19 Best places to stay in Tuscany

A contrast to many of Tuscany’s more traditional properties, the Argentario is a low-rise design hotel, literally built into the hillside in the heart of the unspoilt Maremma region.

A haven for sports lovers, the golf course is arguably Italy’s most beautiful, but tennis, horse-riding and five-a-side football are also on offer, while the concierge can arrange off-site activities, including sailing trips, watersports and transfers to a nearby beach club.

Beyond the soaring, space-age lobby are four classes of room, ranging from minimalist to modish safari-style, complete with freestanding stone tubs.

There’s a Bond villain-style vibe to this place for sure, so long as that villain enjoyed golf, wellness and good food.

Set in lovely terraced Mediterranean gardens on a hillside, overlooking the coastal plain to the sea, this old farmhouse has been transformed into a stylish, laid-back retreat.

The owner – once in the fashion business –has an eye for interior design and a mania for collecting; he has filled his house and gardens with a wonderfully eclectic mix of antiques and vintage pieces, paintings and sculptures. The emphasis is on peace and quiet, so this isn’t really place for families although children are welcome. Local chef Gianluca whips up three-course dinners for guests served by candlelight and bakes fresh croissants and bread for breakfast.

This is a great location for visiting both Lucca and Pisa, plus the majestic, marble-rich Apuanian Alps. The chic beach resort of Forte dei Marmi is a short hop in the car.

Set in scented terraced gardens above its own private rocky cove, this legendary seaside retreat was a magnet for international A-listers in the 1970s, and has never lost its allure.

Today it has a timeless, retro-glam vibe, with 50 airy bedrooms and suites divided between the main villa and cottages in the  garden.

By day, guests flop on sunbeds around the pool or on the famous bathing platform over the sea, while evenings are spent sipping Pelican Martinis before moving on to a Michelin-starred feast in the restaurant.

The hilly hinterland of the Maremma is close by if you want to explore and there are ferries (or private yachts) to the islands of Giglio and Giannutri.

The resort is situated at the southernmost tip of Tuscany, meaning the big draws – Siena, Florence and Pisa – are all around two hours drive or more; this is really for those who want to discover a different side of the region.

An intact, beautifully-restored medieval borgo (hamlet) owned and run by the Ferragamo family, Il Borro lies at the centre of a working organic farm estate.

Much of what goes onto the plate in the estate’s three restaurants comes from the farm; chickens, Chianina beef, vegetables, fruit and the estate wines and olive oil. Sustainability is at the heart of the project.

The country-chic rooms and suites occupy the village houses, giving guests a taste of what life in a Tuscan hamlet may have been like, albeit with 5-star luxuries including two infinity pools and an excellent spa.

The village lies in its own 750-hectare estate in the Val d’Arno, east of the A1 autostrada in a totally rural setting. Florence and Siena are both 40 miles away and Arezzo is only 12 miles.

Of all the thermal spa resorts in Tuscany, the Adler is arguably the best. It’s spa facilities – which include a spectacular indoor-outdoor thermal pool complex – are superb, the design aesthetic stylish and the setting is fabulous.

Excellent food and wine come as part of the package; wine tastings in the Travertine wine cellar is a must, with simpler meals on offer in the cosy osteria.

When not wallowing in the thermal water (heated to a natural 37°), having a massage or sweating it out in one of eight Turkish baths and saunas, guests can use the Adler as a base for exploring the glorious, UNESCO-endorsed Val d’Orcia and its lovely hill towns, Montepulciano, Pienza and San Quirico d’Orcia.

The wine-growing area of Montalcino (famous for its gutsy red Brunello wines) is not far, and Siena is a 45-minute drive.

This comfortable Relais & Chateaux property lies just below the lovely old town of Cortona, overlooking the Valdichiana.

An evergreen favourite with an international clientele, the style is very much up-market Tuscan country estate with exposed brick, ceiling beams and terracotta floors, plus beautiful gardens scented with rosemary and lavender.

Dinner at the Michelin-starred Il Falconiere restaurant – set on a beautiful terrace in summer – is a treat; co-owner and chef Silvia Baracchi is big on local produce and her menus showcase specialities such as Chianina beef and local game, fruit and veg from the kitchen garden and the estate’s own olive oil and biodynamic wines.

This is a classic, high-end hotel – lovers of contemporary style may wish to look elsewhere.

It’s a great base from which to explore the Valdichiana and its towns, Arezzo to the north, Lago Trasimeno to the south (and across the border into Umbria) and Umbrian heavyweights Assisi and Perugia.

This medieval stone castle and hamlet is set in extensive grounds on a wooded hillside in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine-producing area.

Parts of the beautifully-restored monastery-turned-castle date from 1,000 AD; the main building wraps around a lovely courtyard where gourmet meals are served in summer.

The bedrooms here, accessed by a warren of stone staircases and passages, are full of character; those in the outbuildings less so.

Spaltenna, which lies just outside the pretty village of Gaiole, makes a great base for exploring this lovely area of Chianti and its famous wine estates. Florence is an hour by car and Siena 40 minutes.

