Casa dei Vini

There’s something quite bewitching about the approach to this villa, along an avenue of beech, oak and ancient chestnut trees, and past a century old cedar to the pretty stone house, cloaked in climbing roses, with a super view of Cetona forming a fairy-tale backdrop. Within the grounds, broad lawns are punctuated with flowers and shrubs; the swimming pool is set between silvered olive trees and scented lavender; and a path leads to a cool cellar cut into the rock, where wines are left for guests to enjoy on an ‘honesty’ basis, settling-up at the end of their stay.Within the villa, spacious rooms are attractively furnished in fresh country style. On the ground floor, a charming sitting/dining room is divided by a huge stone arch, echoed by big double doors to the garden, while a second sitting room, on the floor above, has a cool country look and opens out to the top of the outdoor stone staircase. With woodland paths on the doorstep, the villa is just 2.5km from Cetona’s shops and good restaurants, with golf at Panicarola, water sports on Lake Trasimeno, and fascinating Cortona all within 50km.