Valdambra 10 to 12
Historic Monastery Farm Estate for 10-16: Three Apartments with Exclusive Pool Near Arezzo : Badia Agnano between Arezzo and Siena
Perfect for
- Multi-family holidays (10-16 people) - three separate apartments mean different families get their own living/sleeping spaces while gathering in Stalla's large kitchen for meals together. This setup consistently works brilliantly according to guest reviews
- Milestone celebrations and reunions - the estate accommodates extended family gatherings, significant birthdays, anniversaries. The three-apartment structure gives everyone space while maintaining connection
- Friend groups traveling together - couples or families who want to holiday together without being on top of each other constantly. Cook together in Stalla, retreat to separate apartments when needed
- Weddings and special events - the estate can be booked for intimate weddings and celebrations (advance notice required). Exclusive pool use, extensive grounds, three separate buildings for different purposes
- Groups who value excellent owner support - Annmarie lives on-site and gets mentioned by name in every review for her helpfulness: restaurant bookings, cooking class arrangements, local knowledge, bike rentals, horseback riding coordination
- Cyclists and walkers - the Valdambra valley has quiet roads and good trails, bike rentals arranged through Annmarie, horse stables within walking distance
- Those wanting exclusive use of a historic property - when you book the estate, you have the entire former monastery farm to yourselves, not sharing with other guests
Good to know
- Capacity: Sleeps 10 comfortably in bedrooms (4 doubles, 1 twin), or up to 16 with sofa beds in sitting rooms. Ask us about specific configurations for your group size
- Structure: Three separate apartments - Stalla (4-6 people, large communal kitchen), Arcata (2-4 people, couples retreat), Pagliaio (4-6 people, converted haybarn). Each has its own entrance, kitchen, bathrooms, outdoor dining patio
- How it works: Groups typically gather in Stalla's large kitchen for cooking and eating together (table seats 8), with people rotating through in shifts or spreading across the various outdoor patios. The other apartments provide separate living/sleeping quar
- Pool: 7m x 15m salt-water pool (gentler on skin than chlorine), depth 1.20-2.20m, diving board. Exclusive use when estate is booked whole
- Annmarie: Lives on top floor of main farmhouse, arranges cooking lessons, restaurant bookings, bike rentals, horseback riding, transport/tours. Extra services quoted separately
- No air conditioning: Portable fans available. Ground floor apartments stay cooler than upper floors, thick stone walls help
- Dogs: Small dogs permitted with advance request
- Access road: Well-maintained gravel track, gets slightly steep before the turn to the house
- Kitchen basics: Each apartment has plates, pots, pans, but you'll need to buy essentials (salt, pepper, oil, coffee)
Valdambra is a historic monastery farm estate comprising three separate apartments - Stalla, Arcata, and Pagliaio - on land that once supplied grain to the Abbey of St. Mary at Badia Agnano. When you book the entire estate, you get exclusive use of the property, the 7x15 meter salt-water pool, and extensive grounds with olive groves, walnut trees, and hammocks strung between the trees. Your group has the place to yourselves.
The three apartments sleep 10-16 people (10 in bedrooms, up to 16 with sofa beds), each with its own entrance, kitchen, and outdoor dining patio. But here's what makes this setup work brilliantly: Stalla, with its large kitchen and dining table seating 8, becomes the communal gathering space where everyone cooks and eats together. Arcata and Pagliaio provide separate living and sleeping quarters for different families or friend groups. You get togetherness at mealtimes and privacy otherwise - the ideal structure for multi-family holidays, reunions, or celebrations.
Annemarie, the British owner who lives on the top floor of the main farmhouse, manages the estate and consistently receives praise from guests for her helpfulness. She arranges cooking lessons with local chefs, books restaurants (essential in high season when nearby villages fill up), organizes bike rentals and horseback riding at nearby stables, and provides the kind of local knowledge that makes a holiday work. Reviews across all three apartments specifically mention her by name.
The Benedictine monastery that once owned this land was suppressed in 1652, but the stone buildings - the main farmhouse that housed monks' provisions, the stable (stalla), and the haybarn (pagliaio) - survived and were converted into the comfortable apartments you see today. The Valdambra valley between Arezzo (25km) and Siena (35km) is excellent for cycling, walking, and exploring medieval hill towns. Florence is 60km. The estate can be booked for weddings and special celebrations with advance notice.
Valdambra is listed under the following categories:
Accommodation
Valdambra comprises three separate apartments, each with its own entrance, kitchen, bathrooms, and outdoor dining patio:
STALLA (4-6 people) - The communal dining hub Ground floor of main farmhouse. Large kitchen with dining table seating 8, well-equipped for actual cooking. Two entrances: pool side into kitchen, side garden into sitting room. One double bedroom (ensuite bathroom with bathtub), one small twin bedroom (ideal for children), sitting room with sofa beds, second shower room. This apartment becomes the gathering space where groups cook and eat together when the estate is booked whole.
