Borgo Pignano
Luxury Villa in Tuscany
Standing sentry over a sea of Tuscan hills, the estate of Pignano has quite a history. Inhabited since 900BC, it’s witnessed war, peace, plague and prosperity, and even a stint as a medieval hospital. Today its main focus is relaxation, thanks to a decade-long restoration that has seen it transformed into a sumptuous and spoiling retreat.
At the hotel’s heart is a rambling old villa, whose ramparts enclose 16 frescoed rooms and suites, plus an elegant restaurant; dotted around are a variety of cottages and maisonettes. But that’s not all. If you fancy lazy days doing very little, you’ll find cypress-scented lawns, fire-warmed lounges, and a sparkling pool carved into a former limestone quarry. If you’d prefer a bit of activity, there are music and billiards rooms, a yoga hall, a lake, horses to ride, and art and cookery classes to sample. There’s also a biodynamic garden that produces everything from the veg and honey used in the kitchen to the herbs which infuse the in-room soaps. Beyond, the walled towns of Volterra and San Gimignano tempt with their towers and trattorias. It’s a very special place indeed.
Dining
The restaurant is a serene, vaulted space overlooking the garden – the kind of spot where you could happily linger for hours. We were treated to fresh, zingy flavours at every meal – for breakfast, a buffet of lavender-infused honey, homemade jams, juices and just-baked bread; for lunch, pasta with a medley of tomatoes, followed by silky olive-oil ice-cream. Once a week, staff organise a pizza night in the grounds or a roast in the old medieval kitchen. Our stay coincided with the latter, and we gorged ourselves on flame-grilled pork while chatting to other guests in front of a blazing hearth.
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ACCOMMODATION
The main villa houses 16 rooms and suites, all elegantly dressed in antiques and Italian linens. Some have frescoed walls, others ornate fireplaces or terracotta floors, and a few come with additional beds for children. All are spacious and sumptuous, with marble- or travertine-clad ensuites, though it’s worth choosing one with a tub so you can wallow in the fragrant bath soak made on site using home-grown herbs and lavender.
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Activities
- Stroll or cycle around the estate (there are bikes for hire), play boules, then loll by the pool with a book from the library and a tipple from the bar
- Tour the biodynamic garden, then visit the lab to see how its produce is turned into honey, aromatic soaps and more
- Ride Borgo Pignano’s horses (lessons and guided treks are available), book a yoga or Pilates session, or head to the kitchen to learn how to make pasta and bread with the chef
- Art classes, in-room massages, wine-tasting, truffle hunting (in season) can all be arranged, too
- Drive a few km to the walled town of Volterra. Wander its atmospheric ramparts and cobbled alleys, then linger over lunch in the alabaster-clad piazza.
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Borgo Pignano
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