Sestino, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy

La Colombaia is a beautiful stone house at the top of a tiny hamlet in the Apennine mountains, offering stunning uninterrupted views across the rolling landscape. Built and carefully restored in a charming rustic style, it features a salon, grandly decorated with hand-painted stencils, a south-facing terrace, large modern kitchen, hot tub and 12m pool. Situated in a nature reserve - the protected Sasso di Simone National Park - it is a wonderful, tranquil retreat, where mornings are filled with birdsong, days can bring delightful glimpses of wild creatures, including porcupines, foxes, wild boar, hares and deer, and where the night sky can be seen in its glory, free from light pollution.

Though remote, it is not lonely, there are other houses and a working farm nearby, with shops only 20 mins drive away. Nearest airports are (by car) Rimini (1.5 hours), Ancona (2.5 hours), Bologna (3 hours).

The house has an interesting topography of connected spaces. It is built on a hill with entrances at two levels - the front door is on the middle level and opens into the hallway, whilst the lower floor can be accessed via a small courtyard, and the kitchen, dining room and bedroom (no.2) open onto the terrace. In typical rustic style, La Colombaia features exposed wooden beams, stone walls, antique ceramic floor tiles and flagstones throughout. The house stays pleasantly cool in the heat of summertime, and is warmed in winter by an open fireplace, wood-burning stoves and gas central heating.

RECEPTION ROOMS
The upstairs salon/reception (Sitting room 1) is generously proportioned, with hand-stencilled décor, an open fireplace, a log-burning ceramic stove and a tiled floor with centre decoration. Downstairs, Sitting room 2 is similar in size, with a flagstone floor, exposed wooden beams and a wood-burning stove.

DINING ROOM
The dining room has French doors opening to the south-facing terrace with the view of the mountains beyond. It currently contains a custom-made wooden dining table, which easily seats 16 adults.

BEDROOMS
The house has 6 bedrooms and comfortably sleeps up to 16 adults. Three of the bedrooms have mezzanine or attic rooms attached. BEDROOM 1, on the middle floor, is south-facing. Restored to its original pink and blue paintwork, it has its own ensuite bathroom and an internal balcony storage space (1a), accessed from the floor above. BEDROOM 2 is on the lower floor. It opens directly to the terrace and the spectacular view beyond. BEDROOM 3, at the top of the house, is the original dovecote or 'colombaia' from which the house gets its name. It features unique bird-sized niche windows and a view of the bells belonging to the tiny church next door. BEDROOM 4 is filled with light and looks out towards the swimming pool. It features a ceramic stove in the original fireplace. BEDROOM 5 - the lower part of this south-facing room is on the middle floor whilst the upper part of the room (5a) is a mezzanine balcony, accessed via the upper floor. BEDROOM 6, above the kitchen, has windows facing south and west, whilst the cosy attic room above it (6a), accessed by a loft ladder, is lit from the west.

4 BATHROOMS
Bathroom 1 has been restored to its original hand-stencilled decoration and features an antique rolltop bath, with overhead shower, vintage basin and floral-framed mirror.
Bathroom 2 (ensuite with Bedroom 1) is decorated in white travertine tiles, and has a walk-in shower.
Bathroom 3 is decorated in dark travertine tiles, with a walk-in shower and an antique stone basin.
Bathroom 4 is a recent addition - a wet room, tiled in a handsome grey, it features the largest walk-in shower in the house.

KITCHEN
The recently-installed modern kitchen is light and airy, and opens out onto the south-facing terrace, where you can drink coffee and watch the morning sun chase the mist from the valley, to the accompaniment of a chorus of birdsong. The kitchen features:
* Induction hob (large, electric)
* Oven 1 (electric)
* Oven 2 (AGA-style wood-fired)
* Oven 3 (Ooni outdoor pellet-fired pizza oven)
* BBQ (on the terrace)
* Dishwasher
* Fridge/freezer (American, large, with ice cube maker and cold, filtered water dispenser)
* Wine fridge

GARAGE/UTILITY
The garage is a large utility room, with double doors opening to street-side of the house. It contains the gas boiler, fridge and washing machine, and the water tank for the solar heating.

THE AREA
La Colombaia is in a rural area on the border of Tuscany and Le Marche, fortunately a little off the beaten track as far as tourism is concerned, but in the midst of picturesque scenery, dotted with small historic towns. The quality of food in the local marketplaces and restaurants is extremely high and, unlike in the most frequented tourist destinations, restaurants are pleased to receive you, and are glad when you dine at leisure. There is wild swimming within easy reach, plenty of local festivals, and cultural activity. Opera at the beautiful little theatre in Urbania is particularly lovely, the jazz festival at Fano is always lively, and the university town of Urbino, birthplace of renaissance artist Rafael, with its spectacular Palazzo and cobbled streets, is a consistently rewarding day out, for example.