Stylish hotel set on a Tuscan country estate
Its charming rooms and maisonettes come accompanied by a pair of pools, two restaurants and extensive gardens. You can busy yourself with yoga, cooking and horse-riding classes, or head out to explore pretty hilltop towns and Chianti vineyards. Part of a 750-acre working organic farm, the privately-owned Borgo comprises an 18th century villa and hamlet dating back to Etruscan times.
The lowdown
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Combine with
Begin with a few nights in Florence for a classic city-and-country trip, or we can include the Borgo as part of a wider central Italy fly-drive itinerary.
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Need to know
The children’s pool is a little small for 7-11-year olds, who are unable to use the adult’s only infinity pool.
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Insider tip
There are local markets in Volterra and San Gimignano every Saturday, and in Siena on Wednesday mornings.
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Be sure to try
Be sure to try the Borgo’s antipasti of burrata (buffalo milk cheese) served with perfectly seasoned fresh tomatoes. It’s deliciously moreish.
There’s enough distraction for everyone here. Active pursuits include hiking and mountain biking, with trail maps provided, amid the estate’s virgin woodland and fields. Borgo Pignano is also home to a group of gentle and well-trained horses, with both beginner’s lessons and trail rides for seasoned riders on offer. Seasonal children’s activities include nature walks and pizza-making. And with yoga sessions, estate tours, art classes and cooking courses on offer too, you might want to schedule some relaxation time at the pair of swimming pools.
The medieval hilltop towns of Volterra, San Gimignano and traffic-free Monteriggioni are just a short drive, while day-trips to Siena and Florence will tick the art and culture boxes.
You choose to stay within the main villa, where elegant rooms boast original frescoes, marble bathrooms and views of the olive groves and vineyards, or a selection of two-bedroom maisonettes and cottages are just a short walk away. Ideal if you’re travelling as a family, each features basic kitchen facilities for rustling up steaming bowls of pasta – handy for those nights when you’re not feasting on Tuscan treats in the restaurant.
The Villa Pignano restaurant offers a fine dining experience utilising the freshest ingredients from the estate’s own organic vegetable gardens. For more casual fare head to Trattoria Al Fresco, where you can enjoy classic wood fired pizzas within the beautiful gardens during the summer months,
