It is like a jewel set in the south of Tuscany, among rolling blonde hills, rows of vines and olive trees! What are we talking about? But of Siena, of course: the town of the Palio and of the contrade , of "panforte" and "ricciarelli", a sworn enemy of Florence for centuries in the past.

And a vacation in Tuscany is certainly worth a stay of one or more weeks in one of the many farmhouses in Siena .

The beautiful and comfortable Tuscan farmhouses have been immortalized in many renowned films: from Bertolucci`s "Stealing Beauty", starring the charming Liv Tyler, to "The English Patient" by Minghella, starring the enigmatic Ralph Fiennes. Farmhouses are the typical Tuscan country residences: once the homes of the peasants and of their families, nowadays accommodation facilities for classy holidays.

Provided with all most modern comforts (satellite TV, Wi-Fi Internet access, and so on) and featuring also swimming pools and - sometimes - whirlpools for coping with heat in the summer, the farmhouses in Siena are the ideal accommodation for those who are looking for peace and privacy .

If you rent a farmhouse in Siena in the period of the Palio (on July 2nd takes place the Palio di Provenzano and on August 16th that called dell`Assunta), you will be involved in the century-old feasts and rituals and feel like a real "contradaiolo" (inhabitant and supporter of a contrada ). Moreover, all the jewels and masterpieces thanks to which the town of the Palio has been declared World Heritage Site will be within easy reach from your farmhouse in Siena .