Premium #34658

Medieval Village Home in Heart of Tuscany w/Terrace, Garden & Olive Tree Grove

House • Certaldo Italy

    5 Guests  
    2 Bedrooms  
    2 Bathrooms  
  Primary home

Exchange types accepted

  Simultaneous  
  Non-Simultaneous  
  Non-Reciprocal & Globe  

Statistics

Listed  August 2024
Views  1496

General overview

Location, character, comfort, multiple outdoor spaces, and amazing views! Currently open to the following: * 3-month swap simultaneous swap starting January 2026 outside the EU Schengen Immigration Area (preference for Ireland, Albania, Morocco, Latin America or the Caribbean) * 3-month simultaneous swap July 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026 Quebec or British Columbia, Canada. I will not have a car so in either of these periods, I would need walkable access to public transport if not in the center of a city or village with ample services. * 3 week non-simultaneous swap between December 15 and January 8, 2026 if you would like to spend Christmas and/or New Year’s in Tuscany and are open to me coming to your place some other time. *Unfortunately, I cannot currently swap with Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East or the US. This charming property is found in Certaldo Alto, a perfectly preserved, cobble stoned, walled town visited for its beautiful medieval architecture, a relaxed atmosphere, and views for miles. Certaldo is less than an hour drive or train ride from Florence. It is a historic, hilltop medieval town in the Valdelsa, one of the most beautiful areas of Tuscany. Here you can appreciate the picturesque landscapes of gentle countryside, woodlands, hills, and cultivated fields of traditional crops, vines and olive trees that Tuscany is famous for. The town itself can be visited in a leisurely day but you will need at least a month here to see all that the region offers! You will not run out of adorable small towns, historic cities, wineries or restaurants to visit within easy access of Certaldo. Everything you would ever want to see in the heart of Tuscany can be managed in a day trip: renowned San Gimignano, Volterra, Florence, Pisa, Livorno, Colannato, Lucca, Cinque Terre, Siena and Arezzo. The fabulous Castelfalfi golf club (https://www.castelfalfi.com) is only a 30- minute drive away. If you would like to experience even more amazing sites, Bologna is less than 2 hours away, Rome is only a 3-hour drive, you can be in Milan in only 4 hours and the beaches on the coast (like Forte di Marmi and Viarregio) are only an hour and a half drive. The home is completely accessible without a car and walking distance from all of the amenities, including the train station, shops, banks, post office, bars, coffee shops, gelato shops, and grocery stores.

The space

The house is over a 1000 years old but has all of the modern amenities you might need for a relaxing vacation or for working remotely. It is made up of 136 sq meter - 106 sq meters under roof plus a 30 sq meter terrace. There are 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The master bedroom has a king size bed, a desk for working, and an ensuite full bathroom with enclosed shower, toilet, sink, bidet and plenty of storage space for your things. The 2nd bedroom has a large window with a beautiful view of the countryside, two single beds and a separate full bath with an enclosed shower, sink, toilet, bidet, and heated towel rack. There is a large living room with 74 inch /194 cm flat screen smart TV and a sleeper daybed with a standard single mattress for 1 person as well as a comfortable sitting room with two small couches and a coffee table. The kitchen is spacious and has lots of counter space as well as a dining table for 8. You will find everything you will need for basic cooking and dining in, including a dishwasher, gas stove, gas oven, electric kettle, air fryer and an Instapot. There is a large panoramic terrace (30 sq meters/330 sq ft) with a table and 4 chairs for alfresco dining. There are electric automated sun shades as well so you can enjoy being outside even during the sunnier hours of a summer day. The terrace and almost every window in the house overlook the Tuscan hills, olive groves and vineyards. There are screens and functional shutters on all of the windows. The house has central heating for comfort during the cooler winter months. There is no air-conditioning but the house stays quite comfortable even in summer thanks to very thick walls, cross ventilation from multiple windows and a quiet tower fans in each bedroom. The wifi connection is stable for remote work with an average speed of 67 mbps. There is also a separate laundry area with washing machine, clothes dryer, drying rack, ironing board and iron. Finally, there is a private gated garden and olive grove (shared with two other quiet and respectful neighbors) as well as a dedicated parking space for 1 car available a very short walk from the house (right outside of the town medieval walls).

