Tuscany, Pisa, Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina, Italy

Very cosy and bright apartment in a stone building on the lane of a beautiful and picturesque village dating back to 1200, with amazing views over the green hills of the Val di Cecina area. Lovely, traditional character features throughout.

The house comprises: entrance hall and a large living area, a pretty, traditional but functional kitchen with a store room, bathroom, bedroom 1 with a small walk-in closet. Bedroom 2 is currently used as a second living area as it has the most beautiful views from the window, but it can be easily used as a bedroom by closing the partition wooden doors.

Services are in working order and the heating is very inexpensive due to the use of geothermal energy. This uses steam from the natural underground reservoirs of hot water occuring in the area, as a perfect form of sustainable, renewable green energy with zero emission pollution. It is possible to take guided trails to see the steam emerging naturally from the underground on the rocky outcrops in the area.

Set close in Montecastelli Pisano, a pretty hilltop village surrounded by olive groves between Siena and Volterra, with easy access to Pisa airport. The surrounding countryside is beautiful. In the village you can walk to the panoramic restaurant/bar in the village, with tables both indoors and outside on the large, sunny terrace.

Casole D'Elsa is a delightful medieval town close by with a weekly market, a good choice of grocery stores, bakeries, butchers, a pharmacy, banks, post office, bars and restaurants. There is also a small supermarket, an art school and a museum. Today Colle Val D'Elsa is famous for the production of crystal items; there's also a museum dedicated to this activity. The Berignone National Park is on the edge of town offering beautiful marked walking trails. The prestigious Belmond Castello di Casole, one of Tuscany's finest resorts, is nearby, offering 5 star hotel accommodation and Spa, a cocktail bar, a pizzeria and a fine dining restaurant. There are also a number of excellent hotels and B&Bs locally. Within half an hour, you can reach the famous medieval towns of Volterra and San Gimignano with their shops, art galleries and profusion of restaurants. Further afield, the Chianti region and the famous Black Cock wine route are all within 40 minutes to an hour of Montecastelli and easy day trips can be made to the abundant art and architecture of Siena, Florence and Pisa.

Distances: Colle Val d'Elsa 20 km, Volterra 35 km, San Gimignano 40 km, Cecina (beaches) 50 km, Siena 50 km, Florence 80 km, Pisa (airport) 100 km.