The Lakes Uno

Images of The Lakes Uno

 

The Tuscany Region

The people of Tuscany can rightly claim to have just about the best of everything - Italy’s greatest collection of art, classical architecture, beautiful countryside, some of finest fresh produce to be found in Italy and many quality wines. It was the home of the Renaissance, some 600 years ago, that had a quite dramatic effect on the remainder of Europe.

Visitors are drawn to Tuscany by the architectural splendours of Florence and Siena, the wonderful art of Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and many other 14th to 16th century masters. But there is much more to a holiday in Tuscany away from the ‘tourist honey pots’, a wonderful rolling countryside, charming villages and some of Italy’s most impressive hill towns including San Gimignano, Volterra, Cortona and Montepulciano. But wherever you travel in Tuscany you will come across villages with charming piazza’s, historic churches, cafes and enticing food shops set amongst fields of sunflowers, olives and vineyards.

 

Montaione Area

Nearby The Lakes are the market towns of Castelfiorentino and Montaione (both just 6 kms away), each has a good range of shops, cafes, restaurants and weekly market. Supermarkets and food shops are open Monday to Saturday from 0830 to 1300 and then from 1600 to 1930. Some food shops are open in Montaione on a Sunday morning in summer between 0830 and 1300. Slightly further away are the historic town of Certaldo and Gambassi Terme with its spas.

Food is an important part of any holiday in Tuscany and there is an excellent selection of restaurants ranging from friendly trattorie to internationally renowned restaurants all within easy reach of the estate. One of our favourites and offering good value for money is Il Caminetto, which lies on the edge of the estate and serves wonderful Tuscan home cooking. Osteria del Vicario, set in historic Certaldo Alto, which serves fine creative cooking and I Quattro Gigli in Montopoli and serves Tuscan medieval specialities. All have excellent cellars offering some wonderful Tuscan wines.

There is a good range of sporting facilities in the surrounding area. There is a tennis club in Castelfiorentino, mountain bikes can be rented and riding can be booked at a local ranch. Fishing can be arranged at Montaione and Moriolo and there is an 18 hole golf course at Castelfalfi, just 25 kms away.

The management of the Santo Stefano estate have an unsurpassed knowledge of their local area. They are on hand to assist you to make the very best of your holiday and can recommend places to visit and will make reservations for sports facilities and local restaurants. Through their excellent local contacts private tours and informal visits can be organised to potteries, historic villas, gardens, vineyards and olive mills. They can also advise on the local shopping outlets, local speciality shops, spas and beauty treatments.

The Lakes makes a perfect base if you want to explore the many attractions of Northern Tuscany. Set almost equidistant between Florence, Lucca, Siena and Pisa, Santo Stefano is perfectly placed for visiting most of the famous towns and villages of Tuscany. San Gimignano with its medieval 'skyscrapers' is 25 kms, Volterra one of Tuscany’s best kept secrets is 40 kms, Lucca one of Tuscany’s most perfect towns is 60 kms away, whilst the many historic attractions of Florence, Pisa and Siena are all within 50 kms and less than an hour’s drive away.

FLORENCE to the north east of The Lakes – known locally as Firenze, the city is located in a valley on the banks of the River Arno amongst low hills covered with olive groves and vineyards. Cradle of the Renaissance and home of Machiavelli, Michelangelo and the Medici you could spend the whole of your holiday in the city. Florence is compact and probably the best way to experience it and to get your bearings is firstly to take guided tour. If your time is limited start on the Ponte Vecchio, then the Uffizi gallery, The Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Gondi, Brunelleschi’s masterpiece, the Duomo and Giotto’s Campanile and much, much more.

SIENA to the south east of The Lakes – home of the famous Palio horse race, has a wonderful medieval centre bristling with majestic Gothic buildings such as the Palazzo Pubblico on Il Campo (the Piazza del Campo), the main square which is the setting for the Palio. The Duomo, or cathedral is one of Italy’s greatest gothic churches, begun in 1196 and a wonderful example of a Pisan church. Throughout the city a wealth of art is to be found in numerous churches and small museums.

PISA to the north west of The Lakes – was once a major maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, but today its fame is from an architectural project that went terribly wrong – the Leaning Tower. The tower is a part of a trio of Romanesque pieces of architecture that adorn the Campo dei Miracoli, one of Italy’s most famous squares.

