VILLA POGGIANO

Tranquil period villa set amongst Tuscany's finest scenery

WATER BABIES WILL LOVE VILLA POGGIANO. With good reason – the swimming pool here is fit for an emperor to make a splash. No ordinary pool this, but one that’s been magnificently marbled, around which a number of striking neo-classical statues and graceful figures from ancient times stare enviously down.

Having said that, we think you’ll be just as easily struck by Villa Poggiano’s other virtues – such as its hilltop vantage point amid 15 acres of parkland with lofty cypress trees and great views of the Orcia Valley. It demands you settle down and share it with a bottle or three of renowned local vino from nearby Montepulciano and Monticchiello.

Dating back to the 18th century, tranquil Villa Poggiano – sat at the end of a tree-lined drive – has been sensitively remodelled over the years. The sitting room has a vast period fireplace, lit on cooler evenings, while tables with fresh flowers are elegantly laid in the pretty dining room.

Lazy breakfasts

Slumber in the villa itself or in lodges in the grounds. Elegant bedrooms come with antique furniture, paintings and tall windows framing views of the gardens and pool (from the villa) or (from the lodges) the cornfields and vineyards of Val D'Orcia.

Start the day here with a lazy breakfast (it's served until an ultra civilised 11am, so be as indolent as you want) and tuck into crumbly pastries, local pecorino cheeses, cured hams  and frothy cappuccinos. De-lish.

Owners the Savini family have burnished their home with the sheen that comes from genuinely committed family management. Nothing's too much trouble for manager Stefania and whatever the weather, the atmosphere remains typically Tuscan-warm.


Villa Poggiano was reviewed by Room for Romance

Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.

Dining in
Only breakfast is served here, though it’s pretty spectacular fare: cured meats, pecorino cheese, home-baked biscuits and pastries.

Dining out
Excellent restaurants in Montepulciano include Porto di Bacco, Il Cantuccio and Dal Cittino. Meat is big here, but you should also try panzanella –  stale bread soaked in water, salad vegetables and herbs, before being covered in olive oil.

See & Do
Montepulciano is one of the jewels of Tuscany, with its Renaissance palazzi and works by the great Italian masters.
The hotel will arrange cooking classes for those who want to pick up more than a tan here, while sporty types can find tennis courts and a golf course nearby, as well as plenty of glorious Tuscan countryside for walks.

Shop
Trawl for bargains in the antiques market on the first weekend of every month in nearby Arezzo. You're in Chiantishire, so it would be a shame to leave without a couple of bottles.

Spa
Villa Poggiano has a visiting beautician/masseur for on-request appointments.

After dark
Sip a glass of Chianti then head out to dinner, or take a moonlit walk.

Dates

End of July-August
Renaissance men (and women) will love the classical plays and concerts at the Cantiere dell’Arte festival

August
Get your fill of Mozart et al at Siena's Dacamera chamber music festival

2 July and 16 August
Thrills abound in the historic Palio horses races at Siena

GETTING THERE

Location
Via di Poggiano, 53045 Montepulciano

Parking
There is free guest parking

Trains
Chiusi station – 22km

Taxis
EUR 30 from the station.

Airport
Perugia – 70km

ESSENTIAL INFO

Rates guide
EUR 210 - 320

Open/closed
Closed  5 November – 31 March

Check-in
3pm

Check-out
Midday

Minimum night stay?
No

Breakfast
Breakfast is served until 10.30am

Room service
Available morning and evening

Children
No under 12s

Pets
No

Air conditioning
Yes

Languages
Italian, English and French

Wedding license?
No

Your contact
Stefania Savini – owner