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La Porta ai Cieli
La Porta ai Cieli is one of those classical dream Tuscany villas ~ a traditional stone built house with terracotta tiles and ancient wooden beams, bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, outdoor terraces with fabulous far reaching views, a stunning swimming pool and in a much sought after location with hilltop villages and restaurants close by. The overall accommodation is for twelve people with eight people in the main house and four people in the neighbouring cottage. There is a choice of two rental options available. Above all else La Porta ai Cieli is immersed in the beautiful Tuscan countryside surrounded by olive and cypress tress and with the additional delights of Umbria on the door step.
As you drive your car through the gates and into the garden of La Porta ai Cieli this is the landscape with view over an ancient castle to the hills of Tuscany & Umbria that greets you. You now know you have made the best possible decision in making a reservation here!
The main entrance into the property leads in from the terrace in front of the villa.
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There is a small entrance hall that runs the full length of the villa with French windows at the far end which lead out to the rear of the house. Stairs from the hallway lead upstairs, a cloakroom is to the right, the kitchen and sitting room are to the left and a bedroom is to the right at the end just before the French windows. |
The sitting room with sofas, easy chairs, large TV and open fire place is the natural place for guests to gather if they are not outside around the pool or on the external terraces. French windows open to both the front and rear terraces.
The kitchen is at the heart of the villa. It is extremely well equipped with modern culinary facilities that will allow you to indulge in every possible gastronomic feast. French windows open onto the front terrace.
There is one bedroom with ensuite bathroom on the ground floor. It has two single beds and the bathroom has a simple shower.
The internal stone staircase leads upstairs to the first floor and the other bedrooms. The staircase leads initially onto this landing.
The master bedroom with double bed and ensuite bathroom has views over the surrounding country side to both the front and rear of the property.
The delight of the bedroom is its very own integral covered external terrace. French windows lead out to this entrancing little gem where you can enjoy your first morning cappuccino, your midday riposo, your pre-prandial glass of something, your nightcap, your …. anything you want!
The ensuite bathroom is luxuriously endowed with a bath tub and separate shower,
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The second spacious bedroom with ensuite bathroom has a double bed. The views from the two windows are to the rear of the villa and also to the south east over the renowned Niccone valley.
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The ensuite bathroom has a large shower. |
The third bedroom with ensuite bathroom also has a double bed. The views from the two windows are to the front of the villa and also to the south east over Castello Sorbello and the Niccone valley.
The ensuite bathroom has a large walk in shower. |
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In the extensive grounds of La Porta ai Cieli is this small cottage. It is to be converted into self contained accommodation for four people with two bedrooms, a kitchen and sitting room and will be made available to rent in addition to the main house. (When this conversion has been completed this page will be updated with photos and a detailed description. Until the conversion has been finalised it will not be offered to rent and will not be used by anybody while guests are in the main house.)
The lovely pool is located a short distance from the villa. There are elegant teak sun loungers and plenty of other pool furniture. Roman steps in one corner lead into pool.
The pool is surrounded by a mature olive grove and the trees afford natural shaded spots, although there are also sun umbrellas available as well. There is a small pool house with a covered external terrace that provides more shade and from which there are dramatic views over the pool to the Tuscan and Umbrian hills beyond.
The terrace at the rear is accessed by a number of doors that lead out from the villa.
The vine bedecked terrace that runs along the side of the house has elegant teak furniture that allows guests to linger here over innumerable al fresco meals.
These are the views from the garden and the terraces at La Porta ai Cieli which will mesmerise you and constantly remind you that you are staying in a truly amazing setting. As the name ‘The Gate to Heaven’ implies this is a truly special place!
Summary
Property Name:La Porta ai Cieli
| Item | Detail |
Remarks |
| Location | ||
| Region of Italy | Tuscany |
On the northern slopes of the Niccone valley close to the Umbrian border |
| Accommodation | ||
| Max Numbers of People | 8 |
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| The Main House | ||
| Bedrooms | 4 |
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| Bedroom 1 | Ground Floor. 1 single bed plus 1 ‘put you up’ type bed with small ensuite bathroom |
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| Bedroom 2 | 1st Floor. King sized double bed with ensuite bathroom. Private terrace |
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| Bedroom 3 | 1st Floor. Double bed with ensuite bathroom | |
| Bedroom 4 | 1st Floor. Double bed with ensuite bathroom | |
| Bathrooms | 4 |
Bathroom 1 | Ground Floor. Ensuite with bedroom 1. Simple shower, loo, basin |
| Bathroom 2 | 1st Floor. Ensuite with bedroom 2. Bath tub, separate shower, basin |
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| Bathroom 3 | 1st Floor. Ensuite with bedroom 3. Shower, loo, basin | |
| Bathroom 4 | 1st Floor. Ensuite with bedroom 4. Shower, loo, basin | |
| Cloakroom | Yes |
Downstairs. Basin & loo |
| Sitting Rooms | Yes |
TV. Open fire place |
| Kitchen / Appliances | Yes |
Electric oven, 5 ring gas hob, fridge/freezer, microwave, large sink, dishwasher, breakfast table |
| Dining area | Yes |
Table for 8 people |
| Other Rooms | Yes |
Utility |
| Additional Sofa / Fold Up Beds | Yes |
1 for use in the downstairs bedroom |
| Cots | No |
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| Suitability for disabled access | No |
