Tuscany
So, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Toscana?
For me, it’s family dinners at historical Italian villas with olive groves and endless grape hills, it’s the smell of warm grass and wood, it’s old furniture and “worn” aesthetics that somehow make absolute sense, bringing to life that “Call me by your name” vibe. Basically, its this mix of things that are very down-to-earth and a little fairytale-like at the same time. In Toscana there are hundreds of villas and atmospheric hotels for any budget, the hard part though is to avoid overly curated and overpriced experiences, and not to miss a gem in the flow of Airbnb listings with unstyled photos made on iPhone. Also, don’t be like us, book an advance. We booked about 4-5 days before check-in, and honestly, just got lucky.
Anyway, what do we have here… First, Toscana is pretty large, with mostly narrow countryside roads, and tons of places to discover. We had just a few days in the region, and I was deeply pregnant and getting tired too fast, so I took a screenshot of the map around the hotel we were staying in and asked chat GPT what was interesting around. We didn’t do anything crowded, no Florence or Pisa and keep in mind that summer is hellishly hot in Toscana. Here I’ll show you Villa Sermolli, which has, to put it mildly, unremarkable IG and website, but proved to be a treasure, a little bit of the village Vinci (guess which Leo was born there), and surrounding countryside, with pears to die for, and the only tasty wine grape I ever tried. There is also a thermal resort town 15 minutes away from Buggiano Castello, where the villa is located, but I was too tired to take photos. I can also recommend one more hotel in Castello.
A scenic view overlooking Toscana, Italy , with trees and buildings, framed by a stone balcony with a decorative stone figure and a table with tea cups in the foreground.
Toscana, Italy A rustic, weathered building with arched window, ivy climbing the walls, and a white patio umbrella in the foreground.
Open window with curtains, revealing a view of a castle tower and a blue sky outside.
An old building with a weathered stone and brick exterior, a staircase with a black railing, surrounded by lush green foliage and potted plants.
A white marble bust of a young man with curly hair on a wooden bookshelf surrounded by books.
An ornate vintage chandelier with several beige lampshades in a classic decorated room with a wooden bookshelf and a beige upholstered chair.
A bedroom corner featuring a brown velvet headboard, a nightstand with ornate wood carvings, a beige table lamp, a glass water bottle, and a painted mural with trees on the wall.
Frescoed wall with classical columns, floral mural, gold curtain, and wooden dresser with a bottle on top.
Close-up of an ornate chandelier made of gold-colored metal and adorned with numerous hanging crystal prisms.
Sunlight shining through curtains onto a window with a chair and a blanket on it.
Outside restaurant or cafe table with a white tablecloth and red chairs, a small stone statue of a boy, greenery with ivy and potted plants, and hanging flowerpots under a white umbrella in the background.
A white cup of black coffee on a saucer with a spoon next to a small bowl of yogurt topped with granola and dried fruits on a brick surface outdoors.
Outdoor patio area with lounge chairs, umbrellas, and a pool, with an old brick building covered in climbing plants in the background in Toscana, Italy.
A window with open shutters on a house, partially obscured by leaves from a flowering plant and a tree branch.
A 25 kg bag of flour on a shelf in a rustic kitchen, with wicker baskets on a cabinet above and a brick and tile wall.
A dark wood upright piano with a matching cushioned chair in front of it, situated on a wooden floor with a curtain in the background.
A wooden bookshelf with multiple shelves filled with books and a white sculpture bust of a person's head.
A cozy living room with a beige armchair, a small round table with a tea set, a fireplace with a large mirror above it, a framed picture on the wall, and another armchair. The room has warm lighting and classic decor.
A rustic wine cellar with a wooden table, chairs, and shelves filled with wine bottles, wine glasses, and decorative items. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling, illuminating the room.
A dark room with a wooden piano, a stool, and an ornate lamp featuring a female statue base on a small table. There are curtains and a framed picture on the wall.
Raw meat on a wooden cutting board on a rustic dining table in a cozy, dimly lit kitchen or restaurant setting.
Meat being cooked over an open flame in a rustic fire oven.
A dimly lit stone corridor with a brick vaulted ceiling, hanging lantern lighting, stacked chairs on the left, and firewood on the right.
A pregnant woman with blonde hair in a bun, wearing a brown sleeveless dress, stands on a balcony with a cityscape and castle in the background during sunset.
Rooftops of Italian houses with terracotta tiles, overlooking a scenic landscape of rolling hills and vineyards under a partly cloudy sky.
An outdoor dining area in a rustic brick building with white umbrellas, potted plants, and a Spanish flag hanging on the wall.
View of a rural landscape with rolling hills, scattered trees, and vineyards, seen from rooftops of old buildings with terracotta tiles, and a tall, Italian-style clock tower on the left.
Views of tiled rooftops in a rural area with rolling hills, trees, and a blue sky with clouds in the background.
A circular, white paper umbrella inside a clear display case.
A wooden geodesic dome structure on a hill, with a landscape of trees and distant houses, reflected in a glass window.
the olive groove that surrounds Leonardo da Vimci's birth place
these pears, oh the taste of childhood.
Close-up of green olives growing on an olive tree with dark green leaves and a blue sky in the background.
A bunch of dark purple grapes hanging from a vine surrounded by green leaves.