Make friends around the pool; sit in the shade of your private pergola. Wherever you stay – in the 18th-century farmhouse or the building alongside – the grounds are gorgeous and the interiors first class. What’s more, Marian welcomes you with smiles and a big hamper of fruits from the farm.
Beyond the peach orchards you can see the hills: Arezzo at one end, Cortona the other. Set off on the bikes for pastries in Pieve al Toppo (‘Panificio Fratelli Pierozzi’ is unmissable) or stroll across the lawns to take breakfast on the loggia. For groups, twice-weekly dinners are an option, and local wines are for sale.
Walk from the door along the Sentiero della Bonifica; it stretches 60km. Shop and eat in the lovely hilltop town of Civitella, and marvel at the views from the great fortress of Montalcino; children love it.
Coming to the Foresteria was like stepping into history. I had just finished a book about the reclaiming of the valley of the Valdichiana by Duke Leopold, so it was the perfect way to make the book come alive. I couldn't have stumbled upon a more enthusiastic and energetic owner as Mariana. I can see why guests keep returning to the Foresteria!