| Facilities & Supplementary Information |
| Interior | ||
| Heating | Yes |
Central heating |
| Open Fireplace | Yes |
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| Air Conditioning | No |
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| Fans | Yes |
Ceiling fans in all bedrooms |
| Mosquito Nets / Screens | Yes |
Retractable screens on all bedroom windows. No nets |
| Linen & Towels | Yes |
Changed at the end of each week |
| Additional Towels for Pool | Yes |
Changed at the end of each week |
| Washing Machine | Yes |
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| Spin Dryer | Yes |
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| Iron | Yes |
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| Dishwasher | Yes |
Hairdryer | Yes |
| TV | Yes |
Satellite. SKY, BBC, CNN, DirectTV with 1000 channels |
| DVD player | Yes |
Selection of DVDs available |
| Video player | Yes |
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| Radio / CD Player | Yes |
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| Telephone | No |
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| Fax | No |
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| Mobile Telephone Reception | Yes |
Moderate |
| Internet access | Yes |
Broadband WiFi available for use with own laptop |
| SKYPE/VOIP facilities | Yes |
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| High Chair for Children | No |
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| Toys for Children | No |
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| Safe Box for Valuables | No |
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| First Evening Meal | No |
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| Other Meals | No |
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| Welcome Food Pack | Yes |
Provided at no extra cost |
| Reading Books & Board Games | Yes |
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| Extra Cleaning | Yes |
On request at cost |
| Smoking Policy | The owners have specifically requested no smoking inside |
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| House Book | Yes |
Very comprehensive. Extensive details of local information |
| Reception on arrival | Yes |
Provided estimated arrival time is known and confirmed |
| Assistance | Yes |
The caretaker is on call to help for those unusual events and circumstances that cannot be resolved by reading the house book |
| Exterior | ||
| Swimming Pool | Yes |
Size in mts. Breadth: 5, Length: 10, Shallow: 1.25, Deep: 3 Access: Roman steps in one corner Cleaning System: Chlorine Open: May to Sep (inclusive) Usage: Exclusive Facilities: loungers, tables, chairs |
| Garden | Yes |
Approximately 2 hectares, some steep banks/slopes, electric fence, numerous cleared walking trails |
| Terrace | Yes |
Pergola. Table with chairs for 8 people |
| Property Sporting Facilities | Yes |
Badminton, bocce ball set |
| BBQ | Yes |
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| Pizza Oven | No |
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| Nearest Neighbour | 500 metres. Not overlooked | |
| Animals Close to Premises | No |
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| Approach Drive | 2 km gravel road in good condition from public road. Suitable for all types of car | |
| Garden Security | Yes |
Remote controlled electric gates at entrance to property |
| Covered Car Port | No |
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| Car Parking | Yes |
Plenty of space |
| Water Source | Private well, drinkable (Even if the water is classified as drinkable we always advise our guests that if they have any concerns at all to buy bottled water for drinking purposes and use the house water for all other matters) |
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| Rental Facts | ||
| Rental Basis | Self catering | |
| Rental Options | 1. For eight people in the main house only (the cottage will not be rented or used by anybody else). |
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| Breakage/Security/Deposit | No |
Breakages are to be reported to the owners, or their representative, before departure |
| Rental Restrictions | Yes |
No Pets |
| Rental Periods | Available from May to September for a min of 7 nights with changeover on Saturday |
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| Included in the Rental Price | Local taxes Electricity, gas and water (for normal general usage) Use and laundry of bed linen & towels Final cleaning |
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| Not Included in the Rental Price (Payment to be made locally) |
Excessive use of utilities Central heating Firewood |
Approximate Driving Times in Minutes/Hours
These driving times, which are based on local knowledge, provide a more pertinent indicator than merely distances
Airports
Perugia (Ryanair) 35
Florence (Meridiana) 1.5 - 2 hours
Ancona, Forli (Ryanair), Bologna (BA), Rimini (EasyJet) 2 - 2.5 hours
Rome Ciampino (Ryanair, EasyJet), Rome Fiumicino (World airlines), Pescara (Ryanair) 2.5 - 3 hours
Pisa (BA, Ryanair, EasyJet, Jet2, Thomson) 3 hours
Milan(World airlines) 4 - 5 hours
Main Line Rail Station
Cortona Terontola (Rome - Florence line) 25
Nearest Villages with Food Shops
Mercatale 10
Niccone 11
Umbertide 15
Restaurants
Sant’Andrea di Sorbello 5
Niccone 8
Mercatale 10
Ten more restaurants within 25 min drive
Motorways
Umbertide exit of E45 (Orte-Cesena dual carriageway) 18
Bettolle exit of A1 (Roma-Firenze autostrada) 40
Cultural Sights
Citta di Castello, Cortona, Sansepolcro. 30 - 40 mins
Arezzo, Assisi, Deruta, Gubbio, Perugia, Pienza, Spello, Spoleto, Todi. 40 - 60 mins
Orvieto, Siena. 1 hour
Florence. 1.5 hours
Rome 2.5. hours
Wine Centres
Wine Tasting @ Molino Vitelli 6 & Umbertide 15
Montepulciano 50
Montefalco 55
Montalcino 1.10 hours
Sporting Locations
Golf. Antognola 25
Tennis. Mercatale 10
Boating/Sailing. Lago Trasimeno 20
Fishing. Umbertide 20
Canoeing. Citta di Castello 30
Horse Riding. San Pietro a Monte 25
Beaches
Tuoro sul Trasimeno. 20
West Coast. 2.5 hours
East Coast. 3.0 hours
Some Comments From Previous Guests
“ We had a fantastic holiday at La Porta ai Cieli. The property was gorgeous and much bigger and of a higher finish than looks on the website ….. Loved that each room has its own bathroom. …. Views from the villa were absolutely amazing ….. We would love to go back and stay again and were very sorry to lleave.” HD ~ Hampshire
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