Recommended place to stay:
Il Borro
San Giustino Valdarno, Tuscany, Italy
- https://www.ilborro.it
Official star rating:
Copyright Francesca Pagliai
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.
Surrounding area
The setting, in 750 hectares of park and farmland, is totally peaceful, a true rural escape from the world. Most of the bedrooms and suites are housed within the medieval stone village buildings, so you walk along cobbled streets to get to the restaurants, spa and so on.
The village buildings are not just given over to hospitality; mass is held in the church every Sunday and local artisans produce shoes, ceramics, hats and jewellery in their studios in the village.
While you're there
There are some enticing ‘experiences’ you can sign up for – vineyard and wine cellar tours, horse riding in the Tuscan countryside, and even workshops with local artisans (weaving, jewellery making and pottery painting and more). The latter are brilliant for kids.
Price
Please note - we hope to one day have live prices for you, but for now, here are some useful links for you to compare prices...