Certosa,Maggiano,Siena,Tuscany,Pool,Tennis,Chianti

Excellent facilities, mouth-watering meals and professional service in the most delightful setting contribute to the Certosa di Maggiano’s reputation as the very best place to stay in Siena.

Immediately outside the city walls of Siena, just two kilometres from the famous Piazza del Campo, is the beautifully restored Certosa di Maggiano. Originally built in 1314 with funds donated by Cardinal Riccardo Petrino as a place for meditation and prayer, the Certosa fell into disrepair until 1969, when the present owner fell in love with it and decided to return it to its former glory. This is a ‘Chartreuse’ - an architectural structure combining two adjoining cloisters - the first of its kind in Tuscany and a serene and calm place where monks could spend their days studying, praying and working in the surrounding fields.

The Certosa has many varied and beautifully appointed rooms and areas for guests to enjoy including an elegant library with an antique alder-wood bookcase, ‘Il Canto’ rustic breakfast kitchen, the ‘Emporers’ Hall’ and many terraces and cloisters. Just seventeen rooms and suites all different in style, colour scheme and furnishings, means the Certosa is a delightfully peaceful destination. Guests are received in the ‘Emperor’s Hall’, so called because of the twelve Venetian paintings depicting Roman emperors on their brave horses and, in the nineteenth century English style reading room there is stunning silk upholstery custom-made by the Florentine silk factory. The dining room is beautifully furnished with a collection of ‘Maioliche’ and is lit by an original Murano chandelier.

Outside, one walks through a long open gallery to the 14th Century cloister and large open-air heated swimming-pool surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, looking out over exquisite, ‘Senese’ countryside beyond. The luxury of space allows meals to be served in different locales throughout the day, affording guests the opportunity to enjoy this setting from many aspects. The delights of Siena and many other medieval towns and villages are there to explore or one may prefer simply to unwind and soak in the atmosphere; either way, the Certosa di Maggiano is a magical destination from which to explore this enriching and enticing region of Italy.