After spending part of my life between Milan, New York, Paris and Dubai, I wanted to come home and find the perfect refuge. So I bought this 16th century property in San Miniato, located between Pisa and Florence, not far from where I was born. Perched on a hill, the village of San Miniato sits on the ancient Via Francigena, the main route connecting Northern Europe and Rome in the Middle Ages.
The building, protected as a Historic Monument by the Italian Ministry of Culture, underwent seven years of restoration work before finally being able to welcome its first guests. The works, overseen by architect Gabriele Evangelisti, focused on the original walls; later interventions from the 19th and 20th centuries gave the spaces a heavy feel and obstructed the breathtaking panoramas overlooking the region where Leonardo da Vinci was born. The interior backdrop is made up of original exposed brick walls, dramatic arcades, and pebble floors. A series of recent updates, including a stainless steel kitchen and contemporary fixtures, create an industrial-style atmosphere and floor-to-ceiling windows offer unobstructed views of the countryside. Last but not least, hidden in a basement accessible only through a secret trap door on the floor of the bedroom, is the swimming pool. The door opens by turning an old, industrial wheel once used to cut prosciutto. The pool has won many awards for its unique design! This feature is undoubtedly where the name "Umamma" comes from - it means "a moment of wonder" in Italian.
At the heart of a 16th century palace, elders in the community say that long ago, given its configuration, this part part of the building would have been used as a stable for horses along with the lower floor which is now used as a cellar. In the early 1900s, the spaces were converted into a nightclub by the owner at the time. It was then closed a few years later. When I had the chance to be here during the restoration work, I loved spending the evenings alone inside the house and imagining how it was going to be transformed. I used to put a chair in the middle of the room, amidst the dust and the tools, and arrange the empty boxes to map out the spaces. And so "Umamma" was born.
First and foremost is Tuscany and its gentle landscapes filled with winding hills, vineyards and olive groves. At "Umamma", guests can also participate in music lessons and food tours or visit nearby villages. The aim is to offer a range of experiences that grows richer every year. The apartment is in the central square of San Miniato, a medieval town removed from the crowds and famous for its white truffles and a festival that takes place every year during the last three weeks of November. I usually help clients decide where to go to create a unique experience.
There are a lot of places to discover, many of which we have tried ourselves in order to offer our guests the best experiences: vineyard tours, truffle hikes, horse-riding, electric bike rides, artistic tours. Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena, the nearest major cities, are a thirty minute drive away; and the nearest beaches are thirty-five minutes to the west.
Umamma has a surface area of 230m2 with 1.5 metre-thick walls. Spread over two floors, the entry level is made up of two large open spaces fitted with panoramic windows overlooking the Tuscan hills. The first space opens onto a fully equipped kitchen, a dining area and a living room with panoramic views. Next to it is a 30m2 bedroom-studio with an en suite bathroom and a 25m2 terrace. Between the two wings, a hidden stairwell leads to the oldest part of the building: a private spa with a 35m2 underground swimming pool and a shower room under vaulted masonry. The second space consists of a 60m2 master bedroom with a king size bed in the centre, a master bathroom and a wall to wall, floor to ceiling walk-in storage space.
ref 761011
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