La Sassaia is a rectangular building with regular features in a style unique to the Val d' Orcia. As you reach the house you will be enchanted by thelarge shady trees surrounding the farm. Loosely set, spreading oak trees, as well as almond, nut nad plum trees filter the sun, creating an immensely pleasant mixture of light and shade. "Sasso" - the origin of the name - means stone. Due to the stony soil, this part of the estate was known to have the best vineyards util wine production was discontinued in the late 70's. Today, the grapes have been replaced by extensive fields of wheat, sunflowers, and rapeseed.

AS Iris Origo described in her autobiography Images and Shadows, her husband Antonio reclaimed large parts of the valley in the 1930's. He also asked Cecil Pinsent, to rebuild several farms, adopting the traditional features of Tuscan farmhouses, with the animals on the ground floor and the family on the first floor. A family of 11 lived here until the traditional sharecropping system ended in the mid 1960's, and the inhabitants moved to the city. During WW II, four English escaped POWs found refuge here, working in the fields in return for the shelter they were offered.

Sassaia has now been completely restored in 2001 and turned into a comfortable, sunny family house. On the ground floor of what used to be the cows quarters has been converted into a spacious summer living room divided by two columns and flooded with light from seven windows. The cows mangers have been converted into benches with cushions along three sides of the room, which otherwise has been kept completely bare, apart from the fireplace, carpet and two king sized sofas to lounge in.This room has also been equipped with a fridge and a sink. A bedroom with en-suite bath has been built that is handicapped accessible. The ground floor and first floor are connected by an external staircase and by an internal spiral staircase which is based on a design found in nearby Sarteano. The central room upstairs is a living room which looks out over the trees through windows on both sides of the room, with additional sunlight pouring in through a skylight. The kitchen / dining room next door has a typically Tuscan range and fireplace covered in local travertine. The walls have been painted with the light blue chalk wash which is characteristic of old kitchens in peasant homes. There are also two double bedrooms with en-suite baths and two twin bedrooms that share a bath.

Next to the main house, a lower building has been converted into a loft-like dependance with a twin and a double bedroom with en-suite baths. There is also a large living room and an open space kitchen.

The garden plan was done by the landscape architect Peter Curzon. Climbing roses and hydrangea, honeysuckle as well as lavender, different types of sage, rosemary and cistus mix well with the old oaks and fruit trees. Meals can be taken under the large vine covered pergola.

Facilities: Both houses have: Washing machines, dishwashers, telephones, TV, CD-stereo, 16 x 32 ft pool. Maid service of two hours per day. Extra help and cook available on request