ARCATA (2-4 people) - The couples retreat Ground floor of main farmhouse, next door to Stalla. One double bedroom with wrought iron bedstead and jasmine-covered exterior staircase leading to side garden. Ensuite shower room plus second shower room. Sitting room with wood stove and double sofa bed. Large eat-in kitchen with pool views. Arched entrance.
PAGLIAIO (4-6 people) - The converted haybarn Separate building across the drive from main farmhouse. Two-story apartment with wrought iron & glass staircase. Ground floor: sitting room with two sofa beds, eat-in kitchen, shower room. Upper floor: two spacious double bedrooms where light filters through original brick haybarn windows, second shower room.
OUTDOORS: 7m x 15m salt-water pool (depth 1.20-2.20m) with diving board, exclusively yours when estate is booked whole. Each apartment has its own furnished outdoor dining patio. Shared Weber BBQ. Ping pong table. Hammocks strung between olive and walnut trees. Extensive grounds to explore.
Features
Villa Details
- Swimming Pool
- Wifi
- Free Parking
- Central Heating
- Private Pool
- Insect Screens
- Pets Welcome
- Barbecue
- Fans
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- 4 Double Bedrooms
- 1 Twin Bedroom
- 1 Ensuite Bathroom With Bathtub
- 1 Ensuite Bathroom With Shower
- 4 Additional Bathrooms With Showers
- 4 Single Living Room Sofa Beds Available
- 3 Hair Dryers (1 Per House)
- Insect Screen On Bedroom Windows
Kitchen equipment
- Oven
- Dishwasher
- Toaster
- Italian Coffee Maker
- Kettle
- Microwave Available On Request
Amenities
- Satellite Tv
- Dvd Player
- Cd Player/Radio
- Woodstoves (2)
- Portable Fans Available On Request
- Baby Bed And High Chair Available On Request
- Washing Machine In The Shared Laundry Room
- Iron And Ironing Board In The Shared Laundry Room
What's included
- Final Cleaning Included
- Pool Towels Provided
Extras
- Arrival Groceries Available On Request
- Catering Available On Request
- Cooking Lessons Available On Request
- Extra Cleaning Available On Request
- Transport And Tours Can Be Organized
- Heating: Extra On Consumption
Outdoors
- Swimming Pool - Dim: 7X15 M, Depth: 1.20-2.20 M, With Diving Board
- Furnished Dining Patios And Garden Areas
- Webber Bbq Available
- Ping Pong Table In The Garden
- Hammocks Strung In The Garden
Nearby Activities
- Tennis Court In Nearby Bucine 7 Km
- Horse Stables In Walking Distance
- Bike Rentals Can Be Arranged
- Read more about the area around Valdambra
Photos
Reviews
FAQ about Valdambra
1. What's the ideal group size?
10-12 people is optimal. The estate sleeps 10 in actual bedrooms (4 doubles + 1 twin) - this is the base booking price and gives everyone a proper bed. You can technically accommodate up to 16 by using sofa beds in the sitting rooms, but there are extra charges for those additional bed spaces, and the property functions best with 10-12 people rather than a full 16. If you're planning to use the sofa beds, ask us about the additional charges when booking.
2. How does the three-apartment structure work for our group?
Most groups use Stalla as the communal gathering space - its large kitchen and dining table seating 8 make it the natural place to cook and eat together. Arcata and Pagliaio provide separate living and sleeping quarters for different families or friend groups. You get togetherness at mealtimes, privacy otherwise. This setup consistently works brilliantly for groups of 10-12 according to reviews.
3. Can we book the estate for a wedding or special event?
Yes. The estate can be booked for intimate weddings and celebrations with advance notice. Contact us for details - different arrangements and pricing apply for events beyond standard vacation rentals.
4. How do we coordinate meals with three separate kitchens?
Groups consistently report that cooking in Stalla's large kitchen and eating together (table seats 8, plus outdoor patios) works far better than trying to coordinate across three separate kitchens. The other kitchens get used for breakfast, snacks, coffee - but communal dinners happen in Stalla. This pattern has been tested by multiple groups.
5. Is the pool really salt-water?
Cooking lessons with local chefs (at the property), restaurant bookings (essential in high season), bike rentals, horseback riding at nearby stables, transport/tours to specific towns, arrival groceries. These are optional extras quoted separately - ask when booking.
6. Can we bring dogs?
Small dogs permitted with advance request.
