Locanda San Francesco, Montelpulciano, Tuscany, Italy

E&M Travel, Online Agency. Upscale vacations for discerned traveler.

   E&M Travel
Division of EMCO Travel, LLC.
                     Since 1993

Set in a fourteenth century palazzo in the heart of the old part of Montepulciano and with breathtaking views over the Val D'orcia and the Val Di Chiana, the Locanda San Francesco offers an exclusive destination for those who want a holiday with a difference in one of Tuscany's most beautiful hill towns.

The Locanda has just four bedrooms, each of them decorated individually and furnished with fine antiques from the family collection. On one side the rooms offer panoramic views of the Val D'orcia, while on the other they look over the rooftops of the town towards the Val Di Chiana, and as far as the lakes of Trasimeno, Montepulciano and Chiusi.

All the guest rooms have spacious double beds, fine parquet flooring and exquisite upholstery, while each room has its own character and style, and is finished and fitted in its own way. The rooms, which are on the first floor of the palazzo, are all provided with independent air conditioning / heating, minibar, safe, 21"

flat-screen with 4 satellite channels, dvd player, telephone and adsl internet connection.

The bathrooms have wide windows looking out onto the Tuscan countryside, and have been designed with an eye for detail and comfort. They all have large showers, hairdryers, universal sockets and a range of Hermès courtesy products.

Breakfast is served in the large cross-vaulted lounge on the ground floor, which also contains a well-stocked library and a selection of movies (in dvd). There is also a free internet connection on the first floor for guests' use. Guests can easily reach the Locanda by car, where parking spaces are available on request.

The wine bar - bistrot 'e lucevan le stelle' ('and the stars shone') is situated on the ground floor. A number of small seating areas are distributed around the long brass-topped bar, creating an atmosphere which is both intimate and open, even cosmopolitan, and where everyone can feel at ease. The terrace on the Piazza San Francesco is the ideal place for enjoying lunch in the tuscan sunshine, or for savouring an apéritif in the warm glow of a summer sunset. Maybe a jazz concert will accompany your dinner, or you may simply relax on the sofas and admire the artwork on display while sipping a glass of vino nobile di Montelpuciano.

The wine cellars, open from march to october, offer a wide selection of tuscan vintages, together with wines from the best known regions of italy and france. Wine is served by the glass or by the bottle, and a range of snacks, local products and regional specialities is also available.

The town's best restaurants, the shops and the poliziano theatre are all within easy reach on foot. In summer a few minutes' walk will take you to the various cultural events that take place in Montepulciano: classical music concerts in the sixteenth century Palazzo Ricci; performances of the Cantiere Internazionale D'arte; the barrel -race known as the "Bravio Delle Botti"; wine tastings in Piazza Grande, and so on…

The friendly owners are happy to assist in any way they can, whether by making reservations at local restaurants or museums; booking wine tours of Montepulciano or Montalcino and provide fully inclusive vacation with touring, wine tasting and transfers. A private tour and tasting at the family-run wine estate, one of the most prestigious producers of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano can be arranged on request.

The Locanda San Francesco is an ideal starting point for exploring Tuscany. By car you can reach Pienza, San Quirico D'orcia, Bagno Vignoni and Chiusi in around half an hour. Siena, Perugia, Arezzo, Orvieto and Cortona are less than an hour away.

The life of the owners Cinzia Caporali and Lica de Nicolo changed course when they discovered the palazzo that would become the locanda san francesco. Up until then they have been involved in large-scale dock construction in various Italian ports; but after a few months of reflection they decided to start on a new adventure, and they made the move to Montepulciano. In November 2005 they began work on restoring and converting the palazzo, which had been abandoned for many years; and were personally involved with the work at every stage. The Locanda San Franceso and 'e lucevan le stelle' were opened in July 2006.

EMCO Travel LLC DBA E&M Travel is registered with the State of Florida as a Seller of Travel. Registration No. ST36902
California Travel Seller # 2079011-40
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