Welcome
We are OPEN!
Italy is opening its borders to European travellers from 3rd June so we would be delighted to welcome you!
Bars, restaurants, shops, galleries etc will be open, but social distancing policies will still apply and everyone is (currently) still advised to wear a mask when in public spaces. We will keep you updated on any further changes, and hope to see you here soon!
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Stay with us
Peace & Tranquility in the Tuscan Hills
Two self-catering or B&B apartments for families and couples. Come here to relax, experience Italian life, eat well, sleep well and ‘put your feet up’ well. Alice, Gavin and their family would love to welcome you here
Join us for a holiday or a weekend escape, share our table for lazy breakfasts and long relaxed dinners with plenty of laughs. Take yourself off for hours in the hammock with a good book or come to us for advice on where to explore whether it’s fabulous wild swimming or some of Italy’s finest Renaissance art and medieval towns you want to explore. Whatever your needs, we can assist, share a drink and a chat or simply leave you in peace.
Eat
We can arrange breakfasts and evenings meals according to your requirements. We grow and produce much of our own food and we’d love you to join us for informal dinners or help you make the most of the local produce in your own apartment kitchen
Find out more
Make
We welcome help from children and adults alike in our garden and with feeding the chickens and collecting - eggs which we can then use to make fresh pasta together! We’re always happy to teach you new cooking skills, just ask what you’d like to learn
Find out more
Explore
Go for half hour strolls or 3 hour hikes, tour the area on bikes, go exploring by car and see the best the Montefetro and nearby areas have to offer with tiny hilltop villages, sweeping views, medieval architecture, fabulous food and wild swimming.
Find out more
Welcome
We are OPEN!
Italy is opening its borders to European travellers from 3rd June so we would be delighted to welcome you!
Bars, restaurants, shops, galleries etc will be open, but social distancing policies will still apply and everyone is (currently) still advised to wear a mask when in public spaces. We will keep you updated on any further changes, and hope to see you here soon!
Shop
Stay with us
Peace & tranquility in the Tuscan hills
Two self-catering or B&B apartments for families and couples. Come here to relax, experience Italian life, eat well, sleep well and ‘put your feet up’ well. Alice, Gavin and their family would love to welcome you here.
Join us for a holiday or a weekend escape, share our table for lazy breakfasts and long relaxed dinners with plenty of laughs. Take yourself off for hours in the hammock with a good book or come to us for advice on where to explore whether it’s fabulous wild swimming or some of Italy’s finest Renaissance art and medieval towns you want to explore. Whatever your needs, we can assist, share a drink and a chat or simply leave you in peace.
Eat
We can arrange breakfasts and evenings meals according to your requirements. We grow and produce much of our own food and we’d love you to join us for informal dinners or help you make the most of the local produce in your own apartment kitchen.
Learn More
Make
We welcome help from children and adults alike in our garden and with feeding the chickens and collecting - eggs which we can then use to make fresh pasta together! We’re also always happy to teach you new cooking skills, just ask what you’d like to learn.
Learn More
Explore
Go for half hour strolls or 3 hour hikes, tour the area on bikes, go exploring in your car and see the best the Montefeltro and nearby areas have to offer with tiny hilltop villages, sweeping views, medieval architecture, fabulous food and wild swimming.
Learn More
Stay
Both our open plan apartments are perfect for couples, families or groups of friends.
La Piccionaia is larger with a double bedroom, two double sofa beds and a wood burning stove that is perfect for cosy winter stays.
Il Granaio is smaller with a double bedroom, kitchen/living space with double sofa bed and a private terrace.
There are more shared terraces around the property, a small cooling off pool, hammocks under the pines and lots of outside play equipment for kids - visible from our new balcony so parents can join us for a drink and keep an eye on the children as they play!
More about rooms
Availability
Prices
Book Now
Gallery
Stay
Both our open plan apartments are perfect for couples, families or groups of friends.
La Piccionaia is larger with a double bedroom, two double sofa beds and a wood burning stove that is perfect for cosy winter stays.
Il Granaio is smaller with a double bedroom, kitchen/living space with double sofa bed and a private terrace.
There are more shared terraces around the property, a small cooling off pool, hammocks under the pines and lots of outside play equipment for kids - visible from our new balcony so parents can join us for a drink and keep an eye on the children as they play!
Learn More
Prices
Availability
Book Now
Gallery
Stay
Both our open plan apartments are perfect for couples, families or groups of friends.
La Piccionaia is larger with a double bedroom, two double sofa beds and a wood burning stove that is perfect for cosy winter stays.
Il Granaio is smaller with a double bedroom, kitchen/living space with double sofa bed and a private terrace.
There are more shared terraces around the property, a small cooling off pool, hammocks under the pines and lots of outside play equipment for kids - visible from our new balcony so parents can join us for a drink and keep an eye on the children as they play!
