Nested between Florence and Siena, the lush hills of Chianti will welcome you with delicious food and gallons of the delightful red wine for which the region is famous. Then further south, beyond Siena, the arid landscape of the Crete Senesi leads the way to the golden Val d’Orcia, with its prestigious wines, hilltop towns and shady cypresses dotted around the countryside.

Having had several late summer trips cancelled due to COVID travel restrictions, we opted for a last minute gataway to Tuscany. Flights to Pisa are easy to find and so, on a grey September morning we boarded our BA flight from Heathrow looking forward to a few days of relaxation in the sun before the chilly days of autumn.

After an uneventful flight, we collected our hire car from the airport and started making our way towards the Chianti region. As we took a right turn off the main road between Pisa and Florence, we immersed ourselves into the rolling hills of Chianti, looking out for the odd villa visible from the road behind towering gates.

I had booked a 2 night stay at Villa Le Barone, located in a strategic position, about 1.5 hours from Pisa, 1 hour from Florence and 1 hour from Siena. The Villa sits on top of a hill with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. The owners are Count and Countess Aloisi de Larderel, a French-Italian couple who, after a successful life abroad, decided to retire in wonderful Tuscany. Although the Villa itself is beautiful, the owners really make the place come to life with their thoughtful hospitality, incredible stories and infectious smile.

Stepping into the Villa, it felt like visiting friends at an elegant manor house. The rooms are very comfortable and each has its individual touch. Outside, the shimmering water of the infinity pool offers restoration and more breathtaking views across the valley.

During the day, delicious breakfasts and light lunches are served and drinks are available by the pool. At night, guests can enjoy earthy Tuscan food with copious amounts of house wine (Chianti, of course).

We had a superb time at Villa Le Barone and used it as a base to visit our beloved city of Florence, tragically empty but ever so beautiful. After being spoiled for a couple of days, it was time to hit the road again to travel further south along the twisty road to Siena.

A few miles south of Siena, we stumbled through the lunar landscape of the Crete Senesi with its characteristic rusty colours from the hard clay interrupted by glimpses of green fields. As we made our way towards Montalcino in Val d’Orcia, we were not short of picture perfect moments: hay bales at the foot of towering cypresses against a clear blue sky, infinite rows of cypresses leading to isolated country houses, rolling hills revealing glowing hilltop towns at every turn.

We stayed near the thermal town of Bagno Vignoni in a lovely family run retreat called Osteria dell’Orcia. Silvano and Antonio are masters of hospitality and made us feel at home from the moment we set foot in the Manor House.

The Osteria is conveniently situated next to the natural thermal bath on the river Orcia. A ten minute walk took us to Bagno Vignoni Square with the old roman thermal pool and a small hotel (Hotel Le Terme) where we stopped for a pampering SPA day.

Val d’Orcia is so enchanting, no wonder it was chosen by so many directors to capture salient moments in their films. The list is long but, to name a couple, think of the Gladiator, whose house is near San Quirico d’Orcia, and the English Patient, set in the ideal town of Pienza.

Back at the Osteria, we enjoyed having a refreshing dip in the swimming pool between reading a book and sipping delicious local wine for our aperitivo.

Speaking of wine, Antonio is a very knowledgeable sommelier and organised a private wine tasting for us on our last day that took us on a journey across the valley, exploring the richness of the Nobile di Montepulciano, the sophistication of the Brunello di Montalcino and the unexpected earthiness of Montecucco, a wine I have added to my favourites’ list.

During our 3 night stay at Osteria, we had some incredible food, prepared with love and great care by Silvano’s wife. We started on our first night with a mouthwatering florentine steak and we proceeded by tasting local specialities such as wild boar, pecorino cheese and homegrown vegetables.

Sadly all good things come to an end and, after six fabulous days in Tuscany it was time to return to the UK, feeling a little heavier compared to when we arrived but certainly rejuvenated. Since we travel a lot, we don’t usually feel the urge to go back to places we have already visited, but both Villa Le Barone and Osteria dell’Orcia exceeded our expectations and, you never know, we might make a rare exception.