Locanda In Tuscany: The Cultural Heart Of Italy’s Most Famous Region

There are places around the world predefined in people’s perceptions by their landscapes. Think the grassy plains of Kenya’s Masai Mara, the vast lakes and mountains of Patagonia in South America, the red-dust wilderness of central Australia.

To that mix we can add Italy’s Tuscany, rightly famed for its idyllic rolling landscapes and lovingly curated farmlands interrupted by low hills topped with postcard perfect medieval villages and castles. Head to Southern Tuscany and those already lovely landscapes are dialed up to 11.

Nowhere is this truer than in the UNESCO World Heritage region of Val d’Orcia, where beautifully curated columns of iconic cipresso (cypress) trees demark farmlands and dusty roads and define the entire region. These are landscapes that seem to reach beyond the horizon, where vibrant greens fade to ochres to browns to blues as fields blend into mountains into sky.

Peppering the landscape are the stone buildings that have long served the farmlands that create Tuscany’s world famous produce. Many are functioning farms still, but others have been lovingly updated, curated and converted into extraordinary properties – none more beautifully than Locanda In Tuscany.

Set atop a small hill at the end of a twisty, dusty road, Locanda brings with it a sense of seclusion, peace and quiet. Long views over vineyards, wheat fields and lavender groves, few sounds but the rustling of wind in cypress. Deeply rooted to its location, Locanda’s focus is on enhancing the territorial heritage of Val d’Orcia by collaborating with the land through local craftsmen and producers. Its owners have curated a set of historical, natural, cultural and commercial resources – they call this approach Amore Toscano, representing their love for and pride in the region, and their desire to share it with guests.

As often as not, those guests come t Locanda en masse. With nine rooms accommodating up to 24 people spread across two renovated buildings surrounding a long, indulgent pool and intimate courtyard, Locanda is perfectly set up for group parties and celebrations. Tuscany is famous for its weddings, after all. Its authentic design and approach makes it feel more familial than commercial – a countryside stay with friends that just happens to be in one of the world’s most beautiful spots.

That dedication to Amore Toscano is embodied throughout the property. Rooms are comfortable and big but understated, true to their origins with brick floors, exposed stone walls and wood-beam ceilings. Vintage Italian furniture, adornments that nod to the rural working history of the area – farmyard tools, elaborate displays of dried flowers, wooden crates and chopped up chairs repurposed as tables. Beds are made by local artisans and entirely free of metals to “eliminate electromagnetic pollution that could compromise sleep.”

On the ground floor, the restaurant Taverna Di Mozart lives in the converted stable under a low slung vaulted ceiling, decked out in simple white-washed furniture. Spilling out into the courtyard under a fragrant bougainvillea trellis, it also goes alfresco below the stars for a spectacular summer dining setting.

Sip an aperitif or two by the pool as the sun sets and you’ll have only feet to stroll to dinner and a menu rich in local gastronomic tradition. Tuscan pici handmade with local flours, meats reared on the farm next door, rich and indulgent ingredients designed to showcase the best of the region – with wines to match. This is Italy, after all.

There’s plenty to do in Val d’Orcia that will earn you the right to gorge on such fare. A serene drive north across the Orcia River, no doubt interrupted by more than a few unplanned photo stops, sees you to Pienza, famously known as the “ideal city of the Renaissance”.

Itself – or rather the tangled labyrinth of streets that makes up its historical center – a UNESCO World Heritage site, it was home to one Enea Silvio Piccolomini who went on to become Pope Pius II. A humanist, he was one of the first people to promote the extraordinary Renaissance architecture that transformed Pienza into what was considered the ideal city of the time. To be fair, it’s still pretty wonderful today too.

On your return, stop by one of the region’s more surprising amenities – the many hot springs that dot the area. There are entire spa towns dedicated to their thermal baths, such as Chianciano Terme and Rapolano Terme, each offering bathing options to suit different tastes. Closer to Locanda however are the free hotsprings of Bagno Vignoni, well off the tourist trail and offering plenty of room to soak up the minerals.

Perhaps most picturesque are the baths of Bagni San Filippo – an enchanting forest rife with hot pools and small waterfalls and the lovely free hot springs of Il Fosso Bianco. Don’t miss the White Whale waterfall along the river, which spews forth water at precisely 118°F (48°C), meaning it’s warm enough to soak in no matter the time of year.

A spectacular 70-mile two-hour drive from Rome, Locanda is available for exclusive buyouts for fully-catered parties, celebrations and weddings starting at €12,000 for a week depending on the season. For details, visit Casas Latinas.