A hidden gem in the hills above Greve, Villa Bordoni

Entry by guest blogger Lee Robinson

Up early and into our rental car, Allegra’s knowledge of the streets of Florence quickly puts us on the road to Greve; and we head south with a steady stream of commuters coming at us.  The usual morning blue mist of Chianti (which we could see from our Florence apartment) is burning off, promising a gorgeous day.  Thank you!

As this trip is about finding new hotels and restaurants, and trying not to order our favorite meals, or retrace our steps, we veer to the east and pick our way on some ‘new to us’ roads.  Very soon we get a real taste of what a wine harvest looks like in Chianti.  There are cars and Vespas parked by the road sides, and the vineyards have red grape boxes stacked between the rows awaiting a truck to transport them to be pressed.  The harvest only lasts a couple of weeks, as the grapes are ‘ready’ no time is wasted in picking.  Along the way we spy several well known villas, and vineyards as we twist and wind our way on the narrow and sometimes very steep hillsides.  The views on this road are intoxicating, and eventually we descend into Greve, and turn into what looks like a driveway, but quickly ascends to the tiny village of Montefioralle. The charm and intimacy of Montefioralle  can be explored in 15 minutes.  This tiny gem has been beautifully restored, and its cobbled cart path is largely a flat terrain, and your camera should capture the overflowing window boxes and ancient doorways.

As the church bells chime noon we continue on our way on a ‘bruto’ road with periodic washouts from last night’s thunderstorm.  Our car doesn’t complain, and we eventually find Rignana, for lunch,  Rignana is a dot on the map and which was recommended to Allegra from a client’s visit.  The road ends at a cluster of farm buildings, and a small parking lot.  From there we follow a tiny sign to a terrace restaurant which has a panoramic view.  We pass the open kitchen where a cook is chopping tiny zucchini and fresh porcini mushrooms, garlic fills the air.  We order an antipasto of a strong pecorino which has large shavings onto an olive wood bread board accompanied by a pot of fig jam, brings out our oohs and aahs.  All of the elements for a great memory are in place here:  a beautiful sunny day, a wide and gorgeous view and a delicious country lunch which also smells intoxicating.

our cheese platter at Rignana

As we are not due at our hotel until mid-afternoon, we decide to continue through the back country, passing through the beautiful village of Badia a Passignano and Sambuca and climbing through the rugged hillsides to Castellina and eventually returning to Greve.  Again we find a lane off the SS #222 and wind our way up through the vineyards to Villa Bordoni.  Allegra saw this hotel last winter when it was closed for the season, and is looking forward to experiencing a stay there after raves from many clients who feel in love with it. 

Villa Bordoni has only 14 rooms and suites, and a notable restaurant offering cooking lessons.  This gently sloping property is charming even from the parking lot.  Sheltered against the hillside the hotel is surrounded by elegant palm trees, and lovely scented gardens.  The emphasis here is on comfort.  The dining room, bar and dining terrace are purposely designed to feel like you are spending a holiday with friends.  There is a large sitting room/library on the second level for those who want to linger with a book from their library or gorgeous coffee table books about far off places.

 Outside there are lavender and rosemary hedge-lined pathways which lead to a spa, and a grassy terraced pool area with a delightful vine-covered outdoor shower.  The property overlooks a former monastery, San Cresci...and the vineyards and olive groves of Villa Bordoni.

Dinner at Bordoni is wonderful from beginning to end.  The menu didn’t disappoint as my earthy pumpkin soup is garnished with a large, proscuitto-wrapped roasted prawn.  I was skeptical of this combination when I read the menu; but would have had it again for my main course, had I known how interesting and delicious it would be.  And the substantial beef filet was delicious and tender.

Our room is at the top of the villa.  It is large with exposed beams, elegant bedding and draperies, cool tile floors, a huge gorgeous tiled bath and very comfortable beds, and an array of special Villa Bordoni toiletry items.  Most hotels of this style have beautiful and comfortable rooms, but God is in the details at Villa Bordoni.  The scale is right and every detail has been well and thoughtfully designed to be appealing to the eye from every angle.  The very competent and pleasant staff, including the friendly tiger kitchen cat ensures the atmosphere is relaxing. 

