Vacation rentals in Italy (villas, farms, estates, agriturismo, apartments) |
|
> SlowTrav > Italy > Vacation Rentals > Reviews > Tuscany Chianti Review 1035: Castello La Leccia, Annexe 1st Floorwww.agriturismo.regione.toscana.it/cgi-bin/agriturismo/dbsearch2e?code=3076
apartments on an estate near Castellina in Chianti, Tuscany Chianti WhenJuly 2001, October 1999, October 1998, 1 Week each LocationThe apartment in located above the winery itself in a 10th century castello juat outside of Castellina. Over the last few years the owner Francesco Daddi has been renovating the estate completely and to a high quality standard. You are surrounded by vineyards, olive trees and a bit of natural forest. The winery is a 5 to 10 minute drive to Castellina and a 10 to 15 minute drive to Bar Orso and Monteriggioni. It is a true luxury to have Bar Orso as your local caffe. You are at the end of a 3km white road that can be a little rutted after the rains. The parking area is a little tight. Not the best spot for nervous drivers. Nearby AmenitiesBar Orso is probably our favorite bar in Italy. When we stay at La Leccia we are there at least once and often twice or three times a day. They sell great sandwiches as well as meats and cheeses. You can get great wine from Terre di Siena in Monteriggioni (good cheese too). Castellina has loads of great shops although for serious food shopping go farther north to Panzano. Castellina has a couple of small vegetable shops, a Coop and a couple of meat shops. The macceleria in the pedestrian area is very good, but probably not in the league of Dario's in Panzano. He does make his own Salumi which are quite good. Il Pestello, Osteria di Fonterutoli and La Legenda di Frati in Isole del Abadia. You are a 20 minute drive to Siena. The House/ApartmentThe building is historical but quite modern inside. There is one apartment on the first floor and one on the ground floor. The bathroom has a stall shower. There is plenty of hot water. This is a working winery. You may hear some noises of the winery but the huge winery down the hill is noisier than La Leccia. When the windows are closed it is quiet. But if you are there in harvest you may hear production going on at all hours, but it wasn't enough to disturb our sleep. GardenThere is a shared pool on a lower level with an incredible view. The grounds are stunning. If you ask you can be let into the chapel which is kept locked after some freschi were stolen. The Daddi family tree has a pope in it so there are some pretty high class relics in the little chapel. There are tables and chairs and grass for outdoor dining. Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living AreasThe furniture in the apartments is heavy and rustic, very comfortable. There is a nice sofa and chair in the sitting room, a dining room table in the kitchen with 6 chairs, a double room and a twin room. All the rooms have windows but don't open them during harvest as there are no screens and the harvest attracts flies. Bedrooms/BathroomsThe beds are typical Italian - firm to hard. The bathroom is modern and functional, if small. KitchenThe kitchen is superb. There is a nice assortment of pots and pans and really good cooking equipment. The refrigerator is large and works very well. It's a great kitchen but we always bring knives along on out Italian trips so I cannot tell you if the knives are sharp. They did not look very sharp though. We have made a dozen complex meals there. The kitchen has an oven which is a real treat. The counters are granite and there is plenty of work area. Problems or BonusesThe wines of La Leccia are superb. Francesco is a great host and his employees at the winery are very helpful (though without a lot of English proficiency). You simply must buy a bottle of his olive oil, it is superb! Agency and Representatives (and price)We were Francesco's guests when we visited, but the price range was around €800 a week. Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?Yessss! Great location, wonderful spot. Superb location perfect for day tripping. Within an hour are Firenze, Siena, Montalcino, Monte Oliveto Maggiore, San Galgano (well maybe 1 hr 15 min), San Gimignano, Volterra, Radda, Panzano, Greve, etc. Things to do in this areaWine tasting, seeing churches, exploring hill towns, hiking, sitting in caffes, great dining. This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com. |
|
Recommended
| Car Rental | Hotel Booking | Flight Booking | Train Tickets | Books, Maps, Events |
| Europe Cell Phones | Long Distance Cards | Luggage, etc. | Travel Insurance | Classifieds |
|
|
* Advertise on Slow Travel | Post your travel questions on the Slow Travel Forums Copyright © 2000 - 2013 SlowTrav.com, unless noted otherwise. Slow Travel® is a registered trademark. Contact Slow Travel RSS Feeds - Link to Us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Currency Converter - Colophon - Sponsors - Become a Member |
Vacation Rentals - Italy - Trip Planning - Vacation Rentals - Hotels - Restaurants - Instructions - Travel Notes - Postcards - Photos |