first evening, after a long trip: EUR 40 per person. The dinner consists of an antipasto, a pasta dish, salad and pecorino cheese, local biscuits to finish, plus bread and a bottle of white or red wine (1 bottle every 4 adults). You will find it ready in your house upon arrival.
- Cook for dinners during your stay: EUR 15 per hour (for shopping time and cooking) plus the expenses. Dinners are offered from Monday to Friday.
- First shopping BELGUARDO 1: EUR 120 (expenses for a few basics and shopping time included). The shopping list includes: bread, butter, jam, eggs, 1 litre milk, 1 packet Earl Grey tea, 1 packet coffee, natural yoghurt, 1 bottle orange juice, 1 kg fruit of the season, 1 kg pasta (noodles), 1 jar tomato sauce, 1 piece fresh parmesan cheese, salad and tomatoes, extra vergin olive oil, 2 litres mineral water, 2 bottles of beer, dishwasher detergent.
- First shopping BELGUARDO 2: EUR 150 (expenses for a few basics and shopping time included). The shopping list includes: bread, butter, jam, eggs, 2 litre milk, 1 packet Earl Grey tea, 1 packet coffee, natural yoghurt, 2 bottles orange juice, 2 kg fruit of the season, 2 kg pasta (noodles), 2 jars tomato sauce, 1 large piece fresh parmesan cheese, salad and tomatoes, extra vergin olive oil, 4 litres mineral water, 3 bottles of beer, dishwasher detergent.
- First shopping: EUR 100 for more than 6 persons (expenses for a few basics and shopping time included). The shopping list includes: bread, butter, jam, eggs, 2 litres milk, 1 packet Earl Grey tea, 1 packet coffee, natural yoghurt, orange juice, 2 kg fruits of the season, 2 kg pasta (noodles), 2 jars tomato sauce, 1 large piece fresh parmesan cheese, salad and tomatoes, extra vergin olive oil, 4 litres mineral water, 3 bottles of beer, dishwasher detergent.
NOTES
- Reservations from Saturday to Saturday
- PLEASE NOTE: For this property the check-in is possible between 3 and 6 pm.
- Pool opening dates: mid May - mid October, depending on weather conditions
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