Our cosy apartment in the hamlet of San Martino, perched above the Niccone Valley and with commanding views to nearby Umbrian and Tuscan villages and castles, has had a colourful past.
Built in 1896, before Italy was fully unified as a country, it was originally home to livestock, used for storing cured meats in cool, dark conditions, and a space for wine making. During the Niccone Valley’s agricultural heyday as a major centre for tobacco production (when the population of San Martino and the surrounding area was much higher), it hosted a small shop serving inhabitants with essentials and their smoking supplies from the processed local crop. At this time, the main part of the house was used as a schoolroom.
Now, it has been converted by local craftsmen into a comfortable living space, retaining features such as salvaged hardwood and fully equipped for self-catering to allow guests to take full advantage of amazing regional produce.
Walkers, cyclists, foodies, runners, art lovers, festival-goers, historians and naturalists will all love visiting this incredible area, and San Martino 13 is the perfect base year-round.