There is a subtle sophistication and elegance; but the secret here is the owner, David Gardner, who is the ultimate host for this style of country hotel.  He and the manager, Ricardo, are  present to convey a friendly professional ‘vibe’ and to ensure a very high-level of service.  He’s a ‘foodie’ and the owner of two notable restaurants in Florence, so the kitchen here is excellent, but not pretentious. 

I look forward to visiting Villa Bordoni again as its tranquil location is restful and ideal for exploring the northern part of Chianti.  

Note:  Bordoni makes a very special peppery olive oil which we were dying to buy, but could not as it was last year’s; and David refused insisting this year’s oil would be much better.  Also, Bordoni offers cooking classes which attract couples and groups…next time I look forward to learning how to make a few of the truly delicious menu items.

Dinner with Giorgio at Guido in Siena

Entry by guest blogger Lee Robinson

Why is Siena a mystery to me?  It seems I always find myself there at night, and almost inevitably get lost trying to find a parking lot.  However, once there it’s worth all the craziness of frantic traffic. 

This time, as usual, we are late but find a lot and hustle to meet Giorgio, who owns a great Italian tour company which features customized and sometimes exotic tours.   As we are late we hurry navigating the dark medieval streets past San Domenico twisting and turning with me tapping the ancient cobblestones with my cane until we burst into the magnificent warm light of the Piazza dei Campo.  The proportions, history and magnificence of this enormous sloping piazza with its din of activity, never ceases to amaze.

Allegra had met Giorgio dell’Artino a few years ago at a travel cocktail party in Boston, and quickly picks him out of the evening crowd. The Piazza dei Campo is “the place to be” for the Sienese as well as the tourists; and, after quick apologies and introductions, Giorgio quickly leads us to a favorite restaurant, Guido…just a short block from the Campo.  An enormous box of fresh porcini greets us on a table at the entrance, indicative of the freshness of the dinner to come.  Guido is clearly a restaurant popular with local businessmen, and apparently celebrities as well.  The walls are adorned with black and white photos from wainscoting to the ceiling with “people in the know”.

Dinner is not disappointing and is truly delicious, the company excellent, along with a shared bottle of Scansano diMorellino Riserva and lots of friendly conversation about the economy, who’s traveling, and the tease of hot air balloon rides, Ferrari drives, and the fascinating Etruscan villages in the hills above Tuscany’s sand-dune shore.

Thank you, Giorgio, for a fantastic night in Siena!

Scopeto, Scopeto, Scopeto

Entry by guest blogger - Lee Robinson

We first saw the fabulous Borgo Scopeto in 2004 when it was being renovated.  All cranes and construction equipment and dust, it was an intriguing and five-year undertaking to transform an ancient Sienese estate and its cluster of farm buildings into a world class hotel.

driveway to Scopeto

We arrive at the end of a long day of ‘white roading’ in Chianti.  Our VW is covered with dust and mud, and is embarrassing next to the 20 or so sparkling vintage Mercedes which fill the courtyard parking area.  A group of collectors are enjoying a vacation here with daily excursions into the Tuscan countryside.  A silver gull-wing 300, a cute little red roadster, a collossal German general’s convertible, etc.  Somehow a vintage red MG-TD is also in the lot.  Four bright red rental Vespa scooters are artfully and precisely lined up outside the front door to the villa.  What a great backdrop for an ad campaign!

But the best is the restoration of the stone buildings.  Reception and dining rooms with decorated coffered ceilings, sleek modern furnishings, artful black and white photos, and a sky-lit sitting room off the bar had been created in the base of a soaring stone tower which dates from 700 A.D.   The guest rooms are many (56) and varied, along with a few guest houses; and, a grassy terrace has a fabulous near view of Siena. 

Our room is sparely but comfortably decorated with a modern, deep sofa and comfortable beds. Understatement in style here speaks quite loudly in quality.   

