Le Terrine - Large Tuscan farmhouse with private pool and tranquil views

An excellent house in a very beautiful part of Tuscany. We had a week here June and enjoyed it hugely. The house is enormous, we only took up three of the four large bedrooms on the first floor. Every room was very well set out with everything we could need and comfy beds. The two large bathrooms were more than enough, especially with one downstairs and another upstairs. We did not use the second floor but it would be particularly good for kids rooms. The ground floor has a dining room which we did not use as we either ate outside or in the kitchen, which has a large dining table. We spent a lot of our time cooking up the local produce and this was the perfect place for it. There is also a lounge area just off the kitchen with plenty of seating. The building itslef is reatains all of its old world charm and has clearly been renovated with this in mind. It retails the feel of a Tuscan farmhouse which was especially good for those visiting from Australia.

The outside terrace was where we spent our evening relaxing, eating and drinking a bit too much of the supermarket owner, Marcello's, local wine. They also make some very tasty sausages if you get the chance to visit. Just down from the terrace is a huge pool that really made the days relaxing a treat. From everywhere outside the house there are excellent views of the surrounding country side.

There are planty of things to do in the surrounding area but maybe not as many as some of the more touristy parts of Tuscany. For us, this was a huge positive. Sansepolcro is the local town and has plenty of restaurants and shopping. There a few good restaurants within a short drive of Terrine and a small but good supermarket. Make sure you stop in for a drink in the small bar to meet the locals!

We can't wait to book another holiday here next year and would consider visiting at any time of the year. The house would suit people of all ages. We ranged from 31 to 71 and everyone enjoyed the stay at Terrine. We had no problems finding the property and the owners were extremely helpful making us feel welcome in their Italian holiday home.

Arriving at Le Terrine in the Tuscan hills was a true pleasure. Fabulous views in a quiet setting, a perfect place to relax and unwind. I will most certainly be back with my family. Unlike some holidays where you feel you need another to get over it, I came home and felt rejuvenated. Le Terrine has everything you could possibly want for either a quiet holiday for two or for you and your family. It was a privilege to be able to stay in such a wonderful home. We arrived sunday having driven 2hrs from Pisa, so the welcome pack, which was very generous, was a lovely touch. The pool was our first port of call, perfectly set looking out towards the Tuscan hills. The local mini mart where very friendly and sell local produce and meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruits, the wine large flagon of wine was a very good price and was very palatable. I would recommend pork and sausage kebab on the fresh meat counter, lovely on the bbq.

From the carefully written directions to the excellent welcome pack, our arrival at Le Terrine was stress-free, which has not always been our experience with Tuscan villas! We were a family group, with a baby of nine months and a great granny of 92, with the rest of us between, and everything about our stay was wonderful for guests of all ages.
The villa is secluded and private (the 3 nearby properties do not overlook the terrace, pool etc) but only 5 minutes by car from Monterchi, a pretty as a picture little hilltop gem, and the views from the villa are truly spectacular; even though we had seen the pictures on the website it took our breath away. We had the master bedroom, which is grand and vaulted, but the view is even better from the other back bedroom. The top floor is a teenagers paradise, but also (in our case) a semi-private family suite for parents and baby.
Everything at Le Terrine has been planned with thought - the side terrace has sun all day, the rear terrace lets you watch the setting sun as the barbeque coals glow and you sip the last of your evening wine (try Marcello's wine at the local shop in Monterchi, you won't regret it!) and the beautiful fig tree provides early evening shade just perfect for a granny and her aperitif.
Inside, there is a room for whatever the weather or time of day, and on very hot days a cool breeze wafts through. The bathrooms are spacious and we never ran out of hot water even with 8 of us showering.
The pool is a good size, (I have seen smaller pools shared) and as well as plentiful sunbeds there is a shady gazebo, very useful for baby. (Incidentally there is also an excellent selection of baby equipment, just check with the owners - we had absolutely everything we needed.) There are quite a few steps to the pool area, so great granny took the long route across the gently sloping lawn.
But the best thing by far about Le Terrine is that it is a real family home, unpretentious, comfortable, equipped to bursting! You can feel the love and laughter oozing from its beautiful stone walls, and i am sure that every family that stays there, comes to think of it, as we did, as their very own.