LUCCA to the north west of The Lakes - is a Tuscan gem hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls, which enclose a compact centre of atmospheric medieval streets and towers, Romanesque churches and palazzo. Piazzas like the Anfitheatro are a wonderful place for a leisurely meal just watching the world go by.

SAN GIMIGNANO to the south east of The Lakes – as you crest a hill approaching the town from the east the 13 towers of this walled city make it look like a medieval Manhattan. The towers, there were once 72, were symbols of the power and wealth of the medieval families during the 12th and 13th centuries.

VOLTERRA due south of The Lakes - is set on an imposing rocky plateau and the town’s imposing ramparts give it a forbidding air. Less commercialised than nearby San Gimignano, the streets have a timeless quality and the views over the surrounding countryside are quite exceptional.

 

Getting There

BY Air - The nearest airports are Pisa (50kms), Florence (50kms), Bologna (150 kms), Genoa (210 kms) and Milan (325 kms). Of these airports Pisa is the most convenient and most easily accessible airport from Irelandl.
CAR HIRE – Can be arranged at all airports. Check these sites www.holidayautos.com; www.europcar.com; www.avis.com; www.hertz.com
BY CAR - If you prefer to drive, using the ferry link from Rosslare, the following sites can help you to plan you route – www.viamichelin.co.uk; www.theaa.com; www.rac.co.uk. There are many routes and one of the best is to cross France to Switzerland, the Gottard Tunnel, Milan, Bologna and Florence to Santo Stefano. There is secure free car-parking at La Casa.

Nearest Travel Links

• Airport: Pisa (50 km)
• Ferry: Livorno (50 km)
• Railway: Castelfiorentino (7 km)

 

Suitable types of Holiday Montaione

• Fishing
• Golf Course
• Horse riding
• Tennis courts
• Mountain Biking
• Walking

 

Exterior Facilities in The Lakes Uno

• Balcony/Terrace
• BBQ
• Bicycles available
• Parking space
• Private garden
• Private outdoor swimming pool
• Secure parking
• Shared garden
• Shared outdoor swimming pool

 

The entrance into the Lakes is through imposing gates and there is a communal secure parking area. Pathways, illuminated at night, lead from the parking area through the gardens to the linked villas which are grouped on a hillside.

The villas each have their own private furnished terrace area surrounded by their own Mediterranean gardens. Steps lead down from the villas through gardens to the large communal swimming pool, measuring 21 x 6 metres with a Jacuzzi, which is surrounded by lawns and an extensive furnished sun terrace, which in turn overlooks a valley and the estate's lakes. Due to the number of steps linking the villas down to the pool, the Lakes are not really suitable for young children without supervision.

 

Rental Details

* The villa will be available between 1700 and 2000 on your day of arrival and you will be expected to depart between 0800 and 1000 to allow for the preparation of the property for new arrivals. Please take this into account when booking flights.
* The swimming pool, weather permitting, is open from 01 May to 01 October.
* The English manager of the estate is on hand to assist you to make the very best of your holiday at Fattoria Santo Stefano.
* There is daily morning fresh bread and grocery delivery service available as required.

 

Facilities in The Lakes Uno

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Clothes dryer
• Cooker
• Dish washer
• Freezer
• Fridge
• Highchair
• Internet access
• Jacuzzi
• Kettle
• Linen provided
• Television
• Toaster
• Towels provided
• Washing machine

The Lakes Uno sleeps 3 and is ideal for a small family or a couple. On one level the villa comprises a well equipped lounge/dining area with a fully equipped kitchen area. The lounge area has comfortable seating and the dining area a table to accommodate 4. Large sliding doors open out from the living area to the private terrace with its dining table and chairs which overlooks the Mediterranean style garden. There are two bedrooms, a double with a king size bed, good wardrobe facilities and an ensuite shower room. The single bedroom is a good size with a wardrobe and an adjacent shower room.

 

Bedrooms / Bathrooms

• Bedrooms (2)
• Showers (2)

 

Sleeps a Maximum of 3 people:

• Single Beds (1)
• Double Beds (1)
• Cots (1)

 

Furniture

• Dining Seats (4)
• Lounge Seats (3)