If you have ever thought of visiting Italy and you were doing some research, you may have come across a very interesting word that you may never have seen before: Agriturismo. This is one of the most interesting concepts for a holiday and I decided to write this blog to share all the beauty of such experiences with you all and to introduce you to the magnificent Montalto Castle in Tuscany, where I was recently able to enjoy an extremely beautiful agriturismo experience.
What is Agriturismo?
This is probably not a word that you have ever come across before, especially if you have not visited Italy before, but it is certainly a world that will be on your lips for some time to come once you experience it. Agriturismo is the mixture of two Italian words which translate to agriculture and tourism (the words are Latin and are naturally very similar to English), but could be loosely translated as a farmhouse. This is the experience of heading out into the beautiful Italian countryside and enjoying the beauty of nature, good food and even better wine.
Why Agriturismo?
Author: Thierry RYO / Fotolia.com
This is the perfect escape for those looking to enjoy a break from all the hectic rush of everyday city life and to help the body recover from the sensory overload of the constant sounds, pressures, stresses, smartphone notifications and everything else that
What I love about this style of holiday is that you can most definitely enjoy it in many different ways. It isn’t just something for couples to enjoy a romantic holiday together, but an amazing opportunity for families and friends to come together over some amazing local produce. The food, cheese, wine and everything else produced in Italy has been kissed by the sun and is an absolute treat to devour!
What to expect
Something I really love about agriturismo farmhouses is that they are all competing with one another to be the best. You might expect to be sleeping in some modest accommodation, but these places have accommodation on par with 5-star hotels. It truly is a wonder to see and not something that you would expect whilst visiting.
What would a good trip to Italy be without great Italian food and everything that comes with it? Agriturismo is a great way to experience regional cuisine that is made from fresh and tasty local produce and by local chefs that have been cooking for generations. The local produce is always extremely tasty and depending on the region you can get some extremely interesting and tasty delicacies that you wouldn’t have tried anywhere else in the world.
It is also possible in many places to get involved with the locals and interact as if you would be one of them yourself. You can do things like picking fruit, drink wine with the locals or even see how the local produce is made. It truly is an interesting culturral experience and shows you just how and where the Italian concept of homeliness comes from.
My recommendation: Montaldo Castle
Agriturismo in Tuscany is without a doubt some of the best in all of Italy and definitely the place to experience the sights, sounds and flavours of this wonderful part of the country. Tuscany will truly provide an incredible backdrop for your agriturismo experience with its rolling hills, beautiful ancient buildings and greenery to match. It isn’t just these things that make it great, but also the amazing food and produce that comes from this area is truly some of the best in all of Italy.
I had the opportunity to visit the Montalto Castle in Toscana and was truly impressed by an amazing place that is steeped in history and one of those magical places in a beautiful setting that you just cannot find anywhere else on the planet.
It was stunning to approach the castle complex for the first time, everything was green, with beautiful trees, vines and the sun shining. It was amazing to learn that this castle has over 1000 years of history. It is surrounding by enchanting woods, agricultural lands (that are also certified organic) and the typical rolling hills of Tuscany that you see in the pictures. Of course, it is much better in real life.
The castle is home to ten villas and apartments, and believe it or not, a beautiful swimming pool. I was very lucky to stay in the San Martino, which is a beautiful little 2 storey tower. It was amazing to walk up the stone stairs into the tower for the first time and enter a place that made for a beautiful first agriturismo experience. The way and care in which the tower had been restored was a marvel, with lots of rustic Italian furniture that was not only stylish but very tasteful and classy. Here I was able to feel comfortable whilst exploring the cities, towns and culture of the local area.
Author: Lukas Gojda / Fotolia.com
I already mentioned food a number of times in this post and Tuscany truly did not disappoint, especially in the wine department. The castle sold its own wine and I was able to find some amazing food in the local area. My highlights were without a doubt the sausages made from wild boar, the Florentine steak (bistecca Florentina) and all the excellent cheese and wine you could imagine. There were also a number of wineries in the area and owners were extremely helpful in showing us and organising the best places for us to visit. It truly was an intimate and beautiful experience that I am not sure I can relive somewhere else.
This would also be an incredible location for a wedding or events, which the owner let me was also possible. It was so beautiful that I would highly recommend booking for such an event, it really is a magical place.
All in all, I really enjoyed my stay here and my eyes were opened to a new kind of experience that I had not expected. I was very refreshingly surprised by my trip to the Tuscan hills and I will be back to Montalto Castle again someday soon. I hope you enjoyed reading about my experiences!
