COLLE VAL D'ELSA Welcome In the heart of Tuscany, the Residence is on a country estate surrounded on all sides by beautiful unspoilt countryside. The historical residence, which origins can be traced back to the eleventh Century, has been recently fully restored and has a rich and interesting history. Originally a watch tower built in 1048, the building became the property of the church who transformed it into a Bishops residence and a medieval farming hamlet, later still the house and its grounds was used as a country retreat for many noble Counts and Dukes of the region.

The tiny hamlet was eventually abandoned, but now it has been lovingly restored, preserving its ancient heritage. The Residence, full of charm, can give hospitality to 6/8 people. The three halls are cosy and refined: the Bishop’s, the coat of arms’ and the big dining-room are furnished smartly with antique pieces, Persian carpets and valuable fabrics in perfect harmony with the millenarian atmosphere. The magic of the three fire-places, the frescoes and the historical decorations together with the objects designed by clever craftmen complete the frame. One thing’s for sure: It’s no easy task to tell the story of Colle di Val d'Elsa and the surrounding area. Ever since ancient times, the area was a necessary place of transit, a crossroads for trade and relations, not always friendly ones, which led to the establishment of the urban settlement, which grew up along the Via Francigena. This was the ancient road built by the Longobards so as to link their lands in the Po valley with their lands in Tuscany, and which was used during the Middle Ages by pilgrims from northern Europe making pilgrimages to the holy city of Rome. These routes, a mixture of history, culture and nature, are designed to offer all of this to visitors to the town, who will certainly not be surprised to find out how easy it is to switch from one aspect to another, without losing their thread along the way.