Villa Lena Hotel

Italy

Sitting amid cypress trees on a Tuscan hilltop between Florence and Pisa, Villa Lena is a family-friendly agriturismo with a difference.
This is a place where the cornerstones of creativity, sustainability and design unite. At its heart is a neo-Renaissance villa that forms the bedrock for Villa Lena Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the arts and the driving force behind its retreats and residencies. Surrounding outhouses, lodges and stables comprise an array of inviting rooms and private villas, with design undulating from modern mid-century to farmhouse, united by unwavering eclecticism – and a spattering of pieces left by visiting artists. Farm-to-table dining is a given, with produce sourced locally or picked from the organic ortos –and Osteria San Michele offers a bucolic setting for it. Olive oil tastings, pasta classes, foraging and mixology sessions let you delve further. Or pick from a roster of activities from yoga and hiking to painting –if you can pull yourself away from one of the three pools

Doubles from £310 (2-night min). 00 39 0587 083111, villa-lena.it

Words by Blossom Green.

This review was taken from the July 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.