7. Do we need cars?
Yes. The estate is in the countryside between Arezzo and Siena. The nearest village (Badia Agnano) is 1.5km, supermarkets in Bucine are 7km. You'll want cars for exploring the area. Parking available on-site.
Where is Valdambra ?
Getting here
- Florence airport 1 hr
- Pisa airport 1 hr 45 mins
- Rome Fiumicino airport 3 hrs
- Fast train from Montevarchi 16 km. with connections to Florence, Rome and Milan
Around Valdambra
Once the territory of powerful feudal lords, the Valdambra valley (the valley of the Ambra River) lies at the center of the Florence-Siena-Arezzo triangle. Throughout the Middle Ages this fertile land was fought over and frequently traded hands, until the Medici family took control and turned it into Florence's breadbasket. The modern tourist benefits: the protected landscape and buildings aren't far removed from what appears in medieval frescoes.
Immediate area: Badia Agnano (1.5km) - the medieval abbey village with the church of Saints Tiburzio and Susanna (once the Abbey of St. Mary), and remains of monastery walls and gatehouse. Pieve a Presciano (3km) has a bar and small restaurant. Ambra and Bucine (7km) both have supermarkets - Bucine also has a tennis court.
The triangle: Arezzo (25km, 30 mins) - Piero della Francesca's frescoes in San Francesco, monthly antiques market in Piazza Grande (first Sunday + preceding Saturday), Giostra del Saracino jousting in June/September. Train connections to Florence (1 hour). Siena (35km, 40 mins) - Gothic cathedral, Piazza del Campo, Torre del Mangia. The Palio horse race July 2 and August 16. Park outside the walls. Florence (60km, 1 hour by car / 1 hour by train from Montevarchi 16km) - Uffizi, Accademia, Duomo. Train recommended over driving.
Villages within easy reach: Cortona (30km) - Etruscan hilltop town, steep streets, MAEC museum, Frances Mayes territory. Montepulciano (50km) - Vino Nobile wine, Renaissance architecture, dramatic position.
Activities: Horseback riding at stables within walking distance (arrange through Annmarie). Cycling on quiet Valdambra roads (bike rentals through Annmarie). Cooking lessons with local chefs at the property. Restaurant bookings - advisable in high season as nearby villages get busy.
Nearby Activities
- Restaurants, bars and shops in Badia Agnano 1.5 km and Pieva a Presciano 3 km.
- Supermarkets in Ambra and Bucine 7 km
- Arezzo 25 km, and Siena 35 km
- Florence 60 km.
Valdambra
Sleeps: 10 to 12
From € 592 to 833 per day
From € 4,147 to € 5,000 per week
Approximately
$ 4,852 to $ 5,850 in USD
Calendar for Valdambra
How to book
Is Valdambra perfect for you?
For over 40 years, Invitation to Tuscany has personally selected and visited every villa we represent. Our team knows each property and its surroundings intimately - allowing us to help you choose the perfect home for your family or group, and to make your stay as memorable as the place itself.
How to Book
Check availability: View pricing and availability in the calendar above. To book online, click your desired arrival date, then your departure date. The calendar will grey out dates for stay lengths that aren't accepted—most villas book Saturday to Saturday, but many also allow shorter stays or flexible dates.
Need help choosing?
We visit our properties regularly and can provide firsthand advice based on your wishlist. Contact us and we'll help you select the best villa for your holiday. Secure your dates: We can hold your preferred dates for 48 hours while you confirm flights and coordinate with your group. To confirm, simply pay the 30% deposit. Your balance will be due 10 weeks before arrival.
Complimentary Concierge Service
Every booking includes our free concierge service to help make your stay special:
- Up to 3 activity or restaurant bookings per stay
- Local recommendations and insider knowledge
- Standard check-in coordination
- General travel assistance
Need more support? Our Concierge Plus (€300) provides dedicated planning support for guests requiring more activity bookings, larger group logistics, or special occasions. Please note that weddings and event planning do not fall under this. Request this when booking or as early as possible.
Flexible Booking Options
Easy cancellation: Add XCover to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel. You can add XCover anytime before paying your balance - just ask your agent. See our Booking Conditions and XCover for more information. Need to change dates? Let us know - we can often modify your booking rather than cancelling outright.
Worth Knowing
Tourist Tax: Many local administrations charge a tourist tax for rental accommodation, which varies by town. Charges typically range from €0.50 to €5 per person per night, with a maximum of 5-7 nights. Children are sometimes exempt. These charges are collected by property owners and paid directly to them.
Still Have Questions?
Call us for quick answers - we're here to help. You'll also find lots of useful information in our FAQ page . Haven't found the perfect villa yet? Browse our suggestions below!
CIN: IT051042C24A9WQZW4
Booking Notes
- Heating costs to be paid directly to the owner
