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Redefining Luxury: Italy’s Best Agriturismi
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By Francesca Spizzirri
Italy’s offerings are perfect for post-pandemic travellers looking for authenticity and meaningful connections with locals in beautiful settings.
Recent events have provided travellers with a unique opportunity to reevaluate what defines luxury. The result? A movement towards slow travel and an appreciation for genuine, old-fashioned Italian hospitality.
Travellers have discovered that lasting human connections matter more than the thread count of their bedsheets. Lesser crowds and smaller groups are an extravagance. Forging friendships over family-style meals with delicious farm-tofork plates is invaluable. Partaking in hands-on cooking classes using organic, local ingredients with recipes passed down for generations keeps traditions alive. Enjoying leisurely walks to visit locals is precious. Renewing and restoring mind and spirit is important for wellness, too. As travellers redefine luxury in a post-pandemic world, the charming farmhouses and estates dotting Italy’s countryside have found their way into the spotlight.
Unwind poolside with a good book surrounded by soaring cypresses at a Tuscan agriturismo, delight in a meal under the shade of olive trees at a traditional masseria (or country house) in Puglia, or take an evening stroll through vineyards at sunset on the island of Sicily. Agri (agricultural) Turismo (tourism) is redefining luxury Italian holidays.
Discover Italy’s best agriturismi, from Piedmont to Sicily.
UMBRIA
Agriturismo La Panoramica
Located in the charming Umbrian countryside with inviting views over medieval Gubbio, La Panoramica Gubbio is a rural stone farmhouse with a pool nestled between flowers and lush nature. The property boasts two secluded cottages and three apartments set amid aromatic gardens with inviting places to laze on hammocks while listening to the birds sing.
VIEW FROM THE POOL AT AGRITURISMO LA PANORAMICA
© AGRITURISMO LA PANORAMICA
Purchase home-produced organic olive oil, honey and jam made from the hectares of fruit trees, olive groves and beehives. In the surroundings, visitors can discover beautiful country roads during their excursions and walks. On request, enjoy guided tours of century-old beech forests, pottery courses, hiking, cycling and horseback riding, as well as wine tastings. The agriturismo is the perfect jumping-off point to explore Umbria’s brilliant cities and famous neighbour Tuscany, as well as Le Marche and its beautiful beaches.
HOME-PRODUCED ORGANIC OFFERINGS AT AGRITURISMO LA PANORAMICA
© AGRITURISMO LA PANORAMICA
TUSCANY
Borgo di Vescine
Perched on a hilltop overlooking the historic town of Radda in Chianti lays Borgo di Vescine, an ancient Italian village repurposed as a spectacular hotel. The vineyards and expanse of centuries-old olive trees surrounding the village are cultivated on ancient terraces bordered by dry stone walls, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One could easily spend all day gazing at the spectacular view from one of the 28 deluxe rooms and suites, but alas, a carefully curated selection of immersive experiences beckons visitors to eras past.
From hands-on cooking classes and medieval banquet dinners in the piazza to picnics in the Chianti hills savouring local delicacies and candlelit dinners under olive trees, Borgo di Vescine has elevated country dining. For the EVOO connoisseur, join Borgo’s resident farmer, Bruno, as he picks olives and lets guests in on the secrets passed down for centuries that produce the region’s famed liquid gold. Then, enjoy lunch on a terrace surrounded by the smell of olives and wine and relish the art of country living.
ELEVATED COUNTRY DINING AT BORGO DI VESCINE
© STUDIO BONON PHOTOGRAPHY
APULIA
Borgo San Marco
Proudly overlooking 65 hectares of ancient olive trees and stately carob trees interspersed like sculptures of nature, Borgo San Marco is a place where visitors can inhale the true soul of an old masseria and celebrate the Puglian traditions. The rural simplicity of this 15th-century fortified farmhouse encourages moments of reflection and communal gathering. Choose among 14 suites and two residences equipped with all the contemporary comforts the modern traveller has come to expect. It’s the perfect fusion of past and present.
Highlights include alfresco meals, olive oil tastings harvested onsite, cooking classes, sunset aperitifs on the terrace, bike rides through the olive grove, massages, beach days, and visits to the frescoed caves. Rent a car and set off to explore the land of trulli and sun-kissed limestone hills that gently fade into the Adriatic Sea.
INNER COURTYARD AT BORGO SAN MARCO
© BORGO SAN MARCO
TUSCANY
Villa Dianella - Wine Resort
A dreamy oasis located a half-hour drive from Florence in Vinci, Villa Dianella is a family-operated, award-winning winery with a cosy wine resort, once the country home of the Medici. The rustic-styled villa houses four beautifully appointed rooms set in the heart of Tuscany’s rolling hills, with eight additional rooms expected by 2022. A new restaurant, as well as a glimmering new pool, means guests may never want to leave. Thankfully, the villa’s proximity to Florence allows for shopping and marvelling at Renaissance treasures by day and sipping wine in the magnificent countryside while stargazing at night.
LA CAMERA LAVANDA ROOM AT VILLA DIANELLA
© ALESSANDRO MOGGI
Enjoy organic wine tastings in the historical cellars and cooking classes using freshly picked ingredients from the farm that also produces olive oil and jams. Embark on a truffle hunt followed by a truffle-inspired lunch. Don’t miss the property’s Leonardo Da Vinci vineyard that celebrates the local genius through a special lunch featuring wine tasting and a cooking class.
PICKING FARM-FRESH INGREDIENTS FOR THE COOKING CLASS
© ALESSANDRO MOGGI
PIEDMONT
Réva Wine Resort
Why only visit wine country when you can spend the night? Réva Wine Resort is a place of peace, culture and beauty nestled within the UNESCO-designated hills of the Langhe region of Piedmont. Perfectly surrounded by the vineyards and woodlands of Monforte d’Alba, it offers a panoramic view of the Alps that takes a wine country getaway to new heights.
MICHELIN-STARRED DINING AT RÉVA'S RISTORANTE FRE
© VALERIA NECCHIO
In addition to sipping organic wines and savouring Michelin-starred dishes at this 12-room redesigned late 19th-century farmhouse, Réva has the largest spa in the Langhe, featuring a wellness area, two pools and a nine-hole golf course. A world of possibilities awaits guests at their doorstep. Enjoy guided tours of neighbouring villages, e-bike tours, vineyard picnics, wine tastings, truffle hunts for the region’s prized white truffle of Alba and watching the sunrise from the slopes during yoga and mindfulness classes.
APERITIF ON THE TERRACE AT RÉVA WINE RESORT
© GIORGIO SANDRONE
SICILY
Baglio Occhipinti
Set among the vineyards and ancient olive groves of southeastern Sicily, Baglio Occhipinti is a seven-room sustainable retreat in the Ragusa countryside. A working farm in Sicily’s fertile Val di Noto, the estate has been faithful to the atmosphere of the original 17th-century mill structure. With land dedicated to the organic cultivation of vegetables, fruits, olive oil and wine, it is the ideal agriturismo for food and wine lovers. In the kitchen, join Luigi and Sebastiano who affectionately share their knowledge of traditional cooking and family recipes during the on-site cooking classes. A genuine wellness retreat, everything at Bagno Occhipinti emphasizes a balance between body, mind and spirit.
After breakfast, visitors could happily linger around the pool and peaceful surroundings all day. But adventure seekers will look forward to horseback riding and mountain bike tours. Hit the country roads in a rental car to visit neighbouring UNESCO World Heritage sites, seaside villages and pristine beaches. But be sure to return for the sunset stroll through the vineyards with signature cocktails and dinner under the olive trees.
