I’ve stayed in some unforgettable locations throughout Italy, however few linger in reminiscence fairly like Villa Petriolo. Set among the many rolling hills of Tuscany, lower than an hour from Florence, this restored Fifteenth-century property was as soon as a self‑sustaining nation house for a rich Florentine household. Only a brief drive from Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, Villa Petriolo is nestled in the identical Tuscan hills that formed the Renaissance genius, including an additional layer of cultural resonance to your keep.
Right now, it’s a luxurious eco‑resort that marries centuries of agricultural custom with ahead‑pondering sustainability. It’s the sort of place the place you may get up to birdsong over vineyards, be a part of a truffle hunt led by an area information, and finish the night with a Negroni beside the pool.
I arrived with my canine Poppy. She’s a travel-savvy Chiweenie who has flown greater than 150 United Airways flights in 4 years and holds an EU pet passport from Spain. Poppy is a service animal skilled to help me with a incapacity, however Villa Petriolo is dog-friendly, so she set to work her facet hustle job as a pet journey creator along with her keep there. At check-in, she was warmly welcomed as an honored visitor. That considerate hospitality—for folks, pets, and the planet—is what makes Villa Petriolo really feel really distinctive.
Contained in the rooms: The place Tuscan heritage meets sustainable luxurious
Tucked into Tuscany’s rolling hills, the Colombaia Grasp Suite at Villa Petriolo provides Renaissance-era opulence and five-star consolation — simply ask Poppy.
Villa Petriolo’s stone buildings date again to the Renaissance, however the present iteration is a mannequin of Twenty first-century sustainability. The property underwent a meticulous restoration that preserved historic particulars whereas introducing a bunch of progressive inexperienced practices. Right now, it’s totally vitality self-sufficient due to a round system that features photo voltaic panels, geothermal heating, and water restoration infrastructure — a rarity in rural Italy.
From the handmade Tuscan tile flooring to the classic furnishings restored by native artisans, every part has been chosen with care. The gardens are planted with native species to help pollinators. The lavender used within the spa grows proper exterior. Even the cleaning soap is produced on-site.
The design by no means feels compelled. It’s elegant however heat — suppose wrought-iron balconies, reclaimed wooden beams, and gentle linens in earthy tones. The rooms range in structure, however all characteristic eco-friendly supplies and considerate touches like glass refillable water bottles and curated books about regional tradition.
I stayed within the Colombaia Grasp Suite, a romantic hideaway within the property’s former dovecote with 360-degree views over vineyards and olive groves. Waking as much as these vistas, with Poppy curled beside me, felt like residing inside a postcard. The deep soaking tub dealing with a storybook window was simply one in all many highlights. I really felt like royalty on this suite.
Throughout the property, Villa Petriolo provides a spread of trendy and sustainability-forward lodging. Whereas every room is exclusive, all of them channel the identical rustic-meets-refined aesthetic, mixing domestically crafted furnishings with trendy comforts. Whether or not you are in a basic suite or one of many extra modern rooms, count on winery views, quiet luxurious, and that uncommon feeling of being each off-grid and deeply cared for.
A style of Tuscany, from truffles to honey
t Villa Petriolo’s Michelin Inexperienced Star restaurant in Tuscany, cooks craft handmade pasta dishes utilizing elements grown straight on the property.
The meals at Villa Petriolo is a spotlight unto itself — as soulful as it’s subtle. The property contains an natural farm that provides nearly all of elements for its eating places, together with olive oil, greens, herbs, and honey from on-site hives. In addition they increase heritage-breed Cinta Senese pigs and hold chickens for eggs.
The flagship restaurant, PS Ristorante, is helmed by Chef Simone Cipriani and has earned a Michelin Inexperienced Star for its sustainability practices. It’s a vacation spot in its personal proper — however you received’t discover stuffy service or overly treasured plating right here. As an alternative, count on daring, rooted flavors introduced with magnificence: pasta comprised of native heirloom grains, wild herbs foraged simply hours earlier than they’re served, and house-aged meats cured in small batches.
Breakfasts happen on a sun-dappled terrace overlooking the gardens, the place the scent of rosemary and lemon wafts by the air. I nonetheless take into consideration the housemade ricotta with wildflower honey — Poppy eyed it greedily, although she was completely content material along with her connoisseur canine treats.
Villa Petriolo additionally produces its personal wine and grappa. Friends can tour the vineyards and take part in tastings, with every part from Chianti-style reds to experimental whites aged in amphora. The property’s winemaking philosophy is pure and minimal intervention, specializing in terroir and conventional varietals.
