Il Piano is a converted 18th-century farmhouse. It forms part of the 830-hectare (2050-acre) estate of the Abbazia di Spineto, a Benedictine abbey of the Vallombrosan Order founded in 1085, and named after the “spinaie” (brambles), once a dominant feature of this beautiful and unspoilt southern Tuscan landscape of woodland, pasture and rolling hills. The abbey reached its zenith in the 12–14th centuries, when its activities focused on religious devotion and agriculture. It eventually closed in 1783, and since 1830 has been in private hands. Today the old abbey buildings – a three-minute drive away, across unspoilt countryside – are used as a study centre and for conferences and cultural events, but eleven of its farmhouses, scattered across the estate, have been recently converted into comfortable rental villas, each with its own private pool. The style adopted for their renovation mixes modern comfort and convenience with a simple, rustic, Tuscan style, in keeping with the history of the estate. The Abbazia di Spineto is very well placed for touring some of the most treasured towns and cities of Tuscany and Umbria, including Montepulciano, Pienza, Perugia and Orvieto. Visitors can walk, jog and fish on the estate; mountain bikes are available for rent; there are tennis courts and horse-riding facilities nearby; thermal pools and a spa lie 15 minutes away by car, and a golf course 25 minutes away.
Lawn and pasture surround Il Piano, and the pool (6 x 12 m) has views out over the wooded hills – a scene of deep tranquillity to enjoy from the sun-loungers. The house interior, covering some 580 square metres, is very spacious and comfortable, decorated with a surprising combination of traditional and contemporary design. The ground floor has a large living room with an enormous sit-in fireplace, and doors to the garden. The study/reading room, dining room and the kitchen likewise have doors to the garden. As well as a cooker, oven, dishwasher and fridge-freezer, the kitchen also contains a wood-fired bread oven. On the ground floor are three bedrooms with large twin beds, two with en-suite bathrooms and one with en-suite shower room with handicap facilities and its own door to the garden. There is also a cloakroom with a WC on this floor. Stairs lead up to the first floor, where there are four bedrooms with large twin beds, three with en-suite bathrooms, and one with an en-suite shower room. Some of the twin beds can be made up as double beds on request.
Equipment in the house includes: TV, DVD, telephones, hairdryers in the bedrooms, mosquito netting on the windows, washing machine, and a ping-pong table. Telephone calls and internet connection are charged separately, as is heating in winter. Please note: pets are not accepted at this property. Wi-fi internet connection is available for guests free of charge at the main office in the abbey.
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