La Scuola
The converted village schoolhouse — large and airy, sleeping up to 8 across four bedrooms. Book online.
View house →Case di Gello — Montecatini Val di Cecina, Tuscany
The oldest house of Gello, dated 1790. A three-storey former village emporium built in front of a fig-tree shaded garden — with a fireplace living room, a library, and an heirloom canopy bed.
Unlike the other houses at Gello, La Casa dell'Arco is not available for standard online booking. We live elsewhere in the world, but Gello is where we come for our own holidays — our personal belongings are here, the wardrobe is ours, and the house has the intimate character of a lived-in vacation home rather than a managed rental. For this reason, its availability is limited to the periods of the year when we are not in residence ourselves.
If you are interested in staying at La Casa dell'Arco, please write to us directly. We will let you know whether your dates are free and we can arrange the stay personally.
— La Casa dell'Arco
La Casa dell'Arco is dated from a Montecatini quarry stone of 1790 — making it the oldest standing house at Gello. Once the village emporium, it is built on three levels and faces a grassy open space shaded by a large fig tree, giving it a character entirely distinct from the other houses of the borgo.
The ground floor is given entirely to communal life: a large dining kitchen with a round table seating six, a generous living room with a fireplace and three sofas, and a library whose two single sofas can be converted into beds. A small bathroom sits discreetly under the stairs.
The upper floor reveals the remarkable spatial qualities of this old building: a bedroom with a standard bunk bed, a double-height room crossed by a large wooden truss which leads to the main bathroom, and a master bedroom with an impressive family heirloom canopy bed — a piece of furniture that speaks for itself.
Below the main entrance, on the opposite side of the building, lies a third level: the original cellar and warehouse — still at ground level when approached from the back — a reminder of the house's life as a village emporium.
"The house carries 235 years of village life in its stone walls — a Fig tree in the garden, a canopy bed in the master room, and the same quarry stone that built half of Tuscany."
La Casa dell'Arco — 1790, former village emporium
— History
In the 18th and 19th centuries, every self-sufficient village had its emporium — a general store at which the inhabitants could obtain everything from grain and oil to tools and cloth. At Gello, that role was played by what we now call La Casa dell'Arco, and the stone above the door still bears the date of its construction: 1790.
The name "dell'Arco" refers to the arch that frames the entrance at ground level — a characteristic architectural element of rural Tuscan buildings of the period, giving the house its distinctive face on the village square.
The construction is notable for its thermal qualities. The thick stone walls and the three-level vertical organisation of the house create a natural thermal layering that keeps the interior genuinely comfortable in summer without air conditioning — a feature that even modern buildings struggle to replicate.
Read the full history of Gello →"Due to the thermal layering of the construction, the cottage is comfortable in summer weather without air conditioning."
The house occupies three levels. Ground floor (main entrance): dining kitchen, living room with fireplace, library with two sofa-beds, bathroom under the stairs. Upper floor: bunk bedroom, double-height truss room with French bed leading to the main bathroom (shower, toilet, bidet, sink), master bedroom with canopy bed. Lower level / cellar (accessible from the other side of the building, at grade from the rear): the original warehouse and storage, a remnant of the house's emporium past.
Fig tree garden
A grassy space in front of the house, shaded by a large fig tree. Outdoor furniture, deck chairs and umbrella are provided for relaxing and dining outside.
Ground floor — dining kitchen
A large kitchen with a round dining table seating six people. Equipped with oven, hob, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and all necessary utensils.
Ground floor — living room & library
A generous sitting room with a fireplace and three sofas. Adjacent library with two single sofas that convert into beds (80×200 cm each). Bathroom under the stairs (toilet and sink).
Upper floor — bunk bedroom
A bedroom with a standard double bunk bed (2 × 80×200 cm).
Upper floor — wooden truss room
A remarkable double-height room crossed by a large original wooden truss, with a French size bed (130×200 cm). This room leads through to the main bathroom, which features a shower, toilet, bidet and sink.
Master bedroom — canopy bed
The master bedroom is defined by an impressive family heirloom canopy bed (130×195 cm) — the most characterful sleeping arrangement in the entire borgo.
Lower level — cellar & warehouse
At the base of the building, accessible from ground level on the opposite side of the house, lies the original emporium cellar and warehouse — a third level that speaks directly to the building's history. It is not a living space, but part of the authentic fabric of the house.
Natural thermal comfort
Due to the three-level construction and the mass of the 18th-century stone walls, the house stays naturally cool in summer — no air conditioning required. Heating with adjustable thermostat is available for cooler months.
Availability
Limited to specific periods of the year. Contact us to check whether your dates are free.
How to book
By email or phone only — no online booking. We confirm personally every stay.
Minimum stay
2 nights, unless otherwise agreed
Check-in
Between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM on arrival day. Flexibility depending on season.
Check-out
By 10:00 AM on departure day
Deposit
30% of total amount by bank transfer to confirm the reservation
Included in price
Water, electricity, weekly cleaning with fresh linen, final housekeeping
Heating (winter)
Gas billed at supplier cost — approx. €10/day in coldest months
Extra beds
€30.00 per adult per day
Pets
Welcome on prior request only
Interested in staying?
La Casa dell'Arco is our family vacation home at Gello. We open it to guests during the periods when we are not in residence, and we arrange every stay personally. There is no booking engine — just a message to us.
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