Ca' Valenzano
Sestino,
Arezzo
Self-catering
Visit owner's website
€54 - €99
per night
€375 - €695
per week
Delightful, rustic retreat (offering B&B too) for families, romantic couples and singles. Food, views and owners are lovely
3 places
Sleeping from 2 – 4
Children welcome
Pets welcome
Babies welcome
Your enquiry details
2 Guests 26 Nov 24 - 26 Nov 24
Direct with the owner
Visit the owner’s chosen website for availability, online booking or contact details.
Enquire through Sawday's
Fill out the enquiry form and we'll pass your questions onto the owner.
What part does Sawday’s play?
€54 - €99 per night
€375 - €695 per week
The Experience
You’ll feel tucked away here in the wooded hills on a lovely smallholding with chickens, ducks, rabbits and kind owners Alice and Gavin. Two little hideaways are in the pretty grounds: Piccionaia is where the pigeons once lived but now has a dear little kitchen with red checked curtains under wood-topped cupboards, a cosy living room with sofabed and wood-burning stove, and a romantic bedroom upstairs with swish bathroom below. Granaio – where the hay was stored – is now a stylish retreat with a sofabed for extra guests and its own private terrace overlooking the magnificent valley views. Both places have beamed ceilings, tiled floors, lovely linen and fresh flowers. Wander the fecund garden where vegetables and herbs are grown for the table should you choose to eat here (breakfast is mostly homegrown), splash in the cooling off pool, head off for amazing wild swimming nearby. Alice offers pasta-making classes, and children can help feed the animals. Nearby Sestino (3km) has all you need for supplies, but the pace here is delightfully slow and the peace is deep.
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Essentials
- EV charger
- Self check-in
- Swimming pool
- Hot tub
- Garden
- Open fire / woodburner
- Breakfast included
- Breakfast available
- Meals available
- Vegetarian meals
- Oven
- Parking on premises
- Free parking nearby
- Accessible by public transport
- WiFi
- Television
- Central heating
- Limited mobility
- Wheelchair access
- Mobile reception
- Hob
- Barbecue
- Paid parking nearby
- Air conditioning
- Relaxation areas
- Washing machine
- Tennis court
- Microwave oven
- No smoking
- Credit cards
- Working farm
- Owner has pets
- Electricity included
- Dishwasher
- Pets welcome
Family friendly
- Baby monitor
- Books and toys
- Children welcome
- Babies welcome
- Stair gates
- High chair
- Fire guard
- Cot available
Nearby
- Pub/bar within 3 miles
- Restaurant within 3 miles
- Shop within 3 miles
Activities
- Bikes available
- Food courses
- Kayaking
- Other courses
- Sailing
- Surfing
- Wild swimming
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Accommodation
Pricing
- Nightly price
- from €54
- Weekly price
- from €375
- Surcharges
- Extra bed/sofabed €25-€50 per person per week.
- 1 Apartment for 4
- From €852 bedrooms
- 1 Apartment for 2
- From €681 bedroom
- 1 Apartment for 2
- From €541 bedroom
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Information
Booking information
- Owner has pets
- Animals living on the property
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch & dinner available on request.
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Reviews
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This was our 3rd time at Alice and Gavin’s - it gets better each time! As we pulled up to the house in the middle of the night, it felt like returning home. There’s a special kind of magic at Valenzano: from the spectacular views, gorgeous company (pets included) to the delicious food, we adore this place and hope to return every year for as long as as we can!
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We had a lovely, relaxing week at Ca Valenzano. The accommodation is beautifully decorated, and the kitchen has everything you need. The new pool has extraordinary views over the valley. Alice and Gavin are brilliant, generous hosts, and Alice is a fantastic cook. The breakfasts, with home made croissants and bread, yogurt and fruit, are delicious. Urbino, Arezzo and the Adriatic coast all make for spectacular day trips. This was our second visit. We had a really great week and couldn't recommend it highly enough.
