The town of Vivo d'Orcia lies in the widespread Orcia valley in southern Tuscany about 36 miles south-east of Siena, close to Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano, and a day-trip from Arezzo, Perugia, Orvieto and Assisi. The hot springs of Bagno Vignoni and Bagno San Filippo are also nearby.

These four houses are below the ancient Castle of Vivo d'Orcia, and were inhabited for centuries by families who worked on the castle's estate. The castle's current owners date back to the 16th century. The farmhouses are a short walk from each other in a picturesque setting. The town is on the hill above, and is about a ten minute walk from the estate.

Each house has a dishwasher, washing machine, satellite TV, CD/stereo, electric coffeemaker, toaster, iron and ironing board, and central heating. Casa del Fattore and Casa di Pietro have a telephone. All four houses share the swimming pool, which is located next to the Casa del Fattore. A cook is available to prepare meals featuring the local cuisine.

Casa del Fattore (sleeps 8) was formerly lived in by the estate's caretaker. It is a sunny house with a wide, vaulted staircase that leads up to all of the rooms. The living and dining rooms are furnished with family antiques and the floors are traditional antique terracotta tiles. The beamed ceilings and large fireplaces are another reminder of Tuscan country living.

Casa di Pietro (sleeps 4) is two stories, and looks out onto a private garden. The living room and kitchen are located on the first floor, and the bedrooms are on the second floor. It was fully restored in 2001 and the daughter of the owners invested a lot of time in selecting the right marble, tiles and light fixtures for the kitchen and the bathrooms for the restoration, and placed a few choice pieces of antique furniture from the castle in the house.

Casa di Lilli (sleeps 2) is a small, two-storey house located next to the romantic chapel of Vivo d'Orcia on the estate grounds. It was fully restored in 2004, and is a charming retreat for a couple. The first floor, entered through French windows, is a large open plan living room/dining area/kitchen. The kitchen counter is made from a slab of the local travertine marble. On the second floor, there is a double bedroom and ensuite bathroom. French windows lead to a small balcony with steps that go down to the walled-in orchard of the estate.

Casa dell'Ambasciatore (sleeps 4) was restored in 2006. This charming house is surrounded by a garden, and is a three-minute walk from the swimming pool. The entrance doors open into a spacious living room with a large fireplace and an open kitchen. The two bedrooms can either be doubles or twins. One bathroom has a shower, and the other has a Jacuzzi tub. Both bedrooms have French doors opening onto the garden.