 The chef here is clearly talented, but we had planned to meet a friend for dinner that night in a nearby village, so we did not get to explore the very interesting menu.  However breakfast was a lavish spread with meats and fruits, and eggs, pastries and choices galore.  All of it was delicious.

Scopeto is a bucolic, oasis off by itself in the Chianti countryside; however, it is near enough to have dinner in Siena (10 minutes away) , or exploring the tratorias of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole.

NOTE:  Scopeto was featured in Vanessa Redgrave’s Letters to Juliet, 

Returning to The Raphael after 42 years

Entry by guest blogger: Lee Robinson

I first saw The Hotel Raphael in 1970 when my first husband (an architect and land planner) and I were on our way to Sardinia where he was working on a project on the Costa Smeralda.  My mother-in-law had generously made it possible for me to go along, so we could carve out a second honeymoon during the weekends of his sojourn there.

It was my first trip to Rome, and the taxi from Fumicino brought us down the via Aurelia past the American Academy to a park on the Gianiculum overlooking the city.  The magnificent Vatican looked close enough to touch.  What a perfect introduction to Rome!

We slid down into Trastevere and over the Tiber and onto the busy Corso, and into a side street which passing the Piazza Navona where families where enjoying the day.  Our taxi seemed to dive from the bright summer sunshine into the cool alley and came to a halt in front of a building with a façade carpeted in dripping ivy.  Once across the threshold the old world charm of Swiss-trained hoteliers took excellent care of us, and our charming room had a small balcony overlooking the trattoria next door.

Our stay there and our forays into the neighborhoods, museums, churches and dinners at sidewalk cafes in Campo di Fiori, Farnese, Sant' Eustacchio,  Minerva always accompanied by street musicians created perfect memories.

The ivy draped facade of the Raphael

Today, we arrive in Rome by taxi, having left our rental car at the airport.  The Piazza Navona is swamped with all matter of humanity: artists, hawkers and tourists; but there is The Raphael seemingly untouched by the outside world, except for the tourists who are lingering across the street hoping to catch sight of a movies star emerging from the ivy. The lobby has been rearranged, but the staff seems to still have the same uniforms, and more importantly the same friendly and efficient demeanor.  The lobby now is more art gallery than lobby with its extensive collection of Picasso drawings and pottery.  And there are other changes:  we have a quick lunch on the roof which now has a real dining terrace.  42 years ago, we there were a few chairs, and perhaps a table or two, and we had to arrange to have a breakfast of the traditional hard roll, a cornetto and coffee; and we were usually alone.  The once charming rooftop view of hidden garret terraces and chimney pots is now punctuated by an abundance of cell phone and TV dishes.  Startling at first, but it is, of course, a sign of another generation. 

The roof terrace restaurant and bar

Our Richard Meier designed suite is spare and beautiful with an extravagant bathroom, and  ample closets, unlike the camere of the old Raphael.  There is even an electronic bed for maximum comfort, as well as electronic shades to shut out the world.

Waiting for us in the room!

catching up on emails

our very large tv

the shower in the spacious bathroom

The Raphael has also nodded to the American style breakfast buffet in their lovely dining room, and it is extensive and delicious.  The staff is extraordinarily pleasant to deal with, ensuring our visit is restful and more or less perfect.  The location can’t be beat…but I’m hoping they are planning to redo much of the above the ground floor hallways which are scarred and ‘dinged’, and especially the hall carpets which frankly needed redoing a year ago. Many thanks to Viorica for ‘smoothing out our wrinkles’

back at the hotel after a long last day in Italy - 8 hotels in one day!!

L'Andana, a little bit of France in Tuscany

Entry by guest blogger: Lee Robinson

World famous French chef, Alain Ducasse, has fallen in love with Italy.   The result of this love affair is his gorgeous seaside tenuta (farm) on the rural outskirts of Grosseto.  The approach alone is dreamily Tuscan.  The long driveway is lined alternately with cypress and umbrella pines.  Visible for some distance before we are buzzed in at the gate, we pass corrals with a dozen or so enormous Chianina beef cattle complete with intimidating horns, and some chickens, pigs and other farm animals.

