Discovering the Chianti Region with Tuscany Now
It’s no secret that Italy is the proud home of the good life. Fresh ingredients warmed by the Tuscan sun, delicious wine from local vineyards, quaint homes blanketed in miles and miles of peace and quiet.
A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to a villa in the Chianti region by luxury villa rentals company
Tuscany Now to write up my thoughts for StyleNest UK. I haven’t been to Tuscany since I was about 16 – so I jumped at the chance to rediscover its undulating hillsides and delicious… everything.
Tuscany Now offers hundreds of options for unique, memorable accommodation across Tuscany and Italy. All of the properties have one thing in common; they’re pretty damn beautiful. Tuscany Now have great relationships with all of the homeowners to ensure they get everything just as you like it for your stay – from in-house chefs and cooking lessons to tour guides and chauffeurs. Swish. Reading up on Tuscany Now, I couldn’t wait to see where I’d be spending my next few days.
Touching down in Pisa airport and stepping out into the sun-baked air, it felt like midday – not 7pm. Our villa – Il Cortile Pratolino – was a short hour and a half drive away, and it wasn’t long before we felt far away from the world, sipping red wine in the cooling evening.
The first thing that strikes you about Il Cortile Pratolino is the authenticity and charm of the place. Sprawling, labyrinthine and traditional, I couldn’t have imagined a more idyllic villa if I’d tried. Oh, and the infinity pool is also a pretty big draw, offering constantly changing view of the Tuscan hills. Swim in the morning to the sounds of the birds waking, swim at dusk to be welcomed by lights twinkling in the hills.
On that first night, we were treated to a feast by the in-house chef. This is the perfect option for that first night of your holiday, when you have weary feet and empty stomachs.
We were treated to ruby red parma ham draped over melon, milky barrata cheese from cows less than 5km away, bread home-baked with yeast over 100 years old, and velvety pasta served with a sweet tomato and chilli sauce, all washed down with local Chianti. But the real star of the show was dessert. Just when we thought we couldn’t manage anything else, our smiling chef brought us ricotta and yoghurt puddings topped with a juicy compote, and we knew we’d have to try it. Holy Moly, is all I'll say(and I'm pretty sure I've never said that before in my life. Ever).
As darkness fell over Tuscany, we were struck by the quiet. The crickets provided our only soundtrack, and
the darkness was pure and absolute. It completely eclipsed any little worries I’d had beforehand, and I couldn’t wait to get to know the real Tuscany in the days that followed.
Have you every stayed in a Tuscany Now property before, or been to Tuscany?
