Private Escapes has announced the opening of its newest Tuscany property, Rigo Salcio. The property is a three bedroom, four bathroom villa on 20 acres, and was fully restored and renovated by architect Fulvio di Rosa.

Rigo Salcio

Frances Mayes - author of New York Times’ bestsellers Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany - visited the property with Private Escapes CEO Rich Keith and Fulvio di Rosa. Her reflections on the property:

“To feel most at home in Tuscany, there are several essential ingredients–a stone house with a view, a noble town nearby, olive trees, and a pergola with a table set for a fine feast. The feast should feature what’s of-the-moment: funghi porcini in fall, boar in winter, fava beans in spring, and lusty tomatoes in summer. Everyday Tuscan life represents, to me, the absolute pinnacle of the good life. Private Escapes’ members who are fortunate enough to unpack your bags at Rigo Salcio, prepare to be immediately seduced into this good life. The house, impeccably restored by master builder Fulvio Di Rosa, places you at once inside the long tradition of the contadina farmhouse. But if only the hard-working farmers could see what became of their home. I saw it as a ruin, then again when the last pillow was plumped and the roasting meat turned on the spit in the kitchen fireplace.

Such a transformation. Private Escapes and Di Rosa have maintained the sculptural purity of the structure–even incorporating natural rock outcroppings into the decor. I love the stone corner sink in the kitchen and the space for several to cook together. Situated on a high plain overlooking the broad valley, the house connects you to the sublime Tuscan landscape and also offers privacy, that most precious of luxuries. Mornings at the market in nearby Lucignano, a leisurely lunch prepared from your market basket, a swim, and an afternoon drive to, say, Montalcino to sample a Brunello or two, then listening to the medieval chanting in the church at Sant’ Antimo. Or lunch in Monticchiello, a trip to the Renaissance town of Pienza or to Monte Oliveto Maggiore for the Signorelli and Sodoma frescoes. It’s endless.

All of Tuscany is literally at your feet. Best of all are the deep starry nights with only the hoot-hoots of owls. I forget how many stars are always up there, visible only to those who find paradise on earth.”

The kitchen at Rigo Salcio

The pool at Rigo Salcio

Tuscany is a gorgeous part of the world, and Private Escapes members are bound to enjoy visiting. While the house isn’t large, it’s a wonderful thing to have 20 acres, and it should be perfect for smaller parties.

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