Time out in Tuscany and San Gimignano
When you think of Italy, it’s either the large cities of Rome, Florence or Venice or the coastal towns of Sorrento, Portofino or Cinque Terre. But one of the biggest regions of Italy is right in the center. It’s the heart of the wine making region of Italy, called Tuscany. The mere thought of Tuscany conjures up romantic thoughts of vineyards, relaxing villas and hill towns. Well, somehow we managed to stumble into all of that in our recent visit to San Gimignano.
This part of Tuscany is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Rome and about an hour and a half from Florence. Out in this countryside, at times it feels even further away. We stayed at an agriturismo, or “working farm,” a type of lodging that is very popular in Tuscany. We were traveling with our friends and we all stayed at this agriturismo on their recommendation. It was a fabulous choice.
The spot where the farmhouse sits today, once was a convent. It was purchased in 1980 by a Milanese entrepreneur. They first began making wine and then began renovating the farm. In 2012 it was turned into a bed and breakfast which also houses a gourmet restaurant.
In walking around the property you’ll find evidence of the farm that is still in operation today, along with the vineyards that surround the entire property.
IL FIENILE RESTAURANT
Breakfast is served every morning as part of the room rate. Dinner is also served, for an additional cost, each evening. We ended up eating two of our three nights stay at the restaurant, as it was delicious and convenient.
One of the most beautiful views from a pool, looking over the hills of Tuscany down into San Gimignano.
The drive to San Gimignano was a short 20 minutes away, so we went into town to explore. We were here several years ago, and remember it being absolutely packed. On this day we went before lunch to avoid the crowds.
The towers of San Gimignano. At one time this hill town had 72 towers inside it’s walls. Today only 12 remain.
Piazza della Cisterna is the main plaza in the town. Everything in this hill town is sized down, even the plazas are fairly small.
There is a lot of great shopping in San Gimignano. I was on the hunt for some great linen shorts and tops. Steve had a different idea where he was found shopping for local wines, meats and cheese. We each ended up finding what we were looking for.
A view from a narrow street through an arch, out to the country side.
After a day of shopping and sightseeing, it was time to head back to the agriturismo for dinner. It was another fantastic night for our last meal in Tuscany.
One last look at the sun setting to the west of the agriturismo. It was a great stay to rest up from a lot of traveling while enjoying the gorgeous Tuscan countryside.
I would highly recommend Mormoraia Agriturismo for a stay in Tuscany! Their link can be found: HERE
