FATTORIA BELVEDERE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOUR HOLIDAY WITH US

The following information should ensure a relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable stay with us. You will find practical information about our Fattoria in this document as well as suggestions for your shopping, public transport, nearby sightseeing restaurants and much more. Please note that all land line phone numbers (in this area starting with 055) require dialing the number 0 after the country code (0039 for ), in contrast to other countries, while in case of calling mobile phone numbers, the number 0 is NOT dialed between country code and the mobile number network prefix (usually 344, 366, 348 or 339）.

Information around BELVEDERE

Arrival When arriving, you will find the key to your apartment either in the lock of your apartment door or you will receive it directly from us. As our reception is not continuously manned, please always take your key with you, or leave it in a safe place that only you know about. Should you lose your key, please call Signore Vanni Signorini on his mobile phone (0039-3462116301) or alternatively Signore Riccardo Tognaccini (0039-32910780489). They will tell you where to find a spare key.

Bed linen/kitchen towels In case you have forgotten to bring your own bed linen etc. or to pre-order it with your rental agreement, you can rent it upon arrival. Please ask the administration for whatever you need.

Washing machine Our washing machine is at your disposal. You will find it right behind the main building in an open but roofed space, Access This is past the viewing terrace with its loggia (heading away from the little court). At the corner of the main building tum left and slightly uphill. After about 10m tum right again and you will see the laundry space where you will find lines to hang and dry your washing. .

Oil and Wine

Our Fattoria not only offers you its own wine but especially our renowned first class olive oil, “IgP Toscano” ) . At the reception loggia (between the big table and the little wall) you will find a small door .The key to it is hidden in the lantern hanging above the table (please always put it back for other guests to find). In this small shed you'll find white and red wine and oil, as well as vinegar, made in our Fattoria and Vin “ Santo “ ( wine for the “ MESSA-MASS “ ) which is a sweet/dry desert wine very typical for our area , similar to Port or Sauternes . You will find also an Espresso Coffee with filters.

Please note down what you have taken on the notepad prepared for you. Your account will be settled upon your departure. Please note we do not offer payment by debit or credit cards. Payment is by cash or bank transfer only.

Prices usually are not higher than in the supermarket, but the products offered are of excellent quality and freshness. Likewise, for kitchen garden products when fruit and vegetables are in season

Swimming-pool The swimming pool is for guests only. The maximum depth is 1.80 m. Please pay especial attention to children. . The water comes directly from our private aqueduct water system that brings it from a spring in the woods through a 1.4 km pipeline. For safety’s sake the water is treated with a minimal quantity of chlorine. . Market days in the vicinity . The markets in towns such as Figline , San Giovanni Valdarno or also offer food and other products in overwhelming quantities. You will find everything from shoelaces and household articles to leather goods and suits (including labels such as PRADA , GUCCI , VALENTINO and FERRAGAMO).

Friday morning: Castelfranco di Sopra (with a butcher offering the very best porchetta on this planet-a must-taste and the fresh cheese PECORINO FRESCO

Saturday morning: San Giovanni Valdarno

Saturday afternoon: Pian di Scò

Monday morning: Not that close by, but worth the trip as town and scenery are beautiful.

Tuesday morning: Figline Valdarno

Thursday morning: Montevarchi

Food shopping in Castelfranco di Sopra COOP and CARREFOUR, close at 19,30 h open also in Sunday morning . Butcher ( Filippini ) , Baker , Pasticceria and whatever else you need

Please note that the shops in Castlefranco di Sopra are closed on Sundays and Wednesday afternoons. There are also large supermarkets (Conad and Lidl) open also on Sundays in FIGLINE Valdarno , San GIOVANNI Valdarno and Montevarchi

Gas/Petrol station. The closest gas station is located in Faella ( near a good “ trattoria “ Il Fiasco “ ), right on the main road leading to Figline Valdarno . Caution: Self service pumps are 10 cents cheaper/liter, but can only be operated with cash or Italian bank cards

Opening hours are Mon-Sat 08.00-12-30,15.00-19.00 (NO SERVICE ON SUNDAYS, only Self Service ) .

