Ten minutes' walk from the ancient cliff-top borgo of Pitigliano — one of the most dramatic and atmospheric towns in all of Tuscany — the Ex Convento di San Francesco is a luxury villa rental of extraordinary historical depth. Part of a 16th-century compound commissioned by the noble Orsini family from a Renaissance architect, the former Franciscan convent is set on 26 acres above a wooded ravine, with sweeping views across vineyards, meadows of grazing sheep, and the distant silhouette of Monte Amiata. In the adjoining park, Etruscan carved throne seats and ancient sculptural remains sit quietly among the trees — reminders that this landscape has been inhabited, and venerated, for millennia.
The building has been restored with exceptional sensitivity — all modern conveniences in place, yet the atmosphere of an untouched, almost otherworldly home entirely intact. The grand ground-floor receiving room, once the convent's winery, now houses a magnificent wood-burning hearth and dining space for up to 20 guests. A cosier dining area for six sits beside the auxiliary kitchen, while upstairs a sitting room and library open onto a terrace overlooking the lavender-bordered ancient fig garden — particularly beautiful at sunset. Six bedrooms, dressed in silk tapestries, fine linen sheets, and down pillows, sleep 12 guests in surroundings of quiet, unhurried elegance.
The rose-covered cloister in the front courtyard is one of those rare outdoor spaces that is genuinely difficult to leave — perfect for alfresco dining or long, idle afternoons. An 18-metre saltwater pool overlooks the valley toward Monte Amiata, and a fully equipped chef's kitchen ensures that every meal can be as ambitious or as simple as the mood dictates.
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