PENTHOUSE DUPLEX BEAUTIFUL VIEWS SPECTACULAR SETTING

The medieval village of San Donato in Poggio in the heart of the Chianti region has been included in the 100 most beautiful "Borghi" in Italy.
Right in the main square is the entrance to the enchanting penthouse duplex. The building is actually part of the walls of the town and dates back to the year 900 which makes it over 1,000 years old.
There are 40 stone steps from the cobbled street to reach the apartment once there one can enjoy views of the village on one side and of the glorious countryside on the other.
Just a few steps from the entrance are gourmet food shops, a baker, several very good restaurants, and lovely village shops, a bank, the pharmacy, the post office and a small supermarket are all within a short walking distance.
San Donato in Poggiooffers all the conveniences within a few steps, in addition, it is an ideal central point for daily excursions just 25 minutes from the center of Florence, and a lovely 22-mile drive to Siena, and many other historical destinations and a world of timeless beauty in between.

THE LAYOUT:

From the small windowed foyer an archway leads to the large living room with a wide fireplace, in the livingroom there is. a couche and armchairs, a double sofa bed, tv, aircondioning unit and the steps which lead to a loft. The loft has a single bed, an easy chair, a large desk and from the loft is a small single room with a single bed.

From the livingroom an archway leads to the spacious eat-in kitchen/den with a brick wood-burning pizza oven, a small sitting area, a dining table, and a large arched window floor to ceiling which opens onto the beautiful Chianti hills.

A short corridor leads to the 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms .
The primary bedroom has a queensize bed, while the second bedroom has a French bed, 120x190 cm.
The main bathroom has 2 sinks a large shower, bidet and WC. the second bathroom has a shower, sink, bidet and WC.
The flat also has a laundry room with washer and dryer right off the foyer.

The flat can comfortably accommodate up to five adults plus 1 or 2 on the sofabed.
There is unlimited hot water and central heatinged.

The large kitchen is fully equipped and stocked with local wine, olive oil, pasta, and other essential delights of the local shops.

It is difficult to imagine a better way to experience the art, the culture, the history, and the magical landscape of Tuscany.

SOME HISTORICAL INFO:
The town is small but it still conserves its medieval heritage. The heart of the town is still surrounded by the original defensive walls built in the 11th century and along the western edge a watch tower still stands.
We entered through the northwestern entrance called "Porta Fiorentina" (since it leads toward Florence), followed the main street, Via del Giglio, that has intersected the town since the 12th century. We passed a remaining tower-house from before arriving into the main square. Here, the imposing Palazzo Malaspina (part of it now the B&B Palazzo Malaspina) dominates one corner and right next to it is the Gothic church Santa Maria della Neve with its side facing the square. In the center, the octagonal well reflects how important a well was as the town's only water supply when the town was under siege. On the other side, is the Palazzo Pretorio which has not conserved its medieval look and is certainly less imposing than the facing Palazzo Malaspina.

We learned that for its small size, San Donato in Poggio has played an important role in the centuries-long struggle between Florence and Siena. In 1218, the town came under the power of the city of Florence. Its importance then grew as it became a stop along the road from Florence down to Rome, and travelers coming into Florentine territory stopped here even to change their coins.

In 1176 and in 1265, two peace treaties between the republics of Florence and Siena were signed at San Donato in Poggio. Just 5 years before the second treaty, Florentine troops had organized just below the town as they were preparing to march to the Battle of Montaperti. The battle was a loss for the Florentine Guelphs and for this, the town and surrounding territory was ransacked after the battle. The peace treaty of 1265 did not last long.

Toward the end of the 14th century, the main pilgrimage and economic road started to pass through the nearby Tavarnelle and Barberino and thus the town's importance began to decline.

As we made our way out of the eastern wall called Porta Senese we come upon the main church of San Donato, the Pieve di San Donato. Built in Tuscan Romanesque style, documents date it back to the year 989. The baptismal font in terracotta and glazed by Giovanni della Robbia dates back to 1513.

These are the historical sights within the small medieval town of San Donato in Poggio. In our brief stop, before heading to a wine tour and tasting in the nearby Fattoria Montecchio, we saw two restaurants, a post office, pharmacy and several small shops that would make San Donato a perfect base for your holiday in Chianti!