Before we go on, there are just a few things we’d like to tell you in advance…
An authentic medieval village must have several prerequisites: a richness of history and legends, a location which is pleasant and a little scintillating which represents the greatness of those who once passed through. However, the most important requirement is that it be magical and enchanted. This is a perfect description of Monte Sante Marie. The village can be seen hidden in the valleys of the Sienese Crete between Asciano and the Chianti region. It is hidden inside a tight circle of tall cypress trees on a hillside covered in sunshine. This is a natural paradise, which is still whole: its red brick walls seem to float, suspended between the ground and the sky on a sea of clay. The proprietors love this tiny village, inherited from their predecessors, have, with loads of hard manual labor, courage, patience and perseverance – and continue to do so – restored this once fantastic place. This once ‘humiliated’ village, abandoned and hidden by undergrowth, has been transformed into a suggestive residence for ‘neoruralists’. It is a place that exudes a secret refinement that is seen in those who live there; where elegance is marked in the use of little talk and simplicity. There is nothing opulent about Monte Sante Marie expect the vision of its warm and sun-washed stone and modest furnishings: pavements in terracotta, open-beamed ceilings, archways, traces of antique fireplaces, water-wells in rock and sand, Spartan but comfortable interiors, meandering paths, vegetable patches, gardens, gigantic terracotta urns, geraniums and climbing roses and vines. Some of the buildings have been restored and made inhabitable for guests. It is a silent and suggestive meeting place for small groups, seminars or working meetings. All takes place on this enchanting Estate of 200 hectors, century-old cypress trees and a view in the distance of Siena, Monte Amiata, Montalcino and Radicofani. The village square is flanked by the old school, the village communes and the Church of San Bartolomeo. It is here that one’s evenings are animated by music, wine and chatting… all while sitting in the open air under the stars. Monte Sante Marie is indeed inviting but it isn’t a perfect vacation spot for everyone. For those who love fast-paced days, gigantic swimming pools, golfing and nightlife… do not come here! This is the perfect destination for those who wish a private, non-crowded, sensible but tasteful surroundings of quiet elegance. It is best reflected in the Latin word ‘Otium’, or rather, doing nothing. Our guests have all of the advantages of a house in Tuscany without the hassle. Those who come to Monte Sante Marie find slow-paced rhythms, the extraordinary beauty of the panorama and natural silence that is only interrupted occasionally by the sound of birds and by rare meetings with others. Monte Sante Marie is an antique place where history has passed and left in its wake wrinkles of happiness that continue to live on, preserving its pride in the heart of its old walls, the memory of its beginnings… it is exactly this – the true richness – that has lived on through the centuries.