Toscana Fantastica - Cortona, Villa Sleeps 6 large Pool, and Chef's Kitchen

On the outskirts of Cortona, made famous by Frances Mayes, in the heart of Tuscany, enjoy your own "Tuscan Sun". Picture majestic cypress and rolling blue-green hills in the distance, a sun-filled sky warming your terrace and your pool deck by day; and at night, a beautiful pink sunset, dinner under the stars, then peaceful, and supremely comfortable bedrooms and beautiful new bathrooms. Toscana Fantastica is made up of of two houses, to be rented separately or jointly. Take the main Villa, and/or the "Fantastic Cottage" each with 3 bedrooms, sleeping up to 6 - or combined to sleep 12. The Italian owners are charming and welcoming, and even offer wonderful cooking lessons and advice on where to go, what to see and eat, and anything that you may need to know. They are treasure-house of knowledge. The house has air conditioning for summer comfort!! From the outside dining terrace, stone steps and a pathway lead to the beautiful 8 x 4 meter swimming pool and sunbathing area. On the ground floor is a treat - a kitchen designed by a Tuscan cooking master, who is available to give you a private class in her kitchen or yours. Comfortable living room, and a long dining table for a crowd, make this just about the perfect spot to enjoy all that Tuscany has to offer. The Villa: Sleeps 6 The Villa offers Three gracious bedrooms and two bathrooms Villa Layout: Ground floor - large well-equipped kitchen and dining room, open-plan living room with fireplace, french doors leading outside (same level) to the panoramic dining terrace, 2 queen-size bedrooms, 1 independent bathroom with shower cabinet. Top floor -1 queen-size bedroom and 1 independent bathroom with shower cabinet. Lower ground floor - stairs from living room down to a studio area with bathroom, and a large professional kitchen with dining room, used by our local chef for cooking lessons and/or large dinner parties to order. House Equipment: Dishwasher, washing machine, clothes dryer, pool towels, bath towels, bed linen, kitchen towels, tablecloths. TV with DVD player, stereo CD player, wireless internet access. The Cottage: Sleeps 6 The Cottage also offers three gracious bedrooms plus three bathrooms Ground floor - On the ground floor you will find a large kitchen and dining room, opening with French doors out to a beautiful terrace with seating, plus table and chairs, perfect for Tuscan outdoor living , and dining al fresco. The kitchen is fully equipped with dishwasher, washing machine, coffee maker, and all utensils. The sitting area is comfortable and gracious, with TV with DVD player, a stereo and CD player, wireless internet access, of course, and French doors which lead out to a sunny terrace. A long corridor leads to a queen bedroom suite with bathroom and another twin-bedded room with adjacent bathroom.Top floor - Here you will find a lovely attic bedroom suite with bathroom *Prices quoted reflect only the Main Villa. Please ask for further pricing for Villa and Cottage Booking. Visiting Cortona: Cortona is a treasure to visit again and again; seated on a hilltop 1600 feet above sea level, this ancient Etruscan town dates back to 800 BC. It is 9 miles from Lake Trasimeno, the largest lake in central Italy, where Hannibal defeated an entire Roman legion in 217 BC. From slightly later times, you will find one of the earliest Franciscan monasteries founded (in 1211) by Saint Francis of Assisi,. Other treasures of art and architecture include beautiful churches, such as “Madonna del Calcinaio”, designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1485); and the Church of the Patron Saint of Cortona - La Chiesa di Santa Margherita - protected by the Medici Fortress, La Fortezza di Girifalco. Don’t miss the Museum, il Museo Diocesano - offering works by Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca and his pupil Luca Signorelli, a native of Cortona. The Town of Cortona itself is a lively town full of delightful shops selling selling locally products, wines, hand-made pottery, textiles, antique furniture, objets d’arts, designer clothes and jewelery. Of course there are plenty of inviting bars, restaurants and trattorias offering great local dishes and excellent regional wines. During the summer months the town puts on a series of open-air concerts, opera and chamber music ensembles, theatrical productions, an international photo festival (Cortona On The Move) plus a variety of popular entertainment events and food festivals. Cortona is 65 miles south of Florence and 120 miles north of Rome, 40 miles to Siena and nearby Montalcino, and 15 miles from Montepulciano. Only 60 miles away is Arezzo where you will want to see the Piero della Francesca murals in the church of San Francesco, depicting the Battle of Anghiari and the True Stations of the Cross, as well as Perugia, Pienza and much more. Free Wifi