Truffle searching, pasta making, and different unforgettable Tuscan expertise
Recent pasta is made by hand throughout a cooking class at Villa Petriolo. Friends can guide experiences like this throughout their keep.
What units Villa Petriolo aside is its immersive, hands-on strategy to hospitality. You’re not simply right here to sleep and eat — you’re invited to take part, to have interaction, to be taught.
Within the early morning, visitors can be a part of a truffle hunter and his canine on a stroll by the property’s woods, the place white and black truffles develop beneath the oak roots. It’s muddy, meditative, and surprisingly thrilling when the canine begins to dig. The truffles discovered typically make their approach onto the night’s menu.
Later, you may strive your hand at pasta-making throughout a culinary workshop within the open-air demo kitchen, or meet the property’s falconer, who introduces you to the regal birds that assist management pests naturally.
Horseback driving by the Tuscan hills provides a uniquely intimate strategy to expertise the panorama. It will often be facilitated by a close-by driving faculty, with pick-up and drop-off organized by the villa.
Different experiences, comparable to e-bike adventures by rolling countryside vistas and a helicopter thrill trip above the property, are additionally supplied — most guided and with versatile group preparations.
Loosen up by the pool or indulge on the Tuscan spa
Villa Petriolo’s spa provides luxurious therapies like this mud remedy utilizing domestically sourced elements from the Tuscan countryside. Let me know if you would like an extra picture caption variant, or if you wish to work this photograph right into a gallery as an alternative of beneath the H2.
After a day spent outdoor, there’s no higher strategy to unwind than by the lodge’s elegant out of doors pool, which sits framed by views of rolling farmland and forested hills. Lounge chairs are arrange for optimum leisure, and poolside service means you don’t have to vary out of your gown to take pleasure in a glass of Chianti or a plate of native cheese.
For deeper restoration, Villa Petriolo provides a small however expertly curated menu of therapies. The main focus is on pure elements and sensory reset — suppose Tuscan clay facials, olive oil-based massages, and natural infusions that odor just like the gardens exterior. I booked a tension-release therapeutic massage after a day of falconry and left feeling like I’d shed a layer of metropolis stress.
Neighborhood-first luxurious
The social coronary heart of Villa Petriolo — visitors collect within the courtyard, the place aperitivo flows and conversations spark new friendships.
Certainly one of Villa Petriolo’s guiding ideas is the idea that true sustainability should profit the broader group. The property employs practically 100 folks from surrounding villages, a lot of whom are artisans, farmers, or hospitality professionals with deep regional ties.
There’s additionally an academic arm that companions with native colleges to show sustainable agriculture and culinary traditions. The farm even provides produce and eggs to close by eating places that may’t develop their very own.
This ethos permeates each element of the expertise. There’s no greenwashing right here, only a clear, constant dedication to supporting the land and the individuals who name it house. And that provides a layer of which means to each sundown spritz or handmade pasta chunk.
Straightforward day journeys from Villa Petriolo
Whereas it’s tempting to spend your total keep basking within the peaceable rhythm of Villa Petriolo, the lodge’s location in Cerreto Guidi makes it an excellent base for exploring a few of Tuscany’s most iconic spots. Simply 40 minutes away, Florence awaits with its Renaissance artwork, Duomo views, and leather-based market chaos. Favor someplace quieter?
Head to Lucca for a motorbike trip alongside the historic metropolis partitions or to San Miniato, a captivating hill city well-known for its white truffles — and residential to a seasonal truffle pageant value planning round.
For followers of historical past and invention, a visit to the close by village of Vinci — sure, that Vinci — provides an enchanting take a look at the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci. His childhood house is now a museum, and the encompassing vineyards and olive groves really feel nearly unchanged for the reason that Renaissance.
If you happen to go: Methods to go to Villa Petriolo in Tuscany
Villa Petriolo’s natural gardens and vineyards showcase its dedication to sustainability and the pure great thing about the Tuscan countryside.
Villa Petriolo is positioned in Cerreto Guidi, a small city about 45 minutes from Florence by automobile. The property provides free parking, and transfers might be organized from main hubs like Pisa or Florence airports.
There are many luxurious motels in Tuscany, however few handle to marry indulgence with intention fairly like Villa Petriolo. From truffle searching and falconry to farm-to-table feasts and sundown spritzes, the expertise is wealthy with taste and grounded in objective.
