Accommodation & the Area

Accommodation

Accommodation for visiting artists consists of two independent apartments in Villa Beltrami, the mansion of the area original landowners, where the printmaking workshop is also located.

The first guests' apartment is on the top floor, right above the print studio, and can accommodate up to four people.
It is 900 square feet and has windows facing North, West and South that give beautiful light at all hours. The apartment features collected artworks from previous artists in residence as well as from various local and international artists.
You will find:

A fully equipped kitchen and comfortable living room with a wood burning stove.
Two bedrooms (one with a queen size bed and one with two single beds). One bathroom.
Includes Wi-Fi.
Washing machine available. No smoking.

The second guests' apartment is on the ground floor of Villa Beltrami with a door facing the common yard from where the printmaking studio is accessed and a door to the castle square. It can accommodate a couple. It is over 900 square feet and has windows facing North and South. It is well ventilated and quite cool even in the hottest hours of summer. In the cold season it is heated by geothermal energy (the vapor extracted from the earth which this area is famous for). The apartment has the original centuries old walk-in fire hearth which functioned as the kitchen for the all the Villa Beltrami inhabitants.
You will find:

A fully equipped kitchen and very large living room with a fireplace.
One bedroom with a double bed. One bathroom.
Includes Wi-Fi.
Laundry machine. Dishwasher. No smoking.

The Area

The castle of Serrazzano is a small remote village in the Colline Metallifere (the Metal Hills), in Tuscany. It is one of several hamlets that belong to the municipality of Pomarance, in "the Land of Green Energy", in the province of Pisa.

The area was called "le Colline Metallifere" (Metal Hills) because of the abundance of minerals—no longer extracted—that, among other uses, provided the Medici with the stones that embellished their palaces and villas.

Nowadays, this area is known as the “Land of Green Energy” because of the geothermal resources that are used to produce electrical energy, provide heating to nearby villages, and dot the landscape with a network of steam-pipes, power stations and cooling towers that are all eco-friendly.

Serrazzano

In ancient times, the historic center of Serrazzano was a complex of about two dozen buildings that comprised an oil mill, grain storage, wine cellars and water tanks, to survive possible sieges. It also housed a few inhabitants, including the guards—stationed in the Caserma—and the noble family of the Falconcini who owned the land surrounding the village. The historic center was accessed on foot through one of three gates that were closed at sunset.

At the heart of the historic center is the large building that used to be the residence of the Falconcini—now known as Villa Beltrami, and where the studio and apartment are housed. The building—now cut into some apartments—is included in the National Registry of Architectural and Historic Protected Sites because of its architectural, historic and anthropological values. Modern Serrazzano has a population of 350 and has expanded East of the castle.

The geothermal cooling towers and steam is the eco-friendly source of heat in the area.

Activities

There are many activities that can occupy your time while at TwoCentsPress in Serrazzano.

Short trips include:

Hikes, mushroom picking (at the right time of the year), exploring the natural warm springs.

Visiting the restored Rocca Sillana, a medieval stronghold.
The Geothermal Museum in Larderello.
Explore nearby villages: Lustignano, la Sassa, Monterotondo, Libbiano, Micciano, Canneto, Montecerboli, Castagneto Carducci, Bibbona, Monteverdi, Casole d'Elsa…
In the summer time you can try one of the ubiquitous “feste paesane” and sample their authentic Tuscan food.

Day trips include:

Visit Volterra (less than 1 hour drive) for the Etruscan museum and the “Pinacoteca” which houses the masterwork of Rosso Fiorentino.
Visit the seaside and the beach in Cecina.
Shop for fresh produce from Maremma at one of the local weekly markets.
Enjoy a wine & cheese tasting in the cantina of a nearby vineyard
Drive to Florence (1.5 hour drive).
San Gimignano, Siena, or Pisa are just over 1 hour drive.
Rome is 3.5 hours away.