Siena Holiday Apartments Rental in Tuscany Italy
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Amenities include: 1 TVs, 1 VCRs, 0 CD Players, Pet Friendly, Views, Shared Tennis Courts, Shared Swimming Pool, Wood Fireplace, Washing Machine Only, Toaster, Coffee Pot, Full Kitchen, Internet Access, Linens Included.

Italian lessons: A short practical lesson in basic Italian can be arranged for English-speaking foreigners.
Cooking class: Hands-on cooking classes can be organized at Montalto for 2 to 12 participants, preparing a typical Tuscan meal and enjoying it together at the end of the lesson. The price will vary according to the number of participants.
Horse-back riding: On the border of our property there is an excellent riding school and equestrian center where you can take lessons and guided horseback tours (they also have a summer camp for children in June).<br>SPA: For those interested in hot springs, at 12 km from Montalto there are thermal pools and spa services, particularly nice in the cooler season and at night, for which we have discounted tickets available.
The region around Montalto is incredibly rich, particularly in art, architecture and history. A large part of the masterpieces of Italian art can be found in Tuscany - not only in the major museums, such as the Uffizi in Florence, the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Siena, the Etruscan museum in Chiusi, all of which are within easy reach, but also in the churches, palaces and squares of every town and village and the castles and simple centuries-old farm houses that dot the countryside. You will not tire of exploring back roads, and each excursion will bring some new discovery, even if you come back year after year. There is always something else to see!
Siena
The 13th century city hall of Siena is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe, as is the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo it fronts on. The Cathedral has a magnificent inlaid marble floor, with stories from the bible and classical mythology, a pulpit by Giovanni Pisano, a statue by Donatello and a chcoir-book library beautifully frescoed by Pinturicchio. The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, beside it, holds the altarpiece so beloved by the populace when it was painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna in the 14th century that the whole town carried it in procession to the cathedral. The former hospital on the other side of street, now a museum, grew bit by bit from the 11th century on: it is here that St. Catherine of Siena nursed lepers and victims of the Black Plague.
Surrounding towns
Some of the interesting towns that surround Montalto are Montalcino, home of Brunello wine, in whose castle the Sienese government took refuge after the Florentines conquered Siena in the 16th century; Pienza, the town designed in Renaissance style by Pope Pius II, with the houses on its square artfully proportioned to make the space seem larger; Montepulciano with its steep medieval alleys; Monteriggioni with its crowning circle of walls; San Gimignano which has kept intact many of its tall medieval towers; Arezzo which houses fine frescoes by Piero della Francesca; Cortona, beloved by Francis Mayes who celebrated its life in her books, and many others, too numerous to mention. Even the smallest villages hide treasures you won't find in guide books, waiting for you to discover: the church in Badia a Ruoti, for example, just around the corner from Montalto, has a dazzling 14th-century altarpiece, and in Pogi near Bucine there is a medieval bridge on Roman foundations that is still in use today, identified only by its single high arch and ancient stones.
Chianti
The Chianti district is one of Italy's prime wine regions, and there are many opportunities to tour the wineries and sample their products. Olive groves are also the region's pride, and while it is not normally possible to visit an oil press, olive oil can be purchased directly from the producers. Olives are pressed in November and December and the olio nuovo or new oil, which is very piquant for the first several months, is especially prized on bruschetta and ribollita.

Siena Area Activities
Biking	Nearby	Horseback Riding	Nearby
Museums	Nearby	Castle	Nearby
Tennis	10-20 Miles	Restaurants	Nearby
Hiking	Nearby	Wineries	10-20 Miles