As I told you in my last post, thanks to a job offer in Florence, I took the chance to take two days of complete relax and I got lost in the hills arund Siena. I’ve been waiting for the whole week until my arrival to the holiday farm (agriturismo, in Italian) that I booked. Actually, I had very high expectations on this place, and, in the end, I happly confess that they have been fully met.
That’s why I’m here now, sitting at my messy desk, more than a week after my stay at the holiday farm, to write this post about it. I hope that also you, reader looking for relax, could find a starting point for your next trip from what I’m going to write.
The Tenuta di Castelvecchio: an oasis for relax
Going beyond San Gimignano on the street heading to Volterra, the ups and downs of the hills led me to the small town (maybe village is better!) of San Donato. On the right side of the street, a narrow road, which at first sight isn’t even noticeable, indicates the Castelvecchio Nature Reserve.
For about half a kilometer you have to go into the woods using a dirt road, time to time a bit uneven, until, as if from nowhere, you find this oasis of peace: the Tenuta di Castelvecchio.
Far from the road and completely deep in the woods and sorrounded by the hills of Val d’Elsa, this holiday farm has been rebuilt from the ruins of an ancient estate, right in the nature reserve of Castelvecchio, and it has been completed recently. Actually, this is its first full season.
The building
The holiday farm isn’t big at all. I guess there’ll be around twenty rooms in two different blocks. The main one, where there is also the reception and the dining room; then, the annex building with about 8 rooms. Very rustic but very refined.
This place is also very suitable for families with kids and pets. As it’s almost in the middle of nowhere, there is no risck of disturbing anyone! Also, the holiday farm is surrounded by a huge park with olive trees and a brand new swimming pool! Then, beyond the dry stone wall, a beautiful vineyard for the production of its own wine: Chianti and the very traditional Vernaccia wine!
The “Lavanda” Room
Each room has a name of a flower. The one in which I stayed was the “Lavanda”, Lavander room. It’s located at the second and last floor of the annex. The room is incredibly spacious and comfortable, with a view on the vineyard and, indirectly, on the pool. The roof, with exposed beams, and the terracotta floor gave to the room that perfect rustic atmosphere.
Even the bathroom, with a huge window, was very sunny.
Breakfast time
Breakfast is served from 7 to 10 every day, buffet style. During the two days I stayed at the Tenuta di Castelvecchio, I’ve always found a very varied selection of foods: warm croissant, cookies (delicious!), fresh fruit, ham and cheese, granola, fruit juices and so on.
Dinner time
The holiday farm gives also the possibility to have dinner there. You pay 25€ (drink non included) and you get a complete menu: antipasto (Italian appetizer), primo (mainly pasta), secondo (meat or fish) and the dessert. The menu varies every day. All the dishes, indeed, are cooked by Antonella, the owner, and her mother usinig only fresh ingredients. Everything is very very delicious!
During dinner time, often, there is also the duchshund of the owner, hopeful to receive a few bites. So cute!
Overall rating
The Tenuta di Castelvecchio is a brand new and very well-finished holiday farm. As it’s deep in a pristine wood, the phone signal obviously comes and goes (Don’t worry! Free wi-fi is provided by the hotel! It’s not as fast as a optical fiber connection, but who care?!).
What I loved the most was that the only “noise” was the sound of cicadas. It rimined me of my beloved Japan!
San Gimignano isn’t far at all. It takes about 10 minutes by car. There, if I have to find a cons, the only way you have to reach this place is by car. So you have to own or rent one.
Apart from this, I strongly recommend you to spend some days here if you’re planning a weekend of complete relax sorrounded by the beautiful Tuscan hills!
