PENTHOUSE in small medieval castle near Florence

IDEAL FOR QUARANTINE & SMART WORKING: ISOLATED yet walking distance from shops; we deliver. Ample private property (including FOREST). Convenient location, gardens, Florence in sight, peace & quiet 900 year old tower-villa on Chianti hills overlooking Florence. Magical, sun-filled open space: 900 years of history. High ceilings, picture-perfect views, over sunrise and sunset, wood-burning stove, TV. Central heat. Shaded breezy garden with BBQ for summer days; sunny garden, cosy ceramic stove. This unique apartment is a "medieval penthouse" on top of a historical villa on the hills south east of Florence, Tuscany. There are about 55 stairs to get to the apartment, but that is what makes it so cosy and panoramic! A single 70sq mt space with high-ceiling, divided in two by an arch, with closable barn door: on one side a super-equipped kitchen and dining area. Above it, a loft with full size bed. On the other side, an antique Swedish ceramic wood burning stove supplies charme and extra heat. A lounge sofa right in front of it, facing the window with view of the church bell-tower, makes for our very favorite nap location! In the niche that was once the fireplace, we have created a super cozy sleeping area with a queen size bed, surrounded by books. On the same floor, full bathroom. THIS SPACE IS PRIVATE, for exclusive use of OUR GUESTS. However, we occasionally use it as our residence, so you may find traces of a lived-in home, all neatly stored away or available for you to use. A total of 4 can comfortably sleep here + a child on a floor mattress. Ideal for respectful guests, not allergic to cats, (cats WILL NOT BE in the house but will visit if you let them), who don't mind stairs. A BIT OF HISTORY: The tower portion dates back to (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) The rest of the building was added on in the (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) s , (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) s and (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) s. Many lives were saved during WWII by my grandfather who risked his own, by offering hiding and shelter to total strangers in this villa. We want to continue this tradition by welcoming people from all over the world. Our children are the 6th generation in this home! Every piece of furniture has its own story: the old rifle cabinet, the dining table made out of a church door from Positano, the 150-year old wrought iron princess bed, the Swedish ceramic stove, the old carpenter's bench now a bar counter, and art all around. PLEASE REMEMBER TO READ THE HOUSE RULES THOROUGHLY BEFORE BOOKING. We really care about them being respected. Thanks! Wifi, shaded garden, sunny garden, BBQ, cable TV , music, books. A (Phone number hidden by Airbnb) Steinway piano in the common room, available for our guests to practice. You can join in for our pasta making class followed by a meal with unlimited wine! Cost per person: 60€ Visa and MC welcome. If you wish to precede the class with a wine tour to a nearby historical winery, add 40€ pp. Cooking class and wine tasting available!. Cooking class on the premises, includes dinner/lunch and unlimited wine. Cost per person: 75€ Visa and MC welcome. If you wish to precede the class with a wine tour to a nearby winery, add 50€ pp. Detailed tour of the cantina, 4 Wines and transportation included. The estate includes one shaded and one sunny garden, and a small olive grove shared with the other families in the building (who by the way are all family). Local deli, freshly baked bread, cheeses, wine, great cappuccino and top butcher of the valley all right across the street, 5 minutes walk. Walking distance to several hikes (bring hiking boots!) 20 minutes drive to Florence, or 45 minutes by bus. Use of car not necessary if you are planning to just visit Florence during the day and simply relax and enjoy the immediate area, but recommended for evening outings and explorations of Tuscany. IMPORTANT NOTE: OUR VILLA IS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AS IT APPEARS ON THE MAP! Updated bus schedule available on (Hidden by Airbnb) Maps. - ARRIVING: We live in the building and are happy to help whenever we can! But there are no doorbells in the villa, so it is important that you follow check in instructions to get to your place, and contact us if you need any help. IMPORTANT: OUR CENTURY-OLD GARDEN IS NOT A TESTED PLAYGROUND! PLEASE TAKE MAXIMUM CARE WHEN USING THE SWING, ROPES ETC. THEY ARE NOT TESTED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY STANDARDS. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR USE OF THEM. - STAIRS: There are many stairs to get to the apartment, and to get from one area to the other. Please take care. - CATS: Keep door closed if you prefer to not receive feline visits. - UTILITIES: We want you to be comfortable in our home, so we have A/C and central heat. There has been a recent very steep increase in gas and heat cost, so instead of increasing our prices, we have lowered them, but ask you to pay for utilities by use. The cost depends on which apartment you are in, how cold it will be, how many hours you will stay home or go out, and how warm you like to keep the rooms. Probably somewhere between 10€ and 20€/day. - Let us know if you have any question! - Let us know if you have any question!