Learn More
Prices
Availability
Book Now
Gallery
About Us
We - Alice and Gavin - have been living here since 2012 and have restored the original old house (which had since become a store room and pigeon loft) and attached haybarn/cow shed into our lovely two apartments La Piccionaia and Il Granaio. We’ve built a life here here with all our three children Giorgio, Emilio and Lucia having been born in Italy and we really enjoy sharing our love of the simple rural Italian life with our guests.
News & Blog
About
We - Alice and Gavin - have been living here since 2012 and have restored the original old house (which had since become a store room and pigeon loft) and attached haybarn/cow shed into our lovely two apartments La Piccionaia and Il Granaio. We’ve built a life here here with all our three children Giorgio, Emilio and Lucia having been born in Italy and we really enjoy sharing our love of the simple rural Italian life with our guests.
News & Blog
Where
Perched 700m up in the wooded Appenines where truffle grow and wild boar roam, tucked away in the far eastern corner of Tuscany halfway between Arezzo and Rimini on the Adriatic.
The closest airports are at Perugia, then Ancona and Bologna.
The tiny hamlet of Valenzano is just 3km up a steep windy road away from ancient market town of Sestino at the head of the Foglia valley and is ideally located to explore the surrounding regional parks, go cycling, walking or looking for mushrooms in the mountains or visit the abundant Renaissance art in Urbino and Arezzo.
If arriving from Bologna or anywhere north of Pesaro on the Adriatic coast you will come through Sestino. Almost opposite the Ferramenta Magi is our turning: coming from Bologna it’s a right hand turn near the beginning of town, coming from Pesaro it’s a left hand turn near the end of town signed Borgo Pace (there’s a brown tourist sign towards Parco Ranco Spinoso too). You need to follow this road (the SP51, sometimes marked Strada Provinciale del Passo della Spugna) for 3km. Do not take the right turning to Lucemburgo, but a couple of hundred metres further on your right is a turning towards Valenzano and us.
If arriving from Fano, Ancona, Arezzo or Sansepolcro, you will need to go through Borgo Pace and take the SP51 towards Sestino. Please note there are a few kilometers of this road that are ‘white road’ – unmade with tarmac. Don’t worry, you are still on the right road! We’re 10km from Borgo Pace and you will see the left hand turning to Valenzano and us.
Where
Perched 700m up in the wooded Appenines where truffle grow and wild boar roam, tucked away in the far eastern corner of Tuscany halfway between Arezzo and Rimini on the Adriatic.
The closest airports are at Perugia, then Ancona and Bologna.
The tiny hamlet of Valenzano is just 3km up a steep windy road away from ancient market town of Sestino at the head of the Foglia valley and is ideally located to explore the surrounding regional parks, go cycling, walking or looking for mushrooms in the mountains or visit the abundant Renaissance art in Urbino and Arezzo.
If arriving from Bologna or anywhere north of Pesaro on the Adriatic coast you will come through Sestino. Almost opposite the Ferramenta Magi is our turning: coming from Bologna it’s a right hand turn near the beginning of town, coming from Pesaro it’s a left hand turn near the end of town signed Borgo Pace (there’s a brown tourist sign towards Parco Ranco Spinoso too). You need to follow this road (the SP51, sometimes marked Strada Provinciale del Passo della Spugna) for 3km. Do not take the right turning to Lucemburgo, but a couple of hundred metres further on your right is a turning towards Valenzano and us.
If arriving from Fano, Ancona, Arezzo or Sansepolcro, you will need to go through Borgo Pace and take the SP51 towards Sestino. Please note there are a few kilometers of this road that are ‘white road’ – unmade with tarmac. Don’t worry, you are still on the right road! We’re 10km from Borgo Pace and you will see the left hand turning to Valenzano and us.
Reviews
Alice cooked for us several times and the food was nothing short of superb - including the breakfasts with lots of fruit and home made pastries.Steve, Birmingham
Their hospitality is incomparable. The house is beautiful and the view amazing.Sólveig ásta, Reykjavik
We spent the two days in the hammocks soaking up the views and that is very unusual for us. No need to go anywhere else! Alice is an amazing cook and prepared a lovely dinner.Sue, Cambridge
This review is long overdue... we have been struggling to put into words how great this place is. From the moment we were greeted by Alice & Gavin we felt at home, and by the time we left it felt like they were old family friends. They were always on hand to offer advice on where to go and what to do. Nothing was too difficult. And the food! THE FOOD! Mostly grown by Gavin, and expertly prepared by Alice - just what you want in the Italian countryside. Our son had a great time playing with their three, and we had great fun drinking wine and home made aperitifs with them. 😊 We will be back.Michael, Hemel Hempstead