The driveway at L'Andana

Chianina along the driveway

The restoration of this villa is modern and upscale in all the right ways.  The public rooms are light, bright and generous, but not overwhelming in scale.  Lots of glass in a newer addition (bar and living space) connects the main building with the rooms and suites overlook a green terrace.  There is a smaller dining room, and larger glass conservatory dining room has been added to the front of the villa bringing the gardens, fountain and sunsets ‘inside’.  In the evening the gardens are up-lit and a tiny chapel at the corner of the terrace glows in a halo of light.

When you look closely an extraordinary attention to details reveals itself, like downspouts which have a modern arty gargoyle look.  The cantina has a ‘knock your socks off’ stairway to a gallery above where world famous artists who live locally are showing their art.  The guest rooms are ‘tres elegant’ with lovely linens and draperies, more than enough built-in closets, and gorgeous baths with double sinks.  The pool is nicely hidden with its own views of distant mountains; and a stairway leads down the hill to the winery, cantina, a seasonal trattoria.

We came for the food, and weren’t disappointed.  Dining here is a ‘grown-up’ experience, while not totally formal, everyone is well-dressed…this is Italy afterall.  The service is impeccable, and the staff of charming and sometimes amusing young men are very pleasant and well informed without the ‘snoot factor’.  Courses are presented with French precision with the right utensils, and virtually everything is delicious.  I don’t know what my roast lamb tenderloin was marinated in, but the aroma was delicate and almost flowery.  Unlike the saltless Italian breads, a decidedly French influence in variety and taste.

inside the restaurant at the villa

Breakfast is special too as we pick most of it out ourselves in the charming kitchen, where a chef’s stove cranks out cozy BTUs taking the morning chill off.   French pastries, fresh juices and Italian coffee are outstanding.

A Frenchman has integrated his classic training with very fresh ‘from the farm’ ingredients, and an impeccably good cuisine.  The wine list is, of course, outstanding, and there are some relatively inexpensive choices.

art installation in the gallery above the wine tasting room -  oversized chairs made of  grape vines!

our bathroom

our sitting area

The staff like everything else at L’Andana is excellent, particularly Paolo who was very helpful to us. Extensive walking paths are great for getting exercise while exploring this beautiful self-sufficient estate.  The charming yacht harbor of Castiliglione di Pescaia is nearby with its ancient Spanish fort looming over the town, as well as beautiful duney beaches of the Parco Naturale della Maremma.  Again the Maremma shines with laid back sophisticated charm amid a gorgeous seaside backdrop.  

Il Pellicano on a picture perfect day - October 2, 2012

Entry by guest blogger: Lee Robinson
The Maremman coast is still relatively unknown by most American tourists. Its sand dune beaches are obviously very popular with northern and eastern Europeans in the summer, as the approach roads are lined with caravan parks.  But, from this time of year until May it will be quiet.  We pass the Parco Uccellina – a vast coastal park with miles of deep umbrella pine forests lining the inland side of the beaches providing cool shade from the intense summer sun. 

We are crossing an isthmus to the Argentario just west of Orbetello – a mountainous almost island where if you (like Napoleon) can take a ferry to the charming island of Elba.  The ferry leaves from Porto Santo Stefano, but we go the other way to Porto Ercole.   

Porto Ercole harbor

It’s the beginning of October and summer is still here with the sun shining on charming Porto Ercole, a very crowded oval yacht harbor with floating marina anchorages protected by a breakwater, and a huge Spanish fort which looms on a promontory above the town – a relic from an earlier invasion.   We pass through the town easily, which in summer takes much longer, and drive over a ridge along a road high above the deep blue Tyrhennian Sea with a very distracting panorama. 

Soon, Il Pellicano appears cascading down a rocky cliff to the sparkling water’s edge.  The landscape is dripping with vibrant summer blooms:  bright magenta bougainvillea, sky blue plumbago, red red red hibiscus, pink oleanders and mature waterfalls of creeping rosemary and sprawling lavenders. 

