Staying at Agriturismo, a Tuscan farmhouse in Italy

What is an agriturismo?

An agriturismo is a bed and breakfast on a farm in the Italian countryside. It's not just a holiday home in the countryside, it's a place where you can stay on a working farm and experience what they do for a living: grape growing and wine making, olive groves and olive oil production, sheep farming and cheese making. It's only a short stay, of course, but it's still a chance to experience a slice of life.

Tuscan agriturismo locations and facilities

Agriturismos are usually located in the countryside outside of small Tuscan towns. Each one is like an island, with large rolling hills surrounding the farm, making it difficult to get to by public transport without a rental car, or to get around on foot, even nearby.

Agriturismos vary in size, but most of the ones I've stayed in consist of a large farm around a hill, a main house where the family lives together, and a separate outbuilding for guests. Sometimes the guesthouse is just a room, sometimes it's a whole separate house, like a room and kitchen. Nowadays many agriturismo have outdoor swimming pools for summer visitors, but not all are as fancy as a hotel, but they are clean, have everything you need and feel more like a home away from home with no unnecessary decorations.

Unique experiences in an agriturismo

The best thing about staying in an agriturismo is that you get to meet real people with a real livelihood and experience daily life in the Tuscan countryside as it is, with warm, family hospitality in a homely, relaxed atmosphere, away from the hustle and bustle of tourist destinations. The simple, authentic, home-cooked meals with the farm families you meet for breakfast and dinner (dinner is optional) are an unforgettable experience.

In Italy, in particular, there is a rule that at least half of the food served in an agriturismo must be produced by the farmer himself, or at least in the area - it's a win-win for the producer and the traveller to get the flavours and experiences of the region right.

As well as growing olives, grapes and wheat, Tuscan farms also keep small herds of livestock and produce a variety of food products from their primary crops. For example, Giovanni, a sheep farmer, concentrates on the production of sheep's milk cheese as well as running a lovely guest house. Giovanni also introduced me to a small winery near Volterra, an agriturismo run by a young owner and his family who are passionate about organic viticulture and take great pride in making quality wines. They make the same wine ('Marcampo') that bears their name and you can taste it in the cellar.

I would love to come back and stay longer at this agriturismo in Tuscany, nestled in the rolling green hills.

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