Tuscany summer tour 2012 - day 2

This post is the second day of our Tuscany Tour 2012, an intense journey, full of beauty, taste and history, but also of new friends!

I am sharing the experience with Katja Mejer, writer