At Il Pellicano, the airy sun-filled rooms are elegant and comfortable, decorated in subtle shades of whites and tans with intermittent splashes of fruit colors.  The dining room and terrace have a fanciful theme with birdcages and there are fireplaces to take the chill off the cool ‘shoulder’ season days.  Il Pellicano is reminiscent of the sophisticated resort hotels of the Costa Smeralda (Sardinia).  A perfect spot for a honeymoon, anniversary – a true departure and rest/restoring place.  The Spa features Santa Maria Novella products.  There is a salon, a gift shop to splurge on a Mediterranean outfit.  The best rooms/guest houses have terraces to take in the spectacular sea view. 

Understated luxury here is in abundance, and the many terraced levels cling to the side of the hill overlooking a glamorous pool, sunning floats and a small anchorage.  As we climb the steep driveway back to the panorama a high-speed boat streaks across the coast toward Il Pellicano leaving a bright white foamy wake on the cobalt blue sea.

Back in the village of Porto Ercole before we leave the Argentario we have a delicious pasta lunch on the waterfront strand in Porto Ercole…one with lots of baby clams (vongole) and garlic  and the other with a simple, but intense and pungent fresh lemon sauce. Both were extraordinarily good…and a great value for just a few euros.

The Maremma is truly worth exploring, and it is just 45 minutes from the fascinating Etruscan villages of Saturnia, Sovana, Sorano and Pitigliano.  

In Porto Ercole

the harbor

Next time in Tuscany, the Crete is on my ‘bucket list’

Entry by guest blogger: Lee Robinson
Each trip to Tuscany we find ourselves on the strade bianchi…preferring to find our own way around the Chianti hills on these lovely by-ways. The possibility of a surprise around each bend in the road is an adventure in itself.  It’s difficult to take a bad picture in Tuscany, and these quiet back roads offer the opportunity to pull over and enjoy the views and take the perfect picture.

On this trip we found some exceptional new routes.  For instance leaving the Villa Bordoni we cross the #222 and twist and turn up a very steep hillside passing some dreamy villas including Vinamaggio – the reputed the home of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and the setting for Kenneth Branugh’s (and Shakespeare’s) “Much Ado About Nothing”, tiny hamlets and farms to views of the vineyards surrounding Panzano. 

Suddenly, an enormous panicked cinghiale crosses the road just in front of our bumper, and disappears into the underbrush of an olive grove.  A mile or so further on we see racks of  grapes drying in the afternoon sun on the back porch or a winery for vin santo.  And, in a wooded area we come upon two small cars parked by the side of the road; while a little further on an older couple emerge from the woods to the road, each with a walking stick and a basket brimming with funghi.

Volpaia

Just over a ridge, a beautiful Chianti valley appears below, and then the village of Volpaia appears.  A tightly-packed jumble of roofs and stone.  Volpaia has recently been restored by a consortium into a winery and rentable villas which includes at least two restaurants.  Today the winery is busy crushing the harvest, the restaurants are dressing their terrace tables for lunch, and wandering the village is a very charming medieval experience.  Perhaps one day we will come for a longer stay; but we are on our way to Radda to visit Allegra’s friend, Nora, who owns a cashmere goat farm and guesthouse.  We weave our way down a steep dirt road and clinging to the side of the hill just below the town is her farm overlooking a valley and up to Volpaia.  Nora now has 1,500 goats, and perhaps 20 dogs which she leases in small herds to villas and hotels nearby to keep their lawns groomed.  She also has an interesting farm shop with beautifully woven cashmere shawls, scarves, baby’s hats, etc. all in natural colors, as well as skeins of wool to knit your own.  This is a woman who is constantly in motion…1,500 goats are a lot to take care of, and coordinating local workers to shear, card, spin and weave these - oh so soft - cashmere threads.  We visit, but will catch up more over dinner at The Pizzeria in Castellina in a few days.

in Volpaia

I could drive these roads for days on end and never be bored; but the truth is, we have now seen most of them at least once.  The explorer in me wants to see the Crete in the same way.  On past visits to Pienza and wonderful Montalcino we have gone to Monte Olivetto to see their magnificent mosaic  murals, to Saturnia for the thermal springs, and to Sant'Antimo to sit in that simple church at dusk in the glow of an alabaster light and listen to monks chant their prayers accompanied by a persistent and repetitive cuckoo.  On these visits we saw only a small part of the Crete. I hope to see more.