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We loved every second we were with Alice and her family. Our lovely appartment which had everything we needed, good bathroom and generous soaps, oils etc. Breakfast was a delight with homemade croissants, homemade jams, fruit, yoghurt etc. Alice would sit and chat about where we could go to explore and we shared a dinner with her and her family one evening. Wonderful. She is an excellent cook and a super generous lovely person.
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We had an absolutely amazing week in Valenzano! Alice and Gavin were the most welcoming hosts and we had a few delicious homemade meals with them, their friends and family. Stunning setting up in the Tuscan hills for a very relaxing week. Would highly recommend!
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We count ourselves inordinately lucky to have had the chance to stay with Alice & Gavin at Ca'Valenzano. We got in under the wire before Alice decided that the combination of major refurbishments and guests was insane. And how happy we are that we did. This is an oasis high in the Tuscan hills, impeccably run and easily one of the best places we've ever stayed in. From the welcome when we arrived, to the apartment itself, to the view over the hills and far away, to the extraordinarily delicious breakfasts & dinner en famille, it was perfect. Absolutely perfect.
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We spent 8 relaxed and quiet days at Ca' Valenzano. Gavin and Alice were truly wonderful hosts. They treated us like good old friends and made us feel very welcome. They had an antenna for what we needed and did a lot to give us the perfect vacation. The apartment Piccionaia is beautifully designed, well equipped and furnished with love. The terrace is spacious, has sunny and shady spots and lots of places to sit or recline. We especially enjoyed that cats and dogs came by every now and then and let themselves be stroked. It is a perfect place for people who enjoy solitude.
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We had a fantastic time. The location is perfect if you’re looking for deep relexation. The views on the scenery are spectacular, the room well designed and comfortable, A number of small details, including the lovely local shower products and the great wine in the room, further added to the experience. Add to that the exceptional hospitality of Alice and Gavin. From the great breakfasts and dinners to Alice’s tips on what to do, we felt well taken care of at any moment. The wild swimming and visit to Urbino that Alice recommended stood out in particular. We look forward to our next stay!
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We had a wonderful stay in the Piccionaia apartment, which is tastefully furnished with lots of thoughtful touches. A rare find! We spent our evenings on the terrace, soaking in the peace and quiet, and snoozing in the hammocks. The surrounding countryside is beautiful, the local village a walk away, and there are plenty of day trips for those who want more action. Alice and Gavin are the perfect hosts - available to provide tips and hints if we wanted them, very responsive to any questions and otherwise easygoing and friendly. We would absolutely recommend this stay to others.
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We loved our stay with Alice and Gavin! It is easily my favorite part of our holiday in Italy. Their hospitality is incomparable. The house is beautiful and the view amazing. Alice is also a wonderful cook. Her risotto was the best we have ever had! I would easily recommend Ca’ Valenzano for families. Our 1 year old had a great time petting the dogs and jumping on the trampoline. Thank you so much for everything!
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From the moment we arrived we felt totally at home - Alice and Gavin were amazing hosts whose local knowledge and recommendations made a huge difference. Alice cooked for us several times and the food was nothing short of superb - including the breakfasts with lots of fruit and home made pastries. The apartments are both very comfortable with great beds and space to sit and cook, and outside is a terrace with spectacular views and a place to eat underneath vines and passion flowers, plus hammocks under the pine trees nearby. A lovely bonus was the swimming hole in a nearby river.
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We had a wonderful two days staying at Ca’ Valenzano and wished we could have stayed longer. Alice and Gavin were fantastic hosts and we enjoyed spending time with them and their three lovely children. The views are to die for - absolutely amazing. We spent the two days in the hammocks soaking up the views and that is very unusual for us. No need to go anywhere else! Alice is an amazing cook and prepared a lovely dinner. Breakfast was great with home made jams and pastries and a cooked option too. Would definitely recommend and would love to return
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A very special place with very special hosts. We just had a lovely lovely week here. The hosts Alice and Gavin and their gorgeous 3 children made us feel right at home. The views are outstanding, the hospitality fabulous and the food fabulous. This is a real gem of a place run by really lovely people. We couldn’t have asked for more. Would highly recommend anyone to stay here.
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This review is long overdue... we have been struggling to put into words how great this place is. From the moment we were greeted by Alice & Gavin we felt at home, and by the time we left it felt like they were old family friends. They were always on hand to offer advice on where to go and what to do. Nothing was too difficult. And the food! THE FOOD! Mostly grown by Gavin, and expertly prepared by Alice - just what you want in the Italian countryside. Our son had a great time playing with their three, and we had great fun drinking wine and home made aperitifs with them. 😊 We will be back.
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We LOVED our stay at Gavin and Alice’s charming guest home. It was one of the most memorable parts of our vacation. The home has great views, is cozy and cute, and is close to an incredible swimming hole that we spent the day at. But the best part was the cooking class with Alice, and the multiple course meal that followed!! She is an incredible cook and that evening was super fun getting to know them and learning about all of the local cuisine and history.
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We stayed with Alice and Gavin for 11 nights. Alice was helpful and quick to respond from our first enquiry. We asked for a vegetarian meal for our first night and loved Alice’s take on a vege lasagna with salad. They are warm and open people who we enjoyed talking to us and when we would come into contact or if we needed something. They have a great family and it was lovely to be part of it for a short while. We recommend staying there and with them without hesitation. We also thank them for letting us take our two dogs Ollie and Dipsy, who got on with Tilley and Sheila very well.
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We stayed with Gavin and Alice for ten days at the end of July. It was one of the best holidays of our lives! We felt like we were staying in a paradise - beautiful landscapes, peace and quiet, secret swimming spots and great local food. Gavin and Alice made us feel so welcome and part of the family. Their recommendations always took into account us as individuals and what we wanted to experience in our holiday. The apartment was of a really high standard and Alice's cooking was delicious. We cannot recommend this place highly enough and will definitely be coming back!
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We were so looking forward to our week stay in Sestino and were certainly not disappointed, in fact we can't wait to go back now! On arrival Alice and Gavin made us feel really welcome, and we arranged for a nice and easy meal on our first evening which was lovely. We also had the really nice meal on the saturday evening, amazing food and great company. The property is perfect if you have grown up kids like us, we booked both so we all had our living quarters and that worked incredibly well. It is all very nicely done and well looked after. Alice and Gavin embraced Tuscany, sharing the love!
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Our visit to Ca' Valentano was our first family holiday with our baby daughter. It couldn't have gone better. The welcome was warm, accommodation beautifully thought out and scenery divine. Days were spent munching wild strawberries, meandering through the countryside, wild swimming and visiting local sites. Evenings were passed on the terrace basking in the evening light and bath time was taken al fresco! Ca' Valenzano is a super spot to get away from it all but close enough to the village to dip into local life, which too was warm and welcoming. We will definitely return.
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We had a lovely week at Ca Valenzano. The views down the valley are incredible. We took advantage of some stunning walks and a visit to a beautiful wild swimming spot. Despite not having a car, Alice and Gavin were very helpful with lifts to the local town of Sestino. The nearby agriturismo restaurants are terrific.
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Location
The neighbourhood
Local points of interest from Gavin & Alice Parkinson
- Gorgeous local nature parks with deer, wild boar and eagles and walks in the hills.
- Beautiful Renaissance art in Urbino and Sansepolcro (also Piero della Francesca's 'Pregnant Madonna' in Monterchi) and a little further afield in Arezzo - along with a monthly bustling antiques market.
- Local specialities are truffles and delicious Chianina beef - our own Sestino's late June 'festa' celebrates the steak!
- One of Italy's finest wild swimming spots in a nearby river (as rated by The Guardian!)
- We grow our own vegetables and make our own delicious salami, prosciutto, tomato passata, bread, jams and chutneys - all available to guests.
- Children are welcome to get stuck in looking after our chickens, ducks, bunnies, dog and cats!
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Amazing hosts, gorgeous accommodation, breath taking location, jaw dropping infinity pool, top notch food & wine. A truly magical place. We will be back.