Somewhere in the rolling countryside southwest of Siena, down a long gravel drive lined with cypresses, sits an 800-year-old villa that once nursed medieval pilgrims back to health. Today it performs a similar service, albeit with Michelin-starred dinners and a spa that produces its own skincare line. Danish owners, Claus and Jeanette Thottrup, have spent two decades transforming the estate into a 300-acre working farm with vineyards, an artisan dairy, kitchen gardens and even alpacas. The result is a place is lived-in rather than designed, where the flowers on your bedside table were picked that morning and the cheese at breakfast was made down the hill. And it's all effortlessly lovely.
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All 22 rooms have been individually put together with hand-painted frescoes, antiques sourced from across Italy and bespoke beds. In fact, no two are alike. The villa rooms in the main building have exposed beams, working fireplaces and views over the formal gardens whilst the garden suites have additional Mediterranean courtyards adorned with citrus trees and sun loungers. The most secluded options are hidden in the walled gardens with outdoor fireplaces and their own saltwater plunge pools. Bathrooms are generous throughout, with large stone bath tubs and the estate's own Seed to Skin products.
The farm-to-fork commitment is the real deal. The estate has its own cheesemaker, baker, forager and fermentation specialist, and you can taste the difference at every meal.
Book a cooking class early as they fill up fast. The pasta-making sessions using flour milled on site are brilliant fun, and you get to eat everything you make for lunch.
The villa rooms vary considerably in size and light, so a garden suite is well worth the upgrade. The estate is also seasonal, closing over winter.
Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch
Borgo Santo Pietro can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Italy trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Italy trips featuring Borgo Santo Pietro or get advice and suggestions from one of our Italy specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Borgo Santo Pietro start from around $1.2K, or US$1.2K, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
Cypress-lined ridges, Renaissance hill towns and Tuscany at its most iconic.