Public Transport For journeys north, especially to Florence and down south to or further, we strongly recommend the train. The nearest station is Figline Valdarno where there are trains to Florence every 30 minutes and free parking is available. In Florence, the trains arrive at the main station in the city center at Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

For shopping Florence, which you will discover for yourselves, is a truly excellent shopping center. However, we'd also like to recommend two outlet centers close to Castelfranco di Sopra:

1. Cuoieria Fiorentina, Via dei Ciliegi 25-50064 Incisa in Val d', near exit A1 (Incisa Reggello) an outlet for really beautiful top quality leather goods. www. cuoieriafiorentina.it 2. The Mall, Leccio, near A1 exit Incisa Reggello, Via Europa 8,50066 Leccio, Reggello this is a popular outlet center for the truly big Italian luxury designer labels (Gucci, Valentino , Prada , Ferragamo , Max and Co, etc.). www.themall.it

Pharmacies 1. Castelfranco: Farmacia Dr Salvatore Santoro, 6, Via Alighieri Dante, CSTELFRANCO di Sopra. 2. Pian di Scò: Farmacia Sordi, Piazza Europa 3. FIGLINE Valdarno: Farmacia Dssa. Giuseppina Bernardi, 44 Piazza Marsilio Ficino.

Medical facilities 118 for EMERGENGY CALL Castelfranco: Casa della Salute 0039 055 9149323 0039 055 9106794 (first-aid ) General practice. Dr Marco Arnetoli or his daughter 0039 0559106788 Pediactrician. 0039 559106785 Hospital: First aid only. Ospedale Serristori Piazza Aprile XX, 10, FIGLINE Valdamo (24h ambulance and emergency. 0039-055-95081 Main Hospital of VALDARNO Valley. Le Gruccie, Pza del VOLONTARIATO 2 52025 Montevarchi. 0039 05591061

Veterinary surgeons Dr Alberto Briganti Locality Restone 50063. Figline Valdamo 0039 055952444 (This vetinary practice and clinic is also a wild animal care and treatment station and thus available 24 hours a day. Dr. Briganti also speaks German and English).

Studio Professionale Assoiato Clinica Veterinaria Via Fratelli Rosselli 39/40, 50063 Figlinie Valdamo 0039 0559544822

