Beautiful holiday apartments in the heart of Tuscany

Bella Casa Ornina is a beautifully restored 18th Century farmhouse in the Casentino area of Tuscany. Providing two private holiday apartments it retains a traditional rustic feel but with modern kitchen and bathroom facilities. Perched on the side of a valley in the small hamlet of Ornina, Bella Casa has incredible views of wooded hills, vineyards and olive groves. Quiet and serene, it is the perfect place to unwind and relax while appreciating the beauty of the Tuscan landscape.

The Casentino is known as hidden Tuscany (La Toscana Nascosta), an area of undiscovered beauty and tradition. The landscape of wooded mountains and deep valleys reveal a traditional and slow pace of life. Vineyards and olive groves abound. Small authentic trattorias serve locally produced food and wine. Local artisans produce beautiful pottery and ironwork. It is an area that is perfect for those who wish to step off the tourist trail, slow down and experience the true Italy.

The Apartments

All the apartments have been carefully restored to retain as many original features as possible while providing modern kitchen and bathroom facilities. With chestnut beamed ceilings, terracotta floors and stone staircases the apartments are both charming and practical. Each has a private entrance and private outside area, perfect for sitting in the sun and sampling the local wines and delicacies.

Ancona

Sleeps 2 in a single bedroom

Entering from your private garden area Apartment Ancona has a delightful kitchen/living area well-equipped with gas hob, ample worksurfaces and indoor dining area. A stone staircase leads to the bedroom which has a double bed and a large window overlooking the gardens. An en-suite bathroom provides a shower, handbasin, WC and bidet.

Bologna

Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms.

The largest apartment, Bologna has its own entrance leading to a large living area and a well-equipped kitchen space. The kitchen includes a gas hob, fridge and ample work surfaces. The bathroom (located downstairs) has a hand basin, bidet, enclosed shower unit and WC. A stone staircase leads to two bedrooms, one with a double bed, the other with two singles. Outside is a comfortable dining area.

Apartments Ancona and Bologna have an interconnecting door, locked when not in use, that can be used to make a single larger apartment for 6 if required.

Things to do

The Casentino region has many exciting locations and is also well placed to access the Arezzo province and other parts of Tuscany.

The Casentino

The area around Ornina is full of interesting places to visit including feudal castles at Poppi and Romena, and quiet mountain villages such as Stia, Quota and Castel Focognano.

The Pratomagno mountain range and the National Forest of the Casentino both have many well marked hiking trails to explore.

Monasteries, sanctuaries, and hermitages have flourished in the Casentino for many centuries. These include the 11th century Carthusian hermitage monastery at Camaldoli and the La Verna Monastery where in 1224 Saint Francis of Assisi received the stigmata.

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Arezzo province

Arezzo is a true city of art renowned for its goldsmiths and antiques traders. The old town is home to valuable monuments including the Medici Fortress, the Cathedral, and the Basilica of San Domenico. The heart of the city is the beautiful Piazza Grande.

The Church of Saint Francis preserves the Legend of the True Cross, one of the greatest masterpieces of early Renaissance art by the 14th Century painter Piero della Francesca.

Other towns within the province not to be missed include Anghiari, Sansepolcro, Cortona and Caprese Michelangelo, the birthplace of Michelangelo Buonarroti.

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Tuscany and beyond

Both Florence and Siena are only just over an hour by car or train from Ornina making day trips feasible. Also within easy reach are the tourist highlights of San Gimignano, Assisi and medieval Gubbio.

The famous wine regions of Montepulciano, Montalcino and Scansano are all nearby.

Places further afield that can be visited include Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, Perugia and Urbino. The Tyrrhenian coast is about two and a half hours away.

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Where to find us

Ornina is located in the Casentino region in the east of Tuscany. Access from the main A1 autostrada is straghtforward with the Arezzo exit being the most convenient.

The GPS coordinates for Bella Casa are 43.628859, 11.808920. They are also shown on the map.

The nearest airport is Firenze, approximately an hour from Ornina. Both Pisa and Bologna airports are two hours away.

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Prices for 2018

These prices are for a weeks stay from Saturday to Saturday. For other periods please ask for a quotation.

Ap

Ancona

Bologna

April, May, June, September, October

395 euro

595 euro

July, August

495 euro

795 euro

Booking

To enquire about booking please email

bellacasaornina@gmail.com

Please include details of dates required, the apartments you are interested in and the number of guests. Thank you.