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Air conditioning is not very common in holiday homes in
Tuscany. The larger hotels in the cities are air conditioned but agriturismi,
country vacation villas, rural rental apartments and Bed & Breakfast
holiday accommodation usually do not have a/c, for a
number of reasons. For one thing, electricity is extremely expensive in Italy so
that it is usually not economical to air condition a large, high
ceiling villa, for example. Architectural protection regulations
prohibit window mounted units, leaving only the more expensive
ducted options. But perhaps most importantly, Tuscany has been
inhabited for a long time and strategies for dealing with hot
weather have evolved so that air conditioning is often not really
necessary. Houses and, indeed, entire villages and towns are very
often located quite high up on hill tops where the air is cooler
and summer breezes more common. Local people living in the valleys
often migrate to the hills or to the seaside during August which
is the only really hot month. The walls of farmhouses and villas
are very thick, usually 45 cm, and are constructed of stone and
rubble so that they act as giant heat sinks, keeping the house
cool during the day and warm at night. Windows are normally
opened at night to let cool air in, and both windows and shutters
are closed during the day to keep the heat out. Holidaymakers
should follow the same procedure, but remember to adjust your
mosquito net properly because letting the night air also lets
mosquitoes in! (Info
regarding bugs and mosquitoes in Tuscany.)
If you are sensitive to heat and visiting Tuscany during late July,
August and early September, rooms and apartments directly under
the roof are best avoided, as are lodgings located in valleys
where air circulation is poor - unfortunately, Florence is
situated in exactly this kind of valley. Or, seek out those places
that have air conditioning.
Here we list a few air conditioned
vacation rentals in the Chianti Classico area of Tuscany:
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Country Apartments - pool (near Impruneta and Florence)Podere Capiteto offers three vacation apartments for 2 (+1) persons. We are located just 3 km from Impruneta and within easy reach of Florence (20 minutes) by bus. Enjoy the tranquility of the countryside while still being able to visit the museums and churches of Florence. Horses for horseback excursions may be rented at the neighbouring property. Our olive orchard is an ideal area for children to run free in safety.
More about Podere Capiteto vacation rental near Florence. |
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Village Apartments (in
Chiocchio)
Il Girasole Apartments for 2 to 5 persons. Each apartment is air conditioned and has a private outdoor area. Easily accessible by bus from Florence which is only 15 km away. Near Ugolino Golf Course. Special weekly rates. More about
Il Girasole vacation apartments to rent. |
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Country farmstay rooms (near Chiocchio)
Podere Barberino is a working winery located about 1 km from
Chiocchio. The winery offers
6 double rooms with en suite bathrooms, two with air
conditioning. Communal cooking facilities are available and traditional Tuscan dinners can be arranged. Podere Barberino houses various small farm animals and has a small soccer field, making it ideal for children.
More about Podere Barberino farm stay accommodations in
Tuscany. |
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Luxury Country Hotel - restaurant, tennis and pool (near Panzano and
Greve)Villa Le Barone is a romantic luxury hotel situated among beautiful gardens in the hills above Panzano in Chianti. The villa dates from Renaissance times and formerly belonged to the della Robbia family of Florentine artists. Villa Le Barone offers 28 rooms,
many of them air-conditioned individually decorated with antique furniture and attractive fabrics. There is a television lounge, terraces and guests' restaurant, as well as a swimming pool and tennis court. More about
Hotel Villa Le Barone. |
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Country B&B -
Rooms and Apartments - restaurant, pool (near Greve)
"Corte di Valle" villa Bed and Breakfast
and apartments, is a winemaking estate located at
Greti, a short drive from Greve in Chianti. It is also
easily accessible by SITA bus from Florence and Greve.
Unlike many B&Bs, most of the 13 double rooms are in
the main villa and are hence spacious and cool.
Nevertheless, air conditioning is available for those who
want it. The large number of rooms plus a private
restaurant make Corte di Valle ideal accommodation for
wedding guests. More about Corte di Valle Bed and Breakfast rooms, vacation apartments in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy.
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Town Apartment
(1 min. from the main piazza of Greve)
Appartamento "Il Borghetto" is a self-catering holiday apartment
for up to 3 persons, located within the small town of Greve in Chianti, in the middle of the Chianti Classico wine area. The kitchen-living room is air conditioned and the bedrooms are a double and a single.
ADSL is available, the bathroom is modern and there is a washing machine. Piazza Matteotti, the main piazza of Greve, is just a couple of minutes walk away.
More about Appartamento "Il Borghetto" self-catering vacation
apartment.
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Country
house - air conditioning - pool
(near
Panzano and Greve)Casa
"Pianicaldi" is an air-conditioned
holiday house for 5 persons located in the
Chianti countryside midway between Florence and Siena, near
Greve and Panzano. The house has a double room with en suite
bathroom, a twin room with a large, separate bathroom and a
single room with en suite bathroom, plus a fully equipped
kitchen, a dining room and a living room in the glassed in
verandah. WiFi is provided along with satellite TV,
CD/DVD player and piano, plus a swimming pool in the
extensive grounds. More about
Casa
"Pianicaldi" holiday farmhouse.
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Country Apartment and Rooms - air conditioning - pool (near Lamole and
Greve)
Azienda Agricola Il Santo vineyard, run by the Turchi family, is situated in the Chianti Classico hills between Florence and Siena, 1 km away from Greve in Chianti. An agriturismo immersed in nature amongst vines and olive groves, it offers
rooms with kitchenette and bathroom, and an apartment for 2 and 3 persons (kitchenette and bathroom).
More about "Il Santo"
Tuscan vacation rooms and apartment.
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Luxury
Tuscan Villa - air conditioning - tennis - pool (near
Panzano and Greve)
Villa Rignana is a splendid Tuscan
villa that sleeps up to 18 people in luxurious double
bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Most of the bedrooms
are air conditioned. The villa is located near Greve in
Chianti, in the centre of the Chianti Classico wine zone. Facilities include a superb marble constant flow swimming pool 18 by 8 meters, an outdoor Jacuzzi, bocce pitch, ping pong, croquet, badminton court and trampoline. Indoors, there also is a gym room with sauna.
More about Villa
Rignana air conditioned luxury Tuscan villa vacation rental.
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