A perfect medieval castle overlooks the hamlet "borgo" that has been turned into a vacation village with ten accommodations as well as a four room B&B. The views of the Chianti hills are open and lovely.

Between Siena and Arezzo, a little off the beaten track, the fairy tale castle of Bucine rises from the hills of Tuscany. The hamlet next to the castle has been transformed into a vacation village with luxury apartments and villas.

And all of Chianti and Tuscany lie beyond with so many fabled towns and villages to explore, you will be torn between enjoying your village or visiting new ones. You are, amazingly, a fifteen minute drive from the A1 highway that links Rome with Florence, but unless you know how to find this property, it is unlikely you will discover it. Arezzo, famous for its antiques market, charm, and medieval jousting is half an hour's drive. Siena is a 45 minute drive, Florence an hour, and Rome's airport about three hours. You can avoid driving into Florence by catching the local train that gets you right into the center of that city in an hour.

The restaurant that serves six days a week during mid and high season is a real bonus. Breakfast is included with the B&B rooms and is available to apartment and cottage residents for an extra charge. Dinner served five nights: M,T,Th,F,Sat. There is a small bar and local wine and olive oil are available for purchase.

This lovely property has so much to offer to the vacationer whether a couple or an extended family. The variety of accommodations welcomes mixed groups and family reunions, too. Close to well-known towns like Arezzo and Siena, it also lets you wander solitary among the olive groves and ancient hills.

The property has 700 acres of woods, olive groves and vineyards to wander. An unrestored borgo used for farm purposes lies a hundred yards down the road and just beyond is a fishing lake. Fishing poles are available. The large, sunny swimming pool (26x66 feet or 8x20m) is almost competition size. You may reserve cycling tours, guided walks and treks, and private or group cooking lessons.

The accommodations merit four stars, luxurious but not opulent. The restorations have been beautifully done, respecting the ancient architectural elements and providing wonderful views. The furnishings are of a high quality. The apartments have air conditioning in the bedrooms, external telephone lines, well-equipped kitchens, and satellite TV for English language news programs, placing these accommodations a cut above many.

This spacious apartment has multiple living rooms; a living room with working fireplace plus a separate sitting room. that opens out onto the rear terrace. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms, one with a queen sized bed, the other with twins.

On the second floor (North American designation) a second living room with another fire place allows the second floor to host a second family, if you like, with some privacy. There is a sofa bed that will sleep two. The second floor bedroom is under the eves and has a queen sized bed.

Included: Utilities included except for heat paid as consumed. Guest pays for landline calls. WiFi on the property, not guaranteed for every room. The security deposit is €200 paid in cash upon check-in and will be returned to you upon departure, less any deductions for heat, damage, lost keys and phone calls.

Arrival is normally on Saturday afternoon between 2 and 6pm. Other times and dates by advance arrangement. Please complete your arrival information on the Italy Perfect site in any case so your hosts know when to expect you.

During mid and high season, dinner is served daily except for Sunday and Wedensday on the terrace. The fixed menu changes daily, includes bottled water and wine. The price is approximately €35/person. There is a child's menu or half portions for €17.50/child. Reservations in advance required. When you login to Italy Perfect to complete your reservations, please indicate whether you wish to reserve dinner for the date of your arrival; it is one of the options.

Checking in: You can arrive in the afternoon and if your accommodations aren’t yet ready for you, ask if you can leave your luggage before you leave the property. Better to leave your luggage before going someplace like to the grocery store. It is not prudent to leave luggage in an unattended automobile.

A perfect medieval castle overlooks the hamlet "borgo" that has been turned into a vacation village with ten accommodations as well as a four room B&B. The views of the Chianti hills are open and lovely.