Villa La Foce is the main house on the property, consisting today of 540 ha of farmland and several farmhouses. It was originally built at the end of the XVth century as a wayside tavern, but soon became the centre of an estate belonging to the great Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena. In 1924 it was bought by Antonio and Iris Origo and turned into their comfortable home, from where they farmed and developed the land. The Villa is built on three levels, following the lie of the hill, and is surrounded by the now famous garden created by Iris Origo and the English architect Cecil Pinsent – a ‘labour of love’ lasting many years . The house is full of old-world charm, not showy, but with beautiful antique furniture and comfortable beds. There are many cultural activities organized by and around La Foce, held mainly in the ‘Castelluccio’, a medieval castle only 1 mile away, that gather numerous music and art lovers to this beautiful and unspoilt part of Tuscany, the Val d’Orcia, that has recently been included among the World Heritage sites of UNESCO. Three gardeners look after the premises, including the swimming pool opposite the ‘limonaia’ (orangerie). Two full-time maids (including a local cook) and an extra daily help care for the house and its inhabitants (see below for details). Meals are often held under the pergola in the garden, where guests relax in the shade of roses and wisteria, lulled by the sound of water in the fountain nearby. The Villa includes an independent apartment on the second floor, with its own kitchen: a perfect retreat for children and nannies, or younger guests. The main villa (sleeps 13) consists in: 5 double bedrooms, 3 singles, 5 bathrooms, 1 cloakroom with WC. There is a delightful library with a fireplace and sofas, a sunlit living room with satellite TV, a central frescoed and balconied dining room for very special evenings (it’s rather far from the kitchen, near which there is another dining room), and a study – all on the raised ground floor. A large music and living room, with fireplace and two pianos, and several sofas and armchairs, offers plenty of room for entertaining friends and family gatherings, on a lower floor. A large kitchen and a second dining room are also on a lower floor, plus a breakfast room with double glass doors, facing the inner ‘fountain’ garden. All rooms have stunning views over the garden and valley.