wrenwood

We will be driving from Ravello to Seefeld Austria, 2 days with an overnight stop in between. I had been planning to overnight in the Dolomites, but wise Fodorites convinced me that doing that would make for a very very long day.

So, I have been looking for an Agriturismo somewhere between the area around Florence, or up to the area around Verona.

This will be my brother and his family's only chance to see other parts of Italy (we are staying in Rome, Ravello, Seefeld Austria, and Prague)

I would like a really nice Agriturismo with great views, and one that serves dinner. A pool for my nieces would be a plus, but not a deal breaker.

Not really interested in areas around Lake Garda as we will have just come from Ravello, would really like a broad sweeping vista, olive trees, vineyards as "Tuscan" as possible.,

We might stop somewhere on the way from Ravello to the Agriturismo, but once there we would chill out, drink wine, eat dinner, and hopefully be looking at gorgeous views.

I've looked at some places in Fiesole, as the nighttime view of Florence would be special for them, most of the ones I like are too pricey except for one, which I emailed, and am still waiting for their reply.

So please help with suggestions of areas/towns to research, or a specific recommendation if you have stayed in the area.

THANKS!

PalenQ

When I was in Fiesole the views of Florence below were very limited - I'd say the hotels I saw on the main drag had none of florence itself though views to the north were of nice countryside.

nochblad

Just spent 3 nights over New Year's Eve at this place - http://www.fattoriapagnana.it/en/home/

Very conveniently located to Incisa/Reggello autostrada exit coming from Rome.

No restaurant but super places very close such as -

http://www.restaurant-ilcanniccio.com/ or http://www.locandadeicantonieri.it/eng/the-locanda.html

plus the Fattoria has a list of other places.

The Fattoria has two swimming pools and depending when you are there your stay could coincide with a Tuscan barbeque or pizza night for the gusets

Jean

I was going to suggest looking in Chianti, so nochblad's recommendation sounds good. I don't have much experience with agriturismi, so I wonder if many of them accept 1-night reservations...?

nochblad

You do not say when you are travelling but Fattoria Pagnana does both agritourism and B&B. They are on Booking.com but I would imagine that going direct you would get preferential treatment.

If you have the time consider going to the factory outlets just across the river (Arno) - http://www.themall.it/en/outlet-italy/homepage.html - there are some incredible deals.

sandralist

Many agriturismi or wineries with lodgings will accept one-night reservations, even in summer. The way to begin searching for them is to either use booking.com and filter your search to include "pool" and "restaurant", or to google "agirturismo chianti short stay".

For characteristic, iconic Tuscan views and experience en route from Ravello to Seefeld, I think classic Chianti area near Arezzo and Siena does fit the bill. So you might start by searching booking.com for places like Greve in Chianti, or Castellina in Chianti and even Arezzo itself (if you filter the search for "pool" then you will get countryside stays).

You didn't state your budget, and there is no reason to stay at a place this fancy and famous and therefore pricey, but it has everything you are looking for (and so do other places). I don't know if they have minimum stays for a group as large as yours in summer.

http://www.coltibuono.com

As always, even with the most "famous" places or friendly personal recommendations, you need to track down some recent reviews.

wrenwood

I really want a place with a restaurant. I'm the designated driver and it's not fun being in Italy and not drinking wine and Limoncello.

I have been looking in the more northern parts of Chianti, as well as north of Florence. We're traveling end of June, some places have minimum stay, but most are accepting 1 night stays since we are not on a weekend.

It doesn't have to be an Agriturismo, but I don't want to be in a town.

nochblad

wrenwood - Fattoria Pagnana may be able to provide transport to and from the restaurant but do not expect limoncello in Tuscany!

wrenwood

Have had Limoncello both in Tuscany and Chianti

sandralist

wrenwood,

Have you tried a booking.com search that filters the search so that you only see lodgings with restaurants? You can specifically check that box.

Just so you are prepared, the typical after-dinner alcoholic "digestivo" of your target area in Tuscany is not a limoncello but will be either a vin santo -- a sweet dessert wine -- served with small "biscotti" for dipping or perhaps a shot glass of the bitter dark "amaro" called Montenegro, a strong herbal liqueur that is meant to aid digestion if your dinner consisted of many meats and cheeses and beans.

sandralist

I see we were posting at the same time.

Limoncello is so popular with American tourists that Tuscan hospitality readily offers it, even though they must buy it from Ravello and places nearby there!

You might like "vin santo" -- sacred wine -- if you give it a try. It is light and pleasant in summertime.

nochblad

Limoncello is properly produced from a type of lemon which grows along the Sorrento and Amalfi coast. It is a type of lemon which is bigger than a normal lemon but has little juice. It is the rind which is used in Limoncello.

In Tuscany what you are offered is either limoncello from Sorrento/Amalfi or something produced from lemons grown locally. The lemon bushes have to be wintered in a limonaia because the temperatures in Tuscany are too low for the lemon bushes to survive outdoors.

Limoncello is not served at the end of the meal in Tuscany nor Amaro Montenegro - it comes from Bologna!

The choice is generally either vin santo con cantucci or a grappa toscana which I had over the last few days playing scala quaranta.

mama_mia

My cousin stayed at this agriturismo a couple of years ago and raved about it. It still gets great reviews on websites:

http://www.agriturismosavernano.com/

It has a pool, air conditioning, and great breakfasts. Dinners can also be requested.

It looks to be between Florence and Arezzo. There is a train station close by (Figline Valdarno, 5-10 min by car) where you can get a train into Florence (20 min), which would be a bonus for avoiding ZTLs.

sandralist

Nochblad,

I disagree in that Montenegro is popular in Tuscany even though it comes from Bologna. I think if you ask for an amaro after dinner in Tuscany (especially near Firenze), you are more likely to be served Montenegro than anything else, sooner than Averna or Fernet Branca. There is local Monte Senario amaro, produced right in Tuscany, but I've never actually run across it. I also think grappa is only recently becoming popular and even trendy than it ever used to be in Toscana, without much tradition of drinking it.

sandralist

(Hmmm, or maybe I would put it this way: If you ask for a "digestivo" in Tuscany near Firenze at the end of a meal, I think your chances of being offered Montenegro are pretty high.)

nochblad

sandralist -

I have been intimately (and romantically) involved with Tuscany since 1979. Grappa has always been drunk at the end of the meal although its popularity outside of Italy is more recent.

A Montenegro along with other digestivi are more common due to advertising especially on Italian television.

wrenwood

Thanks Mama Mia, will check it out

Sandra, forgot your suggestion to search via booking.com, I have a few "finalists" but they are all south of Florence

sandralist

nochblad, that's interesting, but would you say that it was mostly found in private settings, and of a very artitisnal, small batch type? Just curious. I simply don't associate it with Tuscany at all. Here in Liguria, you increasingly see grappa made of vermentino and others local wines being offered in bars, but that is quite recent. But I am sure locals have always made it, along with lemon liqueurs, basil liqueurs, and mirtilli -- but that is not commercial stuff.

sandralist

PS: I believe you that it is television advertising that puts Montenegro on so many bar shelves in Tuscany, and probably the proximity to Bologna makes it cheaper or even more popular than the amaro coming from more distant points?

sandralist

One more PS to nochblad: In Liguria, if you went into a fine restaurant and asked for a grappa at the end of the meal, you would almost certainly get something from the far north, one of the premium producers well known for grappa. It is only the bars that stock the local stuff that local wineries have now begun experimenting in producing.