This place is fabulous. Vanessa met us and toured us through the house and around the yard, which includes a pool. She explained the use of the appliances, showed us where everything was in the house, gave us her contact information and restaurant suggestions. A very warm welcome.
ll Poggio is accessed via a drive over country roads and up a hill to a position near the top. Walking up stone steps to a covered porch with views over the valley brings you to the main level. Sitting in this outside space with wine and cheese in the late afternoon away from distracting noises is very relaxing.
The main level kitchen, dining and sitting areas share the same large space in an open concept. The kitchen features modern appliances, is well stocked with all the kitchen necessities and was an invitation to cook our own Italian meals. We enjoyed a tasty breakfast here, with supplies bought at the local grocery store, before starting our day. The welcome basket (a great touch) contained coffee, cold meat, cheese, jam, honey, pasta, sauce, bread and wine. The dining area has a sizeable table and 8 chairs. The sitting area has a comfortable couch and lounging chairs next to the large fireplace with wood burning stove.
The bedroom on the main level is roomy with plenty of wardrobe space. The bathroom with shower is next to this room, as is the washing machine.
The second bedroom is upstairs. It is larger than the main floor bedroom, with a large wardrobe, desk, couch and chairs. The adjacent spacious bathroom is modern with a great tub and shower combination.
All windows in the home have screens so they can be opened to allow a cool night breeze in and keep any insects out. The town of San Gusmé, about a kilometer away, is visible from the second floor bedroom through the vineyard. You can hear the peel of the church bell.
A twenty-minute walk in a bucolic setting of trees and vines leads to the Arceno winery. After a tasting of the locally produced wines we walked about 30 minutes to San Gusmé for some pasta and pizza in this small, quiet town.
A short drive from the house is the town of Castelnuovo Berardegna. Go to Bengodi Enoteca Ristorante. Have the risotto. Enjoy the Thursday morning market.
Volterra, San Gimignano, Siena, Castellina in Chianti are all within a short, scenic drive of Il Poggio, as are some great vineyards in this south region of Chianti.
Make this your home base in this part of Tuscany. This is the Italian experience you came for.