A unique holiday immersed in Tuscan history

The apartments of our farmhouse in Tuscany, contain a wealth of history just like Tuscany and Italy. As everyone knows, Tuscany’s breathtaking scenery is largely hilly; the region’s first inhabitants, the Etruscans chose hilltops as sites for settlements for their strategic position overlooking the outlying land.

La Casaccia stands on a hill containing gabbro rock and copper which was excavated by the Etruscans who built a mine with an entrance near the Church of San Biagio (built in AD 600 on top of an Etruscan tomb).

In medieval times three major communication routes led outwards from Montaione’s castle: The first led to S. Miniato, the district which Montaione belonged to before being absorbed by the Florentine Republic, which had a second defence point downhill near "Le Mura" – meaning the Walls – which has kept its old name.

The second was the Ribaldi road which led to the communes of Castelfalfi, Vignale and Camporena, now hamlets belonging to the Montaione municipality; the Ribaldi road takes its name from “rubaldi”, the thieving soldiers who would sack the surrounding villages and countryside in the wake of the knights during the Middle Ages.

This area was also inhabited during the early Middle Ages at the time of the barbarian invasions; the Lombards in particular had their centre in Lucca reaching Barbialla (giving it its name), Castelfalfi and even down to Volterra.

The third road passed right by the site where our accommodation in Tuscany now stands, running along the hilltop and descending down to the river Evola to reach Tonda, was the Road of the Fortresses which sprang up to fortify the boundaries between Florence and the territory of her enemy, the Republic of Pisa.

The road is still known as "Via delle Rocche" today and a number of buildings echo its name: Rocche, Rocchine and Torrino (Fortresses, Little Fortresses and Little Tower, respectively). Our accommodation had yet to be built but there was a construction called Amarrante, some of which is still standing today, built to control the three roads.

A short distance from Amarrante was the borgo which was transformed into a villa and farm during the fifteenth century to create the residential complex where the La Casaccia accommodation in Tuscany now stands, a new dwelling built upon an old settlement. The suffix "accia" did not mean ugly as it does in modern Italian, but old.

Amarrante is an imposing building with a sixteenth-century core and a façade distinguished by a splendid stone entrance and windows. An extension was added on to the left wing and various small cottages were built at the back for the peasants. The name Amarrante comes from “marra” or hoe, or rather from “marrante”, worker using a hoe.

“Marraioli” were called called upon by the Podestà to go and repair or pull down things and formed bands armed not only with hoes, but shovels, spades, billhooks and hatchets. They were supposed to repair fortifications and roads, or demolish them if in enemy territory. During the nineteenth century the entire La Casaccia complex belonged to the Ninci family and included a small oratory dedicated to Saint Cajetan and containing the marble funerary monuments of some of the family members.

During the early nineteen-hundreds many houses had toilets for the first time; at La Casaccia two small rooms with cast stone foundations and perforated brick walls were built on to the main house for this purpose. During this same period the entire complex was converted into a big apartment building for the families of labourers and craftsmen given its proximity to the chief town in the district. In fact, the 1901 Italian census shows that no less than 14 families comprising 63 people lived at La Casaccia during that period. The complex was inhabited until the 1960s. Abandoned and on the point of collapse a skilful restoration project imbued it with new life.

While you're enjoying a relaxing break in the splendid garden and two swimming pools of our farmhouse, the thought of all that history will add a new dimension to your holiday in Tuscany.