Home Page  |  Availability  |  Reservations  |  Contacts  Surroundings of "Pratesi Villa"    In Tuscany, the Southeastern slope of the Chianti ridge, descending gently towards the Valdarno area creates a valley that is "new" to tourism called the Valdambra. The Chianti hills are part of the hydrographic basin of a river called Ambra.    Valdambra is therefore a transition area, with mountain regions full of the typical tastes of the Chianti, while descending toward the low hills and fertile lowland, sunflowers and poppies give way to the Valdarno.    Historical and cultural identity of the valley, well defined by its long established boundaries, is expressed in its role of "link" between the Arezzo area and the regions of Florence and Siena.    Many extremely important trails cross the Valley, Etruscan, Roman, but above all medieval routes, where it is possible to find watch towers, bridges, parishes, abbeys, churches, castles and villages from the XIII century as Cennina, Rapale, Sogna, Montebenichi, Duddova.    In Duddova is located BORGO VALLESANTA, approximately 400 mt. above the sea level, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, an intimate and quiet area where you can enjoy the evocative panoramic view of the valley. More precisley, Duddova is located on the left side of the river, one mile away from the castle of the village of Ambra. The church San Michele Arcangelo in Romanesque style, with its 25 meters bell tower, is the center of the village, which also offers a beautiful rinascimentale palace (XVI century), erected by the Ubertini family, with a wide park of big shrubs, chestnuts, bay trees and wisteria.    Visiting the ancient village of Duddova, it must not be forgotten to visit the area near the church on the north-west side. Here, where the ancient road for Cennina starts, is one of the most charming, wide and beautiful landscapes of the area: the view goes from Pratomagno (mountain ridge 1600 mt. on the level of the sea) to the Arno valley and the adjacent countries.    For the nature lovers, many trails by foot, horse, or monuntain bike start in Duddova and reach other interesting localities beyond the famous Cennina, as the old road for San Martino and Montebenichi, with its stone walls where the crawling stalks of some secular mulberry remember, with their presence, the silk manufacture industry typical of all the Valdarno area from the 19th century to the first world war.    BORGO VALLESANTA is the door to many extremely important historical-artistic localities such as Siena (20 km), Arezzo (25 km), Florence (60 km), the villages of Montalcino, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Monteriggioni, Pienza, the Chianti with its typical villages surrounded by valuable vineyards as Radda, Gaiole, Castellina and Greve. The beach is distant approximately 140 km in the direction of Siena-Grosseto.