Stigliano, Tuscany, Italy
Beautiful gardens and surrounding countryside of Tuscany with its scenic beauty, rich heritage and influential culture
Open Gallery-
36 studios, apartments and bungalows beautifully converted from a cluster of medieval Tuscan buildings
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Outdoor pool, Bocce, badminton and table tennis
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Stunning Chianti landscape to explore, with green hills, wide vineyards and small stone villages
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An array of incredible historic towns and architecture, right on your doorstep
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Within easy reach of Florence, Pienza, Pisa and Siena
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Beautiful gardens and surrounding countryside of Tuscany with its scenic beauty, rich heritage and influential culture
Discover Tuscany
Just 20 minutes away from the famous medieval city of Siena is the hilltop village of Stigliano. With its impressive stone tower standing sentinel over the valley, Stigliano looks much as it did in the 13th century. The ancient buildings have, however, been restored to provide attractive holiday apartments. Although the surrounding grounds have been expertly landscaped, they continue to feature olive groves and cypress trees, scattered with rosemary, thyme, and sage bushes.
With Florence as its capital, Tuscany can rightly be described as the true heart of Italy. It was at the very centre of the Renaissance and offers the discerning visitor a wealth of cultural and artistic delights. In fact, the region boasts the highest number of art galleries, museums and medieval and renaissance towns in the country. It was not by chance that great British authors such as Shelley, Byron and D.H. Lawrence found inspiration here, and that Dante and Leonardo da Vinci were both born in the region.
See the world’s greatest masterpieces
Florence has more than 70 museums, so you won’t be able to visit them all during your stay. If you only have time for one, head to the city’s most famous: Uffizi. It is home to some of the most incredible masterpieces in the world, from Michelangelo’s David to Bottichelli’s Birth of Venus.
Watch the Il Palio horse race
Palio di Siena is one of the most famous sporting events in Italy and is well worth watching if you enjoy horse racing. Taking place twice a year (usually in July and August), the race lasts an average of 75 seconds. However, the atmosphere is so incredible, it really must not be missed.
If you’re visiting at the wrong time of year to catch the race, we suggest heading to Siena anyway. It’s wonderfully unspoilt and full of religious buildings, medieval streets and ancient city walls.
Relax in a Tuscan garden
You haven’t truly experienced the region until you’ve spent some time in a Tuscan garden, as they’re such an important part of North Italian life! Over the years they’ve become more and more elaborate, with many now boasting waterworks, sculptures and rare plants. We highly recommend taking a trip to Pisa to visit the first and oldest university botanical garden in the world.
Drink Chianti in Chianti
Wine lovers must visit Chianti, a region famous for its red wines of the same name. The vineyards are a key part of its stunning landscape, which also comprises stone houses, tiny villages and beautiful olive groves. Many of the wineries offer tours and tastings to the public, so why not take some time to find out more about how this tipple is made?
Visit the Town of Fine Towers
The hill town of San Gimignano and its 14 towers look amazing from afar, but it’s well worth getting up close too. Just southwest of Florence, the Town of Fine Towers used to have a total of 72 towers, all of varying heights. It is home to an impressive number of churches as well, but the Collegiata and St Augustine are the best. Both have collections of famous Renaissance artworks inside.
Shops and restaurants
There are many shops, bars, and recommended restaurants and trattoria in the region – several within a five-minute drive, and with prices to suit all budgets.
On-site facilities
The outdoor swimming pool is open from April to October (subject to weather conditions). Stigliano’s swimming pool is available for the free and exclusive use of its guests, and is heated in the spring and autumn. Other recreational facilities include two bocce runs (Italian bowls), outdoor badminton and table tennis, a children’s play area and two barbecues.
The coast is about an hour and a half’s drive away and has superb beaches, the most popular being Castiglione. There is also a national park, near to Grosseto. At the entrance to the Tower is a communal area, where there is free internet and Wi-Fi access.
To stay in any of Stigliano’s 35 holiday homes is to stay in a piece of history. The original tower was built 800 years ago, but the surrounding buildings – indeed, the village – came along a bit later. The reason? Feudalism: the peasantry considered itself – or themselves – better protected by sticking close to the “signore del maniero”. He and his family in turn benefited from a steady supply of bread, meat, and labour. The tower drew the villagers to it.
Fascinating stuff – and it’s left a legacy of architecture behind it that will have historians in raptures. But as well as the main tower, the adjacent school, pig-sty, granary and shepherd’s house now provide modern, well equipped accommodation and facilities – albeit in an ancient setting.
Properties in Tuscany
From our photos alone you can see that Stigliano is a typical Tuscan property. They may have been restored, but the buildings here retain their 13th century style, even on the inside. The beautiful beams just add to the romance the surroundings offer.
When you’re not enjoying the beautiful views, from either the balcony of your holiday home or a sun lounger by the pool, there’s plenty to keep you entertained. Though, as you can probably see, we’re most proud of our stunning outdoor swimming pool, which is heated in the spring and autumn.
Location
HPB Stigliano
Palazzo Stigliano
53018
Rosia (Siena) Italy
Tel: +44 800 230 0391
Email: details@hpb.co.uk
Tuscany is renowned for its scenic beauty, rich artistic heritage and its remarkable influence on culture.
The region is widely regarded as the cradle of the Italian Renaissance and is (or was) home to some of the most important artists, sculptors and painters in the world: Dante, Boccaccio, Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Vasari, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Galileo, Vespucci and Puccini.
Tuscany also has the highest concentration of museums and art galleries, medieval and Renaissance towns, to be found in all of Italy.
Things to do in Tuscany
We organise a weekly excursion (subject to numbers), where we visit a vineyard, taste the wines and enjoy a three-course lunch in Castellina in the hub of the Chianti area.
As a result, there is plenty of mouth-watering Italian cuisine, which is also inexpensive (thanks to the absence of mass tourism). A rich variety of seafood is also available in the local markets and restaurants.
Walks around Stigliano
Explore the stunning Chianti landscape with its green hills, wide vineyards and small stone villages.
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“Headache-free holidays with HPB”
Stephanie and Nigel CollinsWe grabbed a few words with Nigel and Stephanie in Coreggia, where they were enjoying a summer break. Actually, “enjoying” doesn’t really do it justice: they loved the site and the area. The Coreggia surroundings are beautiful and fascinating; as well as the picturesque old town of Alberobello, there are the cave houses at Matera, Roman remains at Egnazia and the fantastic caves at Castellana Grotte. The trullo we’re staying in is just beautiful: the conversion from an old derelict trullo is simply amazing.