A hare among the vines outside of Montalcino

Tuscany’s landscape varies so much from region to region.  The duney beaches and umbrella pine forests of the coast give way to the hills where Sardinian shepherds follow their herds on upland pastures.  Chianti is all about steep hills and blue mists wafting in the warm morning sun.  Siena looks to the southeast toward the brunello towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano with sweeping views of giant undulating golden hills of wheat folding into each other, and perfectly laid out vineyards marching to the horizon.

But the clay hills of the Val d’Arno and Cal d’Orcia slip away into a ravines of dark green juniper.  The crete is an intriguing and fascinating moonscape.  I’m already making a list of ‘must sees’: a visit to Iris Origo’s  beautiful garden at La Foce, and a summer concert at Catellucio, a stroll through the village of Montechiello, an afternoon in the piazza in San Casiano di Bagni with its gorgeous wide view of the Val d’Orcia valley.  Chianciano, Sarteano, perhaps a train ride on one of the local tiny trains which still crisscross these valleys stopping briefly at a crossroads or a tiny village.  Maybe next year!  

An elegant alternative, Il Castagno an agriturismo

Entry by guest blogger: Lee Robinson

Charming Il Castagno is located just north of Siena in the southern part of Chianti, and is accessible directly from the SS #222 making it very convenient and a tranquil retreat after a long day of Tuscan exploration.    

This quite new agriturismo is beautifully sited on small headland overlooking a broad valley.  The layout of this country inn is a cluster of four stone buildings reminiscent of a tiny hill town.  A wide walkway from the parking area past the cantina and its terrace runs between the buildings which house the accommodations, and ends in an overlook.   A stunning pool terrace is just below, but the star is a breathtaking panoramic view of farms and wineries.

Rooms here are unusually large and quite elegantly decorated for an agriturismo.  And the luxurious tile bathrooms are also very spacious and even have heated floors.  Two suites on a lower level each have a separate green space artfully separated from by hedges and wisteria.

Ginevra and Paolo are gracious and accommodating hosts.  Paulo makes a delicious continental breakfast each morning, and fusses over his gorgeous roses which are prolific and in continuous bloom.  Ginevra ensures their guests are well cared for; and she even went the proverbial extra mile assisting us in getting Allegra an ambulance to Siena University Ospaedale, and later helped to decipher the doctor’s orders and prescriptions for us and the pharmacist.  We can’t thank her enough for the efficient and gentle care she gave us during a rather terrifying few hours

Ama, a side trip worth taking for culture vultures

Entry by guest blogger: Lee Robinson
Ama is an end-of-the-road hamlet near Radda and Lecci.  The drive from the #408 is rocky and steep, with beautiful views – and is a favorite with cyclists.  Once over the ridgeline, you are in wine country again with views up the valley to Radda in one direction and Vagliagli in the other.  An Ama sign appears on the left and you are there.

Ama

Some years ago Florentine investors challenged themselves to find a place where they could make a very special wine.  They settled on Ama, planted a vineyard, built a 21^st C winery, restored the villa and it’s tiny tiny village; and have since been awarded some the highest honors for producing a truly outstanding wine.  

Upon arrival you, look for the neon orange arrows which will direct you to a few parking spaces.  You will pass the winery and park in a young olive grove; and can easily walk into the village and around the sculpture garden at the villa.  A few very modern sculptures are set on the green carpet of a terrace overlooking the regimented rows of a nearby vineyard.  Everything here is picture perfect, so don’t leave your camera in the car.

Ama

Ama

Also worth a visit is the Chianti sculpture garden in Pievesciata which is closer to Siena, but not far away from Ama if you enjoy the strade bianchi.

outside of Siena