Sightseeing For those of you who prefer sightseeing far away from the tourist mainstream with its crowds will certainly be rewarded by some rather unique gems in our area. Examples of these are as follows: 1. The Pieve di Gropina close to Loro Chiuffenna, an absolutely unique and marvelous church with a Longobardo pulpit. During August there are concerts by the Accademia Chigiana. 2. The Romanesque churches in Castelfranco (Badia di Soffena, with a fresco by Scheggia, Masaccio’s brother, and in Pian di Scò). 3. The Santo Pietro church in Cascia (Regello) wjth its tryptic San Giovenale by the famous renaissance painter Masaccio who was born in San Giovanni Valdarno. 4. A highly recommended trip is to Chasterhouse Abbey Vallombrosa, “valley in the shadow”, which is by no means a valley but stretches out high in the mountains above Regello. The mesmerizing depth of its forests around the abbey, and the scenery are amazing. There are also many hiking trails to explore. 5. Crossing Crossing the Vallombrosa towards the east will take you down to Camaldoli in Casentino, the first part of the Arno, an unknown part of and from there to the well hidden hermitage La Verna built by Francis of Assisi, where he lived for many years. 6. Stia, also located in the Casentino valley, is the old center of Tuscan clothiers and weavers. You will find beautiful modern examples of these arts to buy. if you wish. including hand woven table cloths and clothes. Stop and visit the ruins of the middle ages Castle Torri Romena and the old church, a very romantic place. 7. There are a number of lovely little towns nearby that again are undetected by mass tourism. , and San Sepolcro are three little towns nestling in the hills, the latter boasting of its parochial church with frescoes by the master Piero della Francesca. Populonia is an Etruscan grave site (you are in an Etruscan region, most of the names of places are Etruscan). 8. The abbey of San Galgano. A Cistercense abbey without a roof. 9. Monte Oliveto Maggiore. An abbey with beautiful cloisters decorated with frescos by Signorelli and Sodoma. 10. The Chianti hills are best discovered via the small mountain roads. The so-called “Crete” is a special highlight in this usually lush green area as all of a sudden you’ll find yourselves in the midst of a rough and completely scant moon-like scene, almost unreal but a true wonder of nature (Greve in Chianti , Castellina in Chianti or Ponzano) 11. The Torre Galatrona, close to Montevarchi, Mercatale, a watch tower dating from the 12th century located in beautiful scenery, inviting you to climb it to enjoy a marvelous view across the entire middle Arno valley. 12. Abbazia del Coltibuono a romanesque abbey at the foot of the Chianti hills with a very popular but smart restaurant. 13. Arrezo finally, the wonderful and important seat of the Grand Dukes of Medici. Enjoy its splendid old town center with its numerous palaces. Relish a visit to its main church Basilica Basilica di San Francesco which is home to Italy’s most precious and most beautiful complete on-site frescoes by Piero della Francesca. A very large antiques market takes place on the first weekend of each month in the small park on top of the hill in the old town.

This list could be continued for many pages but if you manage to view all of the above, you will have done very well!

Not in the mood of cooking? No problem, there are a number of little restaurants in and around Castelfranco, mostly visited by locals rather than tourists, where true Tuscan cuisine is prepared with love for the 'simple' finesse so typical of the Tuscan culture.

Here are some recommendations, carefully selected by your host, Signore Signorini:

1. Bar Pizzeria Bude, a typical pizza restaurant in the Piazza in Castelfranco. there are no better pizzas to be had in the entire area, and there is no better place to watch the sun setting behind the town houses and enjoy an early evening drink. 2. Osteria Setteponti, located on the main road towards Pian di Scò. Turn right on to the main road (Via Setteponti) when coming down from Belvedere. After 50m there is restaurant parking on the left. Tuscan dishes are prepared with carefully sought and purely organic ingredients grown solely in our locality. www.osteriasetteponti.it 3. Ristorante il Corvo, Via Setteponti, (main road towards Arezzo, about 1km from Castelfranco center. Down to earth, lovingly prepared Tuscan cuisine, especially fish. www.ristoranteilcorvovaldarno. 4. Le Balze Ristorante e Agriturismo. A famjly-owned restaurant and holiday resort in the midst of the Balze sandstone hills, , very romantic and bare of any kind of concession to modernism with , simple but good cooking at very-reasonable prices. Please make reference that you are guests of Belvedere. www.lebalze.it 5. Il Praticino , Ristorante e Agriturismo, high up in the mountains above Belvedere, at the foot of Pratomagno peaks (1500m) . Don't be scared by the bumpy and potholed tracks that take you there. The view from up there across the Arno valley and far into the Chianti hills is absolutely unique. The hosts are extremely friendly (Roberto will even pick you up in Pulicciano if the road is really too much for your car) and most important of all, Manuela is a master cooking artist. Pricing is very modest, too modest really compared to what they bring to table phone 0039 057087517 or 0039 0559149726 , phone early and they will give you a special discount as guests of Belvedere. www.praticino.it 6. Il Fiasco. In the small village of Faella, on the way to Figline Valdarno no fiasco indeed, but quite an experience in this quaint and very original place. It is a quiet pub with a simple but delicious menu, especially the fried food. 0039 055965048

Please note that most restaurants in this area are closed on Mondays (exception Osteria Setteponti) and we also recommend that you make reservations particularly in high seson.