Guest access

The home is completely accessible without a car and walking distance from all of the amenities, including the train station, shops, banks, post office, bars, coffee shops, gelato shops, and grocery stores. If you arrive by Train: The house is a 10 minute walk from the train station. There is a convenient tram car that will take you up to the top of the town if you prefer not to walk. If you arrive by Car: There is short walk (5 minutes) from the dedicated parking spot to the home itself. There is a locked gate from the street that allows access into the garden and one set of stairs to arrive to the front door.

Notes

Smoking: No smoking permitted. Pets: Please let me know if you would like to bring a pet before finalizing an exchange. Sorry but I cannot permit cats due to allergies. Trash Disposal: The town has very strict rules about waste disposal. All waste bags are barcoded and recorded to make sure that residents are recycling and separating and disposing of trash according to the rules. Non-recyclable trash is quantified with a maximum allowance of only 1 small bin every 3 months. I ask that guests respect these limitations and that any non-recyclable trash fees or fines imposed be paid by the guest. No worries though! Detailed information will be available to make complying with the local government rules and avoiding fines easy. Parking: If you will be requiring parking, please let me know before we finalize the exchange as I will need to obtain a permit for your vehicle in advance, which could take a few weeks. There are two electric car charging stations available in the town’s public parking area just outside the town walls. If you do not see the dates that you are looking for on my calendar, feel free to inquire.

Features


Washer
Washer
Dishwasher
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Clothes dryer
Oven
Oven
Coffee machine
Coffee machine
Fridge
Fridge
Iron
Iron
Heating
Heating
TV
TV
WiFi
WiFi
High Speed Internet
High Speed Internet
Bed sheets
Bed sheets
Towels
Towels
Workspace
Workspace
Home cinema
Home cinema
Balcony
Balcony
Garden / yard
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Covered porch / verandah
Gated community
Gated community

Travel Styles

    Long term
    Family
    Romantic
    Foodie
    Relaxing
    Luxury
    Village
    Mountains
    Culture
    Hiking
    Cycling
    Good public transport
    Golf

House rules

    Suitable for infants under 2
    Suitable for children ages 2-12
    Pets not allowed
    No smoking

Allergens

    Cat free
    Carpet free
    Smoke free
    Fragrance free
    Low allergen

Dates of Availability

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Neighbourhood

One of the most evocative historic villages in Tuscany, Certaldo retains a magical fairytale atmosphere that has enabled it to receive the Touring Club's Orange Flag recognition. Home to settlements since the Etruscan era, Certaldo's development began in the early Middle Ages. Certaldo was the birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), one of the fathers of the Italian language and literature, author of, among other things, the Decameron. Boccaccio died at his home in Certaldo and was buried here in 1375. To Visit: Boccaccio's house, of red brick, like the other old houses here, was restored in 1823 and furnished with old furniture. The Palazzo Pretorio, or Vicariale, the residence of the Florentine governors, recently restored to its original condition, has a picturesque facade adorned with ceramic coats of arms, and in the interior are various frescoes dating from the 13th to the 16th century. Next to the Palazzo Pretorio, there is the Church of San Tommaso and Prospero from the early 13th century, the oldest church in the Castle. Also worth visiting is the Museum of Sacred Art, housed in what was originally an Augustinian convent of the 15th century. The exhibition rooms are dedicated to painting, sculpture and sacred vestments. In the art gallery - once the refectory of the convent - paintings from the 12th to the 16th centuries are exhibited, with works by Cenni di Francesco di Ser Cenni, Ugolino di Nerio and Meliore. The town is home to several festivals a year. The largest and most famous is Mercantia, a week-long festival held in July. It involves numerous street performers from across Italy, Europe and the Americas. In May there is a lovely outdoor music festival and on two weekends during the month of June the town hosts a fabulous medieval sit down dinner for over 500 diners.

Getting to my home

You can arrive via the following airports in combination with train service to the Certaldo Train Station (10 minute walk from the house) Florence Rome Pisa Bologna The train from the Florence Train Station takes approximately 50 minutes.

Nearest airport

Florence Airport is 1 hour by car and also easily accessible via train + tram. Rome airport is 3 hours by car and also accessible by Train (FCO-Rome-Florence-Certaldo) Pisa airport also is easily accessible by train.

Getting around

The medieval part of town where the house is located has a small grocery store, two coffee shops, a bar, a sandwich shop, a gelateria, a pizzeria, an ATM for getting cash, and 5 restaurants. All other services (including a weekly farmer's market) are available in the lower/newer part of the town which is accessible within minutes by foot, tram or by car.

Map of Approximate Location

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Kris

Travelling group
LGBTQ+ friendly Remote Worker
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Desired Destinations

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