General Information

Mandorlo, which means almond tree, is a 400 hundred year old ivy covered stone and brick farmhouse.  It sits on a hill and is accessed by a long cypress lined driveway  with a 360 degree view extending twenty miles on all sides.  It sits on five acres and the living space is approximately 5,000 square feet.On the property is an olive grove of 80 trees which are harvested for olive oil each year.  It also has eight almond trees which are also harvested. The surrounding gardens include a marble swimming pool and stands of rosemary, sgantana and lavender.  In front of the pool is a pergola under which shades a table for outdoor dining. A fig tree in the courtyard yields several bushels of figs for the guests of the house. There is also a Tuscan grill and a table for additional outdoor dining. There is a small grape arbor that yields about 25 pounds of grapes. There are multiple out buildings, which include a garage, and covered stalls used in the past for housing animals as well as a barn for housing feed.  

The distant vistas overlook Monte Amiata, Montalcino, Bagno Vignoni, Rocca d’Orcia, Pienza, Torrinieri and close by, the village of Cosona which houses the castle whose owner, the Marquesa Ruspoli Forteguerri, raises wheat on all the land one can see.  The house is in the Val d’Orcia which was named in 2004 as a heritage area by Unesco.  There are only about 30 of these in the world.

The house has two floors.  The first floor has a living room and fireplace, with access to the courtyard, two sitting rooms and a spacious dining room all with arched ceilings and access to the courtyard.  The large dining room has a door leading to the covered dining area and pool.  Those rooms are separated from a large entrance hall with vaulted ceilings.  The kitchen has a large marble sink for dishwashing, an Aga stove, dishwasher, refrigerator and table for informal dining.  Behind the kitchen is a small pantry with a washer and dryer.  The floors in the entire house are stone.

The second floor can be accessed by both a formal outdoor and indoor stairway.  Upstairs has four bedrooms, a study (which functions as a fifth bedroom using a sofa sleeper) and a living room with a second fireplace.  In addition, there are three bathrooms.  Three of the bedrooms can be considered master bedrooms, although all are spacious and have great views.  That bathroom has a marble sink, the usual toilet, bidet, shower and separate Jacuzzi tub.  All the bathrooms are tiled from ceiling to floor and the floors are tiled as well.  A second bathroom next to the second master bedroom has a marble sink, toilet, bidet and multiple headed shower.  The third bathroom has a bathtub and shower, sink and toilet.  The rooms are spacious and all the windows have screens.

DIRECTIONS TO IL MANDORLO
From Rome