| | Facilities within the Property |
 Situated in the garden just a few metres from the apartments you will find the open air swimming pool surrounded by parasols and sun beds. A decorative fence encloses the pool to ensure total privacy for its bathers. Relax in the greenery where tables, chairs and a gazebo have been placed for your comfort in the shade of the regal cypress trees. Enjoy organizing a barbecue with friends. |
 Wine tasting (gratis) Sample Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Chianti Colli Senesi, two absolutely irresistible wines and savour the delicious extra virgin olive oil which are produced on the property. Reading room and lounge with satellite TV are available at any time. Laundry room equipped with washing machine is free of charge. Parking is available. |
| Property Facilities Summary: |  Barbecue | Beach Bed | | Beach Umbrella | Guest Laundry | | Home Produce | Olive Oil Tasting | | Parking | Satellite/cable TV | | Sightseeing Tours | Swimming Pool | | Wine Tasting | | | |
 Casa alle Vacche is to be found in the most beautiful Tuscan setting surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and woodland and offers its visitors six invitingly warm and comfortable apartments. Located in the centre of breathtaking Tuscany, situated on a hilltop, Casa alle Vacche is in an ideal spot, affording easy access to the discovery of the amazingly beautiful and interesting sights of the surrounding area. It is close to Certaldo, birth place of Boccaccio, a famous Italian writer, San Gimignano, Volterra, Florence and Sienna with its unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the abundance of art, culture, music and fabulous shopping, returning to the wonderful peace and tranquillity of Casa alle Vacche at the end of your exciting day. There is however, something more, something quite intangible - immediately on your arrival you will actually feel that you are touching the very soul of Tuscany! You will be able to experience for yourself the daily lives of the Tuscan people, appreciating the simplicity and warmth of the atmosphere, but, above all else meet an enthusiastic and friendly family of wine producers who live in perfect rhythm and harm. You are able to observe and follow the different activities associated with the changing seasons of the countryside; the pruning of the vines, grape-picking etc. and so with each passing day becoming just that little more Tuscan in you heart. Around Casa alle Vacche there are many restaurants where you can find the very traditional Tuscany cookery. The area between the towns of Florence, Siena and San Gimignano was once inhabited by the Etruscans and is very rich in historical references. It is distinguished by well preserved evidence of medieval life and an exceptional variety of naturalistic aspects, as well as its famous devotion to conviviality, the land and its products: the most important of all being wine. Just a few kilometers from the celebrated city of art, on the road towards the ancient town of Certaldo, the area of Pàncole is particularly well known, apart from being the home of Casa alle Vacche (please excuse our "modesty"!), for its proximity with the splendid Romanesque parish church of Cellole, for the presence of a very popular 17th century Sanctuary and for the austere profile of the fortified villa, 'Il Monte'.
The most important cities near our Farmhouse are:
Florence
Florence is the capital city of Tuscany. With almost half a million of inhabitants, it lies on the Arno River at the foot of the Appenines.
The cultural and historical impact of Florence is overwhelming, its museum palaces and churches contain more art than perhaps any city in Europe. This in large part a result of the great explosion of artistic and architectural activity that occurred during the Renaissance (between the 13th and 15th Centuries) that Florence still embodies nowadays attractive well over a million of tourist from everywhere in the world annually.
It is impossible to mention all the countless important monuments and work of artistic attraction, Florence cannot possibly be seen in a day, however, on the time you have, you can certainly start exploring its treasures. To make life easier we have picked out the most famous and interesting features not to be missed:
Church of Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo Davanzati, Church of Santa Trinita, Cathedral Square, The Baptistery, The Duomo, Giotto Bell Tower, Museum of The Opera Del Duomo, Church of Orsanmichele, Palazzo Medici-Riccardi and the famous Uffizzi Museum.
Shopping in Florence
Antiques: The vast majority of antique dealers are concentrated in the Ognissanti area around Via dei Fossi and Borgo Ognissanti and in the Oltrarno along Via Maggio and Borgo san Jacopo. There is a flea market at Piazza dei Ciompi.
Books: There are several good bookshops, usually selling guidebooks, to the museums and galleries of the city. Seebers in Via Tornabuoni meets most needs; Centro Di on Piazza de' Mozzi is a specialist art bookshop with old exhibition catalogues.
Food: The main market for food is the covered Mercato Centrale near san Lorenzo, there are smaller local ones such as that on Piazza Santo Spirito, with fresh fruit and vegetables from Tuscan countryside.
Jewellery: Florence is full of jewellers, often with tiny one-room shops. The Florentines have a reputation as excellent goldsmiths wich dates back to the 15th century and some shops still have workrooms behind. The greatest concentration of jewellery is on the Ponte Vecchio.
Siena
The most beautiful city in Tuscany, dominated by the black and white cathedral and the famous shell shaped Piazza del Campo, Siena is a town where one is quite content to poke around its narrow streets and alleyways all converging on to the spectacular campo, but it has a lot of less apparent treasures.
There are: the cathedral, Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia, Museum Opera del Duomo, Pinacoteca, the Church of San Domenico and the Church of Santa Caterina. The 2nd July and the 16th August of every year there is the famous Palio horse race.
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is Italy's best preserved medieval city, famous for its medieval towers looming over the landscape. As in most Tuscany towns, the centre is closed to traffic but there is plenty of parking outside the walls, it is therefore a pleasure to stroll around. There is a picturesque Piazza della Cisterna with the city's well in the centre. The collegiate church is in Piazza del Duomo. The Museo Civico is the town's local museum, housing a good selection of art and the town's history. From here it is possible to climb the "Torre Grossa" a few hundreds steps but worth it for the view. From Piazza del Duomo a walk up to La Rocca, the ruined fortress also gives a good view of the town. Less visited is the church of Sant'Agostino in the north side which has lovely frescoes. Recently there has been an unusual addition to the town, the Museum of Torture, an exhibition of torture methods and equipment for those with macabre tastes. There is a tiny ice-cream parlour in Piazza della Cisterna (on the left with the well on the right) serving the best ice-cream for miles around.
Certaldo
The medieval town is called Certaldo Alta where is possible to visit the Palazzo Pretorio with its façade bearing the insignia of the different vicars, the beautiful courtyard and the old jall with its walls covered with graffiti of past prisoners. There is also the de-consecrated church of SS. Tommaso and Prospero (13th century). Not far is the so-called Casa deli Boccaccio. The modern part of the town is full of any kind of shops and there is also a supermarket called Coop. Every year in the summer (June or July) there is a very beautiful medieval festival called "Mercantia". |
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