Villa Francesca is situated in the heart of the splendid Chianti Classico area, immersed in the green hills ornamented with vineyards and olive groves, halfway between the historic cities of Florence and Siena which, like all Tuscan cities, offer the visitor a vast array of cultural treasures.
We are just 5 kilometres from the S. Donato in Poggio exit of the Florence-Siena highway, only 30 minutes away from the historic city of San Gimignano, 30 minutes from the centre of Florence, 35 minutes from Siena, 40 minutes from Florence airport (Peretola) and 90 minutes from Pisa airport (S.Giusto).

SAN DONATO IN POGGIO - As a real medieval historic centre, a real fortified "castrum", San Donato still keeps his typical "embankment" structure. It is situated on a hill that shows its walls from the XI-XII century and set out of towers alongs its length. A central way crosses the centre by connecting two doors (Porta Fiorentina and Porta Senese). The inner residential area is enough omogeneous, with some great buildings such as the high tower, the Ticci-Malaspina palace situated in the corresponding piazza and the gothic church of Santa Maria della Neve. During the Midle-Age, San Donato had a very important role first due to its strategic position between the two valleys of Elsa and Pesa, connecting them to Siena and the Chianti area. Untill the XII century the village was a property of the Conti Guidi who were a family of powerful feudal Lords allied with the Emperor. Later it became an indipendent Comune. During the XIII and the XIV centuries San Donato became one of the three leaders of the Chianti League.
A romanesque church (called Pieve from the latin plebs, plebis = People) is situated just outside the urban town walls. Its essential forms without any particular decoration, don't prevent her from being grand and harmonious. It was built with alberese marble stones and it particularly strikes for its high and emblatted belfry as well as for its apse area, harmoniously ending in the three corresponding inner aisles.