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Best Italian Country Retreats: Charming Agriturismo Farm Stays in Tuscany Featuring Truffle Hunting Tours, Cooking Classes, and Vineyard Views
Each week our Christmas hero Neil Simpson takes a deep dive into a brilliant Christmas theme and does all the legwork so you don’t have to. This week: Farmhouses in Tuscany.
Agriturismos are the quintessential Italian rural retreats: combining agriculture and tourism to offer farmhouse accommodations in spectacular scenery.
Italy’s agriturismos began receiving guests in the 1960s when small, struggling family farms turned to tourism for additional income. In popular areas like Tuscany, many have since added luxury facilities, including stylish en-suite rooms, sunny terraces, and private plunge pools.
While guests stay next to a working family farm, the owners tend to be on hand with fresh food, local knowledge, and vacation tips. Guests can typically walk the fields with the farmers, help with simple chores, and sample food and wine in the farmhouse kitchen.
Some farm stays are booked by room only, while others include meals to showcase local produce. Welcome packs for stays usually include fresh bread, cheese, honey, olive oil and wine.
Hilltop Paradise: Holiday hero Neil Simpson rounds up the best farm stays in Tuscany. The Agriturismo Rocca di Pierle near the hilltop town of Cortona (above) would be suitable for families or groups of friends, he reveals.
Choose a farm stay in the Tuscan hills and you’ll be perfectly located for day trips to Florence, Siena, Pisa, San Gimignano and more.
Luxury retreats that suit families or groups of friends include Agriturismo Rocca di Pierle, near the hilltop town of Cortona, where three restored apartments can be booked individually or as a holiday home to sleep up to 14 people.
Flower-filled gardens with a pool adjoin the farm, and owners can book cooking classes and traditional Tuscan dinners at the farm. From £110 a night for two (roccadipierle.com).
On the I Greppi di Silli estate, between Siena and Florence, there are six agriturismo accommodations with sunset views on private terraces. The bedrooms have a combination of terracotta floors, stone walls and wood-beamed ceilings.
Guests can tour the estate on foot, mountain bike or horseback, explore the winery and relax by the pool. From £80 per night for two (igreppidisilli.it).
Relax poolside at the luxurious Agriturismo Rocca di Pierle (pictured)
Above is Villa Dianella Vinci near Florence, where guests have the option of embarking on a truffle hunting tour.
Villa Dianella Vinci is located in the dreamlike Tuscan hills. To the left is the winery of the agriturismo and to the right, breakfast is served in the gardens.
Villa Dianella Vinci costs from £180 a night for two
Close to Florence, but nestled in the dreamy Tuscan hills, Villa Dianella Vinci agriturismo offers luxurious accommodation in a 16th-century building. The host farmers organize truffle hunting excursions and breakfast can be served in the gardens. From £180 per night for two (farmstayplanet.com).
The five rooms of Agriturismo La Tinaia are surrounded by views of the vineyards. Fully equipped kitchens are perfect for self-catering, while a village restaurant is just a short walk away.
The farm owners aim to cook one community meal a week to allow guests to mingle under the olive trees. From £83 a night for two (latinaia.it).
Most of the agroturismos are reserved directly with the owners or through agencies such as tuscanyaccommodation.com and myitalyselection.es.
EasyJet flights to Pisa start at £34.99 each way. British Airways is starting flights to Florence in the summer at £84 each way, and weekly car hire is around £375 in mid-August. For more inspiration, check out visittuscany.com.
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