Firenze, Italia & Loro Ciuffenna, Italia
A Sunday morning! A nice quite and relaxing day. Didn’t do much as we didn’t get going until after 9. We went out and had our cappuccino and brioche. Returned for the hunt for a christening gown. Again, nothing we really liked.
We headed back to the apartment and started our packing. Tomorrow, we have a 9:04 train to Arezzo. In Arezzo we will pick up a rental car from Avis and drive to “il Oliveto” – the olive grove, in Loro Ciuffenna. Ok, so why do we pickup the car in Arezzo rather than just driving from Firenze? Well, driving in a large city is always difficult. Driving in the country is easier. Also, believe it or not, it is less expensive to rent in Arezzo than Firenze. Arezzo is an hour’s ride on the train, and it costs all of € 9.3 ($10).
Now obviously the grove isn’t in town but outside of it. The grove is located on Via Setteponti Ponente at numbers 22 – 25A. Technically it is within the “city” limits of Loro Ciuffenna, however it is between two fractions (parts of) Loro Ciuffenna known as Montemarciano and Malva.
Via Setteponti, at various points known as Via Roma, was an important ancient Roman route between Arezzo, southeast of Firenze, and Firenze. This is an important holiday area, and if you were to drive from Firenze, stay off the A1 and go down Via Setteponti (starts as Via Roma) you will have a much better time. By-the-way don’t et too confused at one point the name changes to Via Setteponti Ponete. Sette = seven. Ponti = bridges. Ponete (when used like this) = west. In English the name of the “street” is West Seven Bridges Street. Yes, Ovest = west; but you go figure.
We went to the grove first. Checked in with everyone and had lunch. Then we headed to the villa Serra & Pietro had rented for the workers. Our duty was to prepare dinner, as it would be for the next couple of days. We are the support staff.
We are staying at Podere Casarotta. In English – broken house farm. Podere Casarotta is a 18th century Tuscan farmhouse that has been carefully restored and converted in holiday house with private swimming pool and six luxurious apartments. The villa initially belonged to the “gonfaloniere” (the ancient mayor) of Loro Ciuffenna This was followed by farmers who made a living form the nearby land producing olive oil and wine. The farmhouse was later owned by the Antinori family, and by the Santa Maria nuns. On an original stone of the main building is carved “1774”, that is the date when the farmhouse became part of the Loro Ciuffenna municipality. The villa has been completely restored and updated while retaining as much as possible the original Tuscany architecture. All rooms have terracotta floors and wood-beamed ceilings.
Casarotta features six independent apartments, which can be rented separately or in combination. Each apartment has one or two bedrooms and sleeps from 2 to 6 persons; the whole villa can sleep up to 24 persons. All the apartments are furnished in classic Tuscan style, and each one has its own equipped kitchen, bathroom and private garden area outdoor. They all share the swimming pool and the terrace with view. It is a beautiful “farm”.
The next several days will be spent here. For some it will be working in the grove picking olives, and for us as support staff, making sure they workers are fed lunch and dinner. Italians don’t do breakfast. Breakfast is coffee and maybe a piece of fruit, or toast or brioche.
Here are some photos of Casarotta. Enjoy.
Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico & Maria
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