Farm holidays
near Florence, Italy in a privately owned estate
comprising a private forest, vineyard and olive
groves. This farmhouse apartment sleeps 5. Magnificent
spacious 180m2 farmhouse apartment just 10 mins
from Florence, Italy. Antiques, frescoes, beautiful
loggia looking onto a breathtaking renaissance
garden. Outdoor dining, walks, very quiet and
private. This is the perfect place to discover
Florence and enjoy the real Tuscan countryside
living in an elegant castle that has accommodated
guests such as Napoleon Bonaparte and King Charles
VIII of France. Famous architecture design. Shared
Swimming Pool.
Wonderful dining experiences at the many local
restaurants, some noted as being the best in Italy.
Relax at the farmhouse apartment and enjoy its
grounds, wine and forest, or discover the many
local attractions such as horse riding, trekking,
antique markets, Caruso’s villa and gardens,
medieval villages and Etruscan ruins. Trains,
buses and all shops within walking distance and
close to all major highways. Stroll down and buy
your fresh bread or morning cappucino and feel
like a local.
20mins to Montecatini.40 mins to Pisa / Lucca
/ Siena/ Bologna. 60 mins to Forte Dei Marmi/
Volterra/ San Gimignano/ Arezzo etc.
This is an incredible vacation experience. Live
like a king, totally restored 5 years ago. From
the living room 2 sets of double doors open onto
the loggia and the very typical Italian style
gardens with lemon trees, hedges and fountain.
Sunny, very peaceful and private. 10m high ceilings
with breathtaking frescoes, gold gilded mirrors,
terracotta floors, this farmhouse foundations
date back to the 1200’s, the estate produces
fantastic extra virgin olive oil and wine. Each
room is a pleasure in itself, the main bedroom
opens onto the front terrace with views of hills
and Florence. The second bedroom has a small en
suite, a queen sized bed and a single bed. There
is 1 full bathroom with a tub, shower, toilet
and hand basin PLUS a second en-suite bathroom
off the second bedroom with a toilet and hand
basin. The main bathroom can be accessed from
the living room or the main bedroom. The kitchen
has a vaulted ceiling and fireplace with a dining
table seating 6.
This is a privileged location only 10 mins from
Florence enter whilst enjoying the beauty of country
living. The owners speak; English, French, German
and Italian.
History of Villa Pandolfini:
Villa Pandolfini’s foundations date back
to 1200. The original use of the palace was a
hunting residence for the elite Florentine Gentile’s.
The origin of the Pandolfini’s was near
“Ponte A Signa” and from ancient times
they owned this farmhouse and the other villa
called on the Arno known as “La Torre”
(the tower) that even today conserves the aspects
of a 1300’s walled castle.
Agnolo di Filippo, great friend of Cosimo de’
Medici and admired by Leon Battista Alberti, tired
and old retired in the farmhouse of Ponte A Signa
for 12 years, here he wrote the brilliant dialogues
of the governing of the family and died at 86
years of age in 1446.
In 1434 the formers wealthy nephew Battista di
Pandolfini returned in patria from Naples and
gave the initial magnificent architecture to his
farmhouse at Ponte A Signa, honoured by the king
of France Carlo VIII on the 13th of November 1495.
Pandolfini has been engraved with the date 1488
which is believed to be the date of the full restoration
of this antique palace. The linear and harmonious
architecture, the beautiful loggia, richly carved
windows, the perfect sculpture of the stonework
, reflects the work of the famous Bendedetto da
Rovezzano. King Carlo VIII of France visited the
castle from childhood. Since the 14th century
nothing was changed or hardly confirmed by Giuseppe
Zocchi.
At the beginning of the 18th century the Pandolfini’s
sold their antique farmhouse to the family Samminiatelli
which immediately resold the farmhouse to the
De Prat’s exiled from France after the revolution.
In one of the living rooms ,like the others,
the 800’s style frescoes ornate the room
and hung on one of the walls is a large oil painting
of the Marchis Francesco De Prat in his white
and red uniform that is narrating to his son the
episode of July 14,1790, whilst serving as naval
commander, and his meeting with the king Luigi
XIV; also present is his wife dressed in satin
who seated watches over us. Today all three rest
in the chapel constructed by Filippo Pandolfini.
Other guests included Napoleon Bonaparte. |
