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To Italians the word ‘Chianti’ denotes not a geographic area so much as a wine – or rather, many wines. Chianti Ruffina, for example, is a wine that comes from the area north-east of Florence; Chianti Colli Pisani comes from the hills around Pisa. The geographic Chianti, the one that has been painted and photographed from every angle, beloved by authors as diverse as Henry James and Hemingway, is properly called Chianti Classico and occupies the hilly stretch between two of Italy’s most beautiful cities, Florence and Siena. Hundreds of villages are sprinkled among these hills and valleys, many of them medieval in origin and virtually all of them given over to wine-making. The Villa Saena lies virtually at the centre of this region, an old stone farmhouse with a view that will take your breath away. Simply but comfortably furnished, it offers itself as a practical, worry-free base for explorations on foot, by bicycle or by car that might begin on your doorstep. The house is configured into two self-sufficient levels, each with its own kitchen and brand new bathrooms. Outside, a level sweep of lawn leads across to a swimming pool positioned to capture the best view.
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