This past July I spent ten days living in a Medieval Tower perched on the rolling hills of rural Tuscany.
The pace of life was beyond relaxed; our days revolved around the varietals of the fresh cornetti for breakfast, a swim in the pool, a pass by the garden, as we seamlessly fell into l’ora di aperitvo, then on to making decisions on the dinner plan. Would we venture to the local pizzeria, prepare a feast at home, or venture into Firenze? Every option was golden.
We lived like a little family, everyone contributing a bit here and there, with new friends arriving and stopping by every so often for the occasional chit chat and dinner at the long table. We were a real blend of nationalities – multiple languages being spoken regularly, kids playing, and a dog running around. It reminded me of the things that I truly value and want in my life – simplicity, family, friends, joy, and love. Actually, it wasn’t a reminder – it was reality; this was our lifestyle.
The home where we stayed was constructed by the visionary father of my dear friend Tom. Since the 1970s Tom’s father, the late architect Bruno Sacchi, converted a Medieval watchtower into a striking and unique family house. Bruno’s project was innovative and ahead of its time in its solutions to the technical challenges he faced in a building of its age – it took three years to restore the Torre and create the house it is today. During the last years of his life, the building had fallen into disrepair and Tom’s firecracker mother Jane Sacchi, an antique linen expert, lovingly restored it to its original glory, bringing her own touch to the interiors and gardens. It’s clear that the home has a woman’s touch, and the combination for these two artists is a truly unique blend that makes the Torre incredible.
My bedroom was at the top of the Torre and had the oldest and most thick wooden beams across the ceiling I’ve ever seen. My first few days I couldn’t understand where I really was – I was basically Rapunzel in the castle. Without that crazy long hair though. Anyway.
The first day Tom and I ran errands, doing a big shop at the local stores. I loved living in Italy so much for the fact that we had an expert for everything – the meat, the cheese, the pastries…
My most favorite memories were the most simple moment: taking out a fresh pile of laundry to hang in the sunlight, enjoying a long lunch with a few friends at the house and just being totally silly (ok maybe a little wine / sun drunk), and of course just joking around with one another as the Italians do. We had A LOT of fun.
Arriving to and from the home is so easy as it’s only a 20-30 minute drive from central Firenze. This is also very convenient for when you want a night on the town 😉 The Torre is actually in the town called Bagno di Ripolli, in Chianti. There are wonderful places to go wine tasting in the area; the famous Montalcino is about a 45 minute drive away.
To spend time in Tuscany without a schedule is a lovely thing. I recommend ten days 😉
Discover more of the Torre di Sopra or organize a booking: torredisopra@gmail.com
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