The gourmet-style Pievano restaurant serves elegant, Michelin-starred meals in the candlelit courtyard while Bistecca alla Fiorentina and other more rustic dishes are on offer at the more relaxed La Terrazza.

A recent revamp has given this hotel a fresh, modern feel – albeit in the context of a storied, aristocratic 12th-century Tuscan castle.

Terraced gardens – scented with lavender, roses and jasmine – overlook the timeless Tuscan landscape of olive groves, vineyards and tall slim cypress trees.

The fabulous Shambhala Retreat is the main reason why many guests book into (and return to) the castle; it offers Asian-style spa treatments, meditation and yoga classes plus thermal pools, saunas and hammam.

The Michelin-starred La Torre restaurant offers a sophisticated take on local dishes, while La Taverna, housed in the old castle kitchens, serves up vast bistecca alla Fiorentina and the like.

It’s in an ideal location for a Tuscan countryside retreat, but close enough to Tuscany’s top attractions. Downtown Florence is a 30-minute drive; Siena is a little further (a shuttle bus service runs regularly to both). Many Chianti wine estates are nearby offering tours and tastings.

A mellow old farmhouse, set in beautiful countryside in the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia, lovingly restored by its owners who run it as a laid-back, intimate agriturismo, albeit with the style and feel of a boutique hotel.

The 200-year-old stone building is set in delightfully informal organic gardens brimming with lavender and climbing roses, where friendly family pets and chickens, geese and the odd sheep roam freely. Vineyards and olive groves provide the wraparound backdrop.

The retro interiors reflect the simple, Tuscan vernacular rural architecture, but not at the expense of comfort; beds are firm and made up with beautiful linens, the spacious bathrooms have rain showers. There’s a superb home-made breakfast that includes freshly-baked bread, homemade cakes and jams, free-range eggs and in-house honey.

A perfect choice for those who want an authentic Tuscan experience, this is an ideal launch pad for exploring the beautiful Val d’Orcia and its lovely hilltowns. Siena is an hour’s drive to the north.

One of Italy’s great luxury boutique retreats, Borgo Santo Pietro occupies an elegant villa and surrounding stone hamlet in a little-visited corner of Tuscany, 45-minutes’ drive from Siena.

The Danish owners have painstakingly restored the buildings and expanded the estate, which now includes a working farm supplying much of the produce for the resort’s two excellent restaurants, plus the superb line of herbal ‘Seed to Skin’ spa products.

The cocooning interiors are done out in elegant style, featuring crystal chandeliers, antiques and paintings, with crackling open fires for cool weather. Paths wind through the extensive gardens which include small, formal parterres and wildflower-filled fields; daybeds for whiling away hot afternoons are dotted throughout.

The exceptional spa has recently launched new seed-to-skin Tuscan in-room spa treatments, bookable in the five pool houses and selected suites only. These mini spa havens combine facials, body treatment, massages, and holistic healing. Interestingly, each house/suite has it’s own dedicated signature treatment exclusive and bookable in that particular room only.

There’s an immense amount of space for just 22 rooms, making this an ideal choice for a couple looking for a romantic stay. There are no major sights nearby – the ‘get away from it all’ location is one of the attractions. It’s a haven of seclusion, dedicated to the ultimate well-being.

Originally a traditional country estate, complete with 10th-century castle and its medieval stone hamlet, Castello di Casole has been transformed into a luxury 5-star retreat.

Set in over 4,000 acres of wooded hillsides and farmland that includes a game reserve, 25 acres of organic of vineyards and 30 of olive groves, you could lose yourself for the day without ever leaving the property.

The castle, with its palatial spaces and 39 suites, has been meticulously restored leaving original features intact, while making concessions to 21st-century luxuries: a spa, superb infinity pool, gym and several restaurants.

This is an ideal choice for those looking for serious luxury and an away-from it all feel, although there’s easy access to Volterra, Chianti and its vineyards, the walled hilltop village of Monteriggioni and Siena itself.

Set on a 750-acre estate alongside an organic farm, this ‘borgo hotel’ occupies a stone hamlet with an elegant 18th-century villa and outbuildings.

Dotted throughout the estate are old farmhouses, all carefully restored, with a discreetly luxurious, upmarket Tuscan feel, making this an ideal choice for couples wanting privacy and independence, while enjoying all the facilities of a luxury hotel.

The farm produces olive oil, grain, honey, fruit, vegetables and herbs which, along with farm-reared pigs and hens, supply the two restaurants, the gourmet-style Villa Pignano and the more casual Al Fresco.

It all feels miles from anywhere, but nonetheless is a great base for visits to Siena, Volterra and San Gimignano. Many guests, however, simply choose to stay put and enjoy the huge range of on-site activities and facilities, including yoga and painting classes and horseback tours of the estate.

A medieval stone village converted into a luxurious resort in the heart of south-eastern Chianti, Borgo San Felice is also a working wine estate, producing award-winning wines and olive oil. Immersed in vineyards and olive groves, it is a sophisticated country retreat with particular appeal for oenophiles.

The restoration has left typical Tuscan features, such as beamed ceilings and brick arches intact, but updated the look for the 21st century.

Rooms are spread through the main palazzo and village buildings; the old schoolhouse, the olive press, the cellars and the bakery.

There’s an excellent spa and two restaurants, one with a Michelin star.

Although this is the sort of place where you could throw your car keys away on arrival, there is lots to do close by. Siena is a twenty-minute drive away and Florence is an hour. This part of Chianti is stuffed with wine estates, so it’s a brilliant launch pad for wine tastings and vineyard tours.

This new 4-star hotel enjoys a super-central location just inside Lucca’s famous walls, overlooking the double squares of Piazza del Giglio and tree-lined Piazza Napoleone (setting for the evening passeggiata. Nothing is more than ten minutes’ walk within Lucca’s historic centre.

Occupying a historic building, not much remains of its storied past (erstwhile guests include Giacomo Puccini, John Ruskin and – later – Chet Baker)  thanks to a recent, contemporary re-vamp, but it remains a comfortable and central place to stay in a city where the hotel scene is rather lacking.

There’s a restaurant where you can sample the chef’s contemporary take on local classics, but the real x-factor is the rooftop bar; perfect for a sunset cocktail, overlooking Lucca’s ancient rooftops.

This lovely red-brick villa has been carefully restored by the English owners, and is run with an informal house-party atmosphere; it feels a bit like staying at the country pad of stylish friends who can advise about how to get the best from the area.

There are lovely gardens with a pool and tennis court, and far-reaching views over the Val di Chiana. The chef can whip you up something light for lunch; he owners join guests twice a week at a long table for a three-course dinner; it’s all very convivial.

It suits those looking for a sociable stay, with a chance to get an authentic insight into contemporary Tuscan life.

A long-established agriturismo located in a glorious setting just outside lovely old San Quirico in the Val d’Orica, Il Rigo is a working organic farm run by the ninth generation of the Simonelli family.

Guest accommodation is in two old stone case coloniche (farmhouses) where you can expect comfortable rooms filled with country antiques and pretty bed-linens, with views of the Val d’Ocia to die for.

The farm produces organic stone-ground flour, olive oil, jams, pasta and sourdough bread, all of which – along with other local specialities – can be sampled in the restaurant.

Il Rigo is ideal for a rustic farm holiday, in one of the most beautiful corners of Tuscany.

This beautiful, stylishly-restored 17th century farmhouse complex has been turned into a luxury country retreat, hidden away down a long winding lane in the UNESCO-designated Val d’Orcia.

The 12 bedrooms – which size-wise are more like suites – inhabit the old stone farm buildings, and are done out in luxe-rustic style with massive beds, splendid bathrooms and private garden areas.

The heart of the hotel is the restaurant, with its open kitchen and vast fireplace; meals are served here in cooler weather, or on the romantic terrace decorated with fairy lights in summer.

Located in the heart of the Val d’Orcia, just outside Montepulciano, Lupaia makes a perfect base for exploring the area; Pienza, Bagno Vignoni and San Quirico d’Orcia are all within a 30-minute drive.

The owner-managers are always on hand and full of helpful advice about how to get the best from the area, giving the place a really personal, intimate feel.

It’s a great choice for couples and those who want to really immerse themselves in Tuscan life.

An impeccable country hotel set on a huge working wine estate, Castiglion del Bosco sits in one of the most beautiful corners of Tuscany.

It’s all done out in opulent Tuscan country style, with 23 huge suites in the borgo (the farm hamlet) and nine villas dotted throughout the estate.

Guests can eat spinach and ricotta tortellini with black truffles, local pigeon with prickly pear and other creative Italian dishes at the upmarket Campo del Drago restaurant, or try something more rustic (pasta with wild boar sauce or Tuscan spare ribs) at the more casual Osteria.

Like many luxury resorts, this feels a little like living in a highly-privileged gated community. That said, it does offer a taste of life in rural Tuscany, albeit with the added bonus of a Daniel Steiner spa, golf course and a wide range of experiences; guests can sign up for truffle hunting, wine tours, cheese tasting, walking and biking through the nearby Val d’Orcia.

With its quiet yet central location, reassuringly old-fashioned atmosphere and delightful Italianate garden, aristocratic Palazzo Ravizza is a great base from which to explore Siena.

Dating from the 18th century and still owned by the noble Ravizza family, it has been welcoming guests since 1922, and retains a nostalgic air, while providing 21st-century comforts.

Public spaces and bedrooms are furnished with antiques and artworks, and guests are welcome to play the Steinway in the elegant grand salon.

But the real USP is the marvellous formal garden that looks over the open Sienese countryside; a stunning spot for breakfast or a post-sightseeing aperitivo.

Anyone looking to extend a visit to Siena beyond a day will struggle to find a more authentic place to stay.