Le Tanelle is a very special place situated on a high private promontory in beautiful countryside on the edge of the Maremma.

When you first arrive, as you are standing next to the carefully restored large stone farmhouse, the views of San Gimignano, Volterra and the Pisan Alps can take your breath away. Sunlight dances on the infinity pool as the water slips over the edge and you view the patchwork fields, vineyards, hilltop towns, and the wild wooded chestnut and oak forests.

You enter through wrought iron gates into a covered courtyard with a huge brick archway with a private bedroom off of it. The large kitchen, fully equipped, was once a stall for cattle and has the original stone flooring and troughs. Sienese marble countertops and a central table made of old chestnut, complement the rustic character.

The large dining/living area has comfortable seating around a fireplace. Through arched glass doors you step down to the terrace with seating overlooking the pool and the spectacular views.

Next to the terrace is a shady wisteria pergola with a marble topped table for dining “al fresco”, surrounded by flowers and rosemary. Nearby is a large stone BBQ fireplace grille.

Moving on from the sitting area you enter a space originally for wine caskets and grain. Part of this is now a laundry room and a bathroom with shower.

The main entrance with the old bread oven has a majestic stone stairway leading to a large upstairs living room with the original enormous hooded Tuscan kitchen fireplace surrounded by a relaxed seating area. There are two spacious double bedrooms, a bath with marble shower and a large bathroom with an old claw footed bathtub and a separate marble shower. The fourth bedroom has a double, two single beds, and a small bedroom off it with a single bed.

The charming hill towns of Radicondoli and Castelnuovo are 15 to 20 minutes by car. In about an hour’s drive through fascinating countryside you can reach San Gimignano, Volterra, Siena, Massa Marittma and the sandy coast. Florence is about 1½ hours.

Le Tanelle is a magical private space set in pristine countryside. The Italians always describe Tanelle as “tranquillo”. After a hot day in Florence or Siena it is paradise to return here to this oasis where there is always a light breeze.

When you are at Le Tanelle you have total privacy, but not completely isolated as there are other houses less than a half a mile away.

Surrounded by nature, with the woods behind and the fields below there are wildflowers, birds, deer, fox, wild boar and a 10th century castle just a few miles away. Perfect for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding not far away.


Important! This property is rented from Friday to Friday.

Published in Architectural Digest, Before and After Issue, February 2006, Pages 182-189

Keywords: ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST MASTERPIECE 18th CENTURY TUSCAN FARMHOUSE WITH BREATHTAKING VIEWS