Le Miccine

Vacation Rentals in Chianti, the Heart of Tuscany

The residence at Le Miccine has been entirely rebuilt, furnished, and equipped to the most exacting functional and aesthetic standards to welcome a few discerning and demanding travelers.  The 300-year-old stone house is now divided by floor into the Owners' Residence  and a Guest Apartment, each with a fully-equipped, separate kitchen, large living room, two gracious bedrooms, and two new bathrooms.  For larger parties, the two apartments can be combined.  For a couple traveling alone, the Guest Apartment is also available in a one bedroom/one bath configuration.

Unlike other Tuscan rental properties, Le Miccine boasts new, modern, safe and ample electricity, water, sewer, and central heat with individual controls.  At the same time, however, care was taken in the renovation to preserve and restore the traditional Tuscan farm architecture, including beamed ceilings, terra cotta floors, brick arches, and whitewashed walls.  Furnishings are a tasteful blend of Tuscan antiques and high-quality upholstered pieces.  The kitchens and dining room are fully equipped for preparation of anything from a quick espresso to a gourmet dinner.  Click any thumbnail photo to see a full-size picture; then use your Web-browser's Back button to return to this page.  For current availability, click on New This Month at the bottom of this page.   

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The Guest Apartment

Le Miccine's lovely front terrace leads directly into the ground floor Guest Apartment.  The Guest Apartment features a spacious, tastefully furnished living room with fireplace; a large modern kitchen with all appliances, including a dishwasher, as well as ample supplies of china, cookware, and utensils; and one or two large bedrooms, each with queen-size bed.  Each bedroom has its own completely new, en-suite bathroom that combines modern facilities with lovely Italian tiles and antique cabinetry.  Every room is architecturally authentic and beautifully furnished.

The guest apartment may be rented as either a 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit (both queen-size beds) or as a 1-bedroom, 1-bath unit.   A third bedroom can be added at an additional charge (2 twin beds).

Click on the thumbnail at the left for a larger view of the floor plan of the Guest Apartment and then use your Web-browser's Back button to return to this page.  When rented as a one-bedroom apartment, the bedroom and bathroom at the top right are not included in the apartment.   The third bedroom has two twin beds.  Not shown in the diagram, it is located below the bedroom and bathroom at the top right of the diagram.

The Owners' Apartment

An iron-gated stairway from the front terrace leads to the open air veranda of the Owners' Apartment, which overlooks the vineyards and woods of Le Miccine and the medieval Castello di Meleto beyond.                       

The Owners' Apartment includes a large living room, an equally large dining room with a massive, original Tuscan fireplace, a queen-size bedroom with a new ensuite bathroom, and a second bedroom with twin beds and an adjacent bathroom.

The up-to-date kitchen is equipped with full-sized appliances, including a dishwasher, and all required dishes and equipment.  As in the Guest Apartment, original Tuscan architecture has been preserved and restored, and furnishings are a combination of fine antiques and new, high-quality sofas, chairs, and beds.

The thumbnail photo at the right shows a floor plan of the Owners' Apartment.  Click on the thumbnail for a larger view and then use your Web-browser's Back button to return to this page.

Amenities

Because of Le Miccine's small size and intimate setting, its accommodations, grounds, and pool give each guest a sense of privacy -- even the brief fantasy of ownership without responsibility.  Guests are invited to the tasting room for a private tasting and explanation of all of the farm's wine and oil.  They are welcome not only to an interesting and informative tour of the winery facilities, but also to observe on a daily basis the real work of the vineyard and winery.  Le Miccine's English-speaking staff happily assist with restaurant reservations and sightseeing recommendations for guests.  Guests are also welcome to use Le Miccine's laundry facilities, library of travel and other books, fruit trees, and vegetable garden.  Cellular telephones are available for rental and telefax service can be arranged at the farm office.

Le Miccine has made arrangements with several local merchants for opportunities unique to Le Miccine guests.  For example, Le Miccine guests receive a discount at a nearby wellness spa; they can dine in a small hotel restaurant that normally serves only guests of the hotel; and they can participate in a cooking class which is available only by special arrangement (and enjoy the lunch or dinner they prepared).  Le Miccine's estate manager can also arrange horseback riding, make museum and restaurant reservations, and suggest local outings.

"Offering a luxurious take on the traditional Tuscan concept of agriturismo, Le Miccine is a name that should be kept in mind by American tourists looking for a friendly face when visiting the region." Charles Laverick, Tastings, the Journal of the Beverage Testing Institute

"From waking early in the morning to the open window and a mist over the vineyard, to our morning coffee on the patio, then getting ready for the day's adventure, to eagerly coming home in the late afternoon, sitting by the pool drinking a glass of cool wine while looking over the countryside, cooking an easy dinner and sharing it around the farm table, and then watching the full moon awaken over the vines.....our days were magical.  Thank you so much for all the care and thought you put into making Le Miccine unforgettable."  N. Florey

For additional comments from previous guests, click  Guest Comments.   For a detailed,  independent review from a former guest, check Review 321 at Review #1 or another review at Review #2.

When to Stay

Every season has its special pleasures.  As Isabella Dusi writes in Vanilla Beans & Brodo:

The rugged bald beauty of a baking summer is, sadly I think, the only way most visitors see Tuscany, and although I know this unforgettable landscape merits recording, I wish they could be here in winter too, feeling that haunting frozen stillness, a suspension of growth when spiders weave silken nets across the broom and bells echo across a silent valley.  Or the opposite, in early spring, when the very first jonquil spire rises and the earth astonishes, thrusting up life in unbelievable lushness of a green so green; or the last days of autumn, when russet leaves crunch underfoot, harvesting is over, the air is limpid, olives ripen, chestnut casings fall and nature prepares for winter.  Four equally divine agricultural landscapes remind me that nothing is new.  The Tuscan hills I see today have been evolving for a thousand years. 

    Winter

Once the leaves have fallen from the deciduous trees, guests can finally see the 17th-century farm houses and 14th-century parish churches that are hidden when the landscape is fuller--treasures so thoroughly tucked away that one cannot catch even a glimpse of them when looking right at them in the summer months.  And, guests can also see other treasures--works of art in the museums of Florence without having to wait in line or to struggle for a view behind other tourists. 

Tuscany doesn't "shut" once the season is over, although some of the "tourist" restaurants may close.  Life still goes on in the villages, with villagers having a bit more time to take with visitors; and, for those who want to do serious shopping, there are no crowds in the shops and outlet stores!  Lower air fares and rental rates make the winter an inviting time to visit Tuscany.

    Spring

Spring in the Chianti sees the greening of the hills, the flowering of the wild primroses, and the first leaves in the vineyards.   As the weather warms, the air becomes perfumed with the delicate scent of the flowering broom, and the broom's yellow flowers dot the hillsides.  The temperature is perfect for sightseeing and guests will hear a lot of German, Dutch, Swedish,  and other northern European languages as the northern Europeans come to enjoy Tuscany's weather.

    Summer

Summer is a wonderful time to be in the Chianti because of the light.  The sky, which is typically a wonderful blue, stays light until 9:00 or 9:30 p.m., so guests have more time to explore and to enjoy the area.  A day of sightseeing often concludes with a glass of wine up at the swimming pool followed by a late dinner.  Guests can see the developing grapes and learn a bit about the cycle of viticulture or just enjoy some relaxing time outdoors.

    Fall

In the fall, temperatures are more moderate and a sweater is usually all it takes to make having dinner al fresco a memorable time.   But, more importantly, there is excitement in the air in the Chianti:  this is the time that the grapes are harvested and winemaking begins.    Guests who want to learn a bit about harvest and winemaking can watch it happen--or maybe even participate in the harvest under a beautiful Tuscan sky!

Availability and Rates

Rentals are generally from Saturday to Saturday, with rates dependent upon season and the amount of space rented.  Weekly rates for 2008 range from $1150 for the one-bedroom guest apartment during low season to $5050 for the both apartments (four bedrooms, four baths) during peak season.  A fifth bedroom can be added at an additional charge.   Central heating, when permitted by law, from mid-September through mid-April, is an additional $100 per week per apartment.  On rare occasion, a self-contained one-room apartment is available.  The New This Month page generally shows availability as of the first of the month; however, for up-to-date availability and further information, contact Donna Weaver at [+1] 847 256 7258, [+1] 847 256 9459 (fax),  rental@LeMiccine.com, or complete and submit the form below.    A $300 security deposit per apartment is payable with the final payment.   Le Miccine's deposit, security deposit, and cancellation policy are explained on on the page titled "FAQs about Rentals."  Please check the New This Month page for additional, up-to-date information about Vacation Rentals.