Villa Il Gufo Italy

Nestled within the small medieval village of Anghiari, Villa il Gufo is comprised of several Tuscan farmhouses, restored with love and passion to create a magical estate of distinctive earthy colour tones and subtle aromas of Jasmine and Primrose.
The property consists of three units dating back to 1600, that include a monastery that housed Camaldolesi monks for over a thousand years, a main house spread over three stories with private terracotta terraces, and a charming stone cottage about 30m away from the main building. All of these fascinating buildings have long and varied histories, and have been restored with respect to their heritage, keeping many of the original features such as the floor tiles, stone steps and thick wooden trusses.
Surrounding the buildings are carefully maintained landscaped gardens boasting a wide array of colourful blossoms, and a further 5 acres of woodland home to one of the oldest cypresses in the valley and many resident squirrels, hares, deer, pheasants, and owls. This strong connection to nature is one of the standout attractions of the property, where guests can relax in the sun by the large outdoor swimming pool, hide away in a small wooden snug secluded among the olive trees, enjoy the children’s playground with hammocks and games, or dine al-fresco on a veranda surrounded by roses.
The family behind the renovation of this wonderful property is extremely passionate about the experience that each guest enjoys, and encourage you to specify any needs you may have before you arrive in order for them to ensure they can provide you with the perfect tailor-made service.
To ensure that the culinary heritage is fully appreciated, the owners can organize wine and oil tastings in the many oil mills and wineries in the area. They can even organize all this within the estate so you never have to leave the comfort of Villa il Gufo!
On request, you can enjoy delicious breakfasts, snacks, lunches, gourmet dinners or even picnics in the woods (always fondly remembered by previous guests).Just 500m from the property, in the village of Tavernelle di Anghiari, you will find the basic necessities and a couple of restaurants.
Anghiari (5 mins drive away) is a small gem known throughout the world for its art and culture, antique shops, local crafts, excellent restaurants and its medieval history. Built around the flow of the Arno and Tiber rivers it is dotted with churches, medieval houses, monasteries and archaeological sites. From the top you can see the entire valley – a truly magnificent view. Its narrow streets and squares are home to masterpieces of painting and sculpture that in recent years have received recognition from the Italian touring cub who declared it one of the most beautiful villages of Italy.
Over the year various famous artists have lived here including Michelangelo Buonarroti, Piero della Francesca, Luca Pacioli and Leonardo da Vinci who painted here at the famous Battle of Anghiari.
The food, the art, the history, the culture can all be felt everywhere, from the farmer’s market on Wednesday to the Tuesday and Saturday markets in Sansepolcro, during the many festivals held throughout the year, and especially in the summer music festivals.
The house’s location is an ideal base from which to visit the most popular places in Tuscany such as Florence, Siena, Assisi, Perugia, which are all less than 100 miles from the house, or in two hours you can reach Lucca and Pisa.
A 15 minute drive takes you to the lesser known but charming villages of Sansepolcro, Cortona (famous for the book and film “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes), Citerna and Monterchi. Also nearby is the beautiful hermitage of La Verna where Francis of Assisi received the stigmata and Arezzo, famous for the film “Life is Beautiful” where every first weekend of the month one of the most famous antiques fairs in Italy is held here.
Being on the border with Umbria, it is well worth a walk in Città di Castello, Gubbio and Lake Trasimeno up to Spello, or visit Deruta which is known worldwide for its famous handmade pottery.
If your passion is fishing there are many lakes where you will find trout and chub, and you can also fish at the dam of Montedoglio, that is full of pike and carp.
If shopping is your thing then there are many outlets (the mall, Prada, Valdichiana outlet, Befane) that can be reached in less than an hour’s drive.
Tennis courts and bowling can be found in Anghiari and Sansepolcro, where there are also gyms and fitness centres. Meanwhile there is a stunning 9-hole golf course in Perugia.
DistancesTowns: Arezzo 27km – Florence 100km – Perugia 70km – Assisi 90km – Rimini 10km
Airports: Perugia 55km – Pisa 200km. The most economical and convenient flight coming from London is the airport of Perugia. Cheap Ryanair flights four times a week. Pisa has more flights to choose from though and is just under 2 hours drive from the house.At Excellence Luxury Villas we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests.  If there is anything you would like to arrange for your stay, please contact the Excellence Luxury VillasConcierge Team who will be happy to help. We can usually help you arrange any of the following:
Service included in the rental price
– Welcome hamper (jam, butter, cookies, pastries, juices, coffee, tea, sugar, oil, salt, pepper, cleaning products) – Welcome drink – Bar cabinet in the living room – Birthday cake with candles- Highchair and cot- Daily garden and pool maintenance – Mid-week maid service- Wood for the fireplace (one box every second day)
Services on request and at extra charge:
– Extra Cot (€50 p/w)- Linen and towel change (€25 p/p)- Kitchen cleaning (min. €150)- Extra cleaning (€25 p/h)
Some of these services can be arranged by the owners and for the others they rely on local professionals, so for logistical reasons it is advisable to book them well in advance.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please just contact Excellence Luxury VillasConcierge Team to help you arrange any of those little extras that can really make the difference.
1) 4 double bedrooms (8 guests)
2) 7 double bedrooms (14 guests)
3) 7 double bedrooms + sofa beds (20 guests)
The Villa (access to the main house is from two sides: the kitchen and the living room)
Ground Floor
– Large living room with huge antique fireplace, Steinway piano, 3 sofas, 5 square tables and chairs
– Small sitting area with armchairs
– Fully-equipped kitchen with 6 burners, a large oven, 2 large fridges, two sinks, a dishwasher (that completes a full load in 60 seconds!), washing machine, coffee machine, kettle, microwave, dryer, toaster, deep fryer and a kitchen table next to a working fireplace
First Floor
– Living room with original working fireplace
– Large terrace with stunning views
– Suite with a double bed, ensuite bathroom and a corner bath tub
– Suite with a double bed, ensuite shower room and access to the terrace
– Suite with a sitting area with a double sofa bed (suitable for two guests), ensuite bathroom and French doors leading to the terrace
Second Floor (said to be an old watchtower)
– Mezzanine library
– Suite with a double bed and a living room with fireplace and double sofa bed (the two rooms are separated by a door but share the same en-suite bathroom)
The Cottage
– Master bedroom with two bathrooms (a disabled toilet and a bathroom with hydro-massage shower)
– Compact kitchen
– Garden with table and chairs, suitable for 2 or 3 people
Former Chapel
Ground Floor
– Suite with a double bed and en-suite shower room
First Floor
– Suite with a master bedroom and en-suite bathroom with shower
– Kitchenette with refrigerator
Outside Grounds (1 hectare)
– Swimming Pool (12m x 6m, depth: 1.5m), open approximately mid-May to end-September
– Large outdoor terrace furnished with sun loungers, tables, chairs and parasols
– Extensive lush gardens
– Ancient well
– Games area with table tennis, hammocks, rackets and balls
– Pergola with a table and chairs near the kitchen and another by the pool
– 5 acres of woodland
– Laundry room with a washing machine and tumble dryer
– Parking
Facilities
– Wi-Fi
– Heating (available for use from 1st November, unless requested in advance)
– Air-conditioning (bedrooms)
– TVs (in each bedroom)
– DVDs
– Stereo with CD player
– Mini-bar (in each bedroom)
– Hairdryers
– Books and magazines
– Guides and information about the area
– Board games
– Iron and ironing board
– Mosquito screens
Extra Sustainability Gems About the Property
The owners have installed solar panels to provide hot water, the park is home to centuries-old plants and the property benefits from no air pollution meaning the starry skies, sunrises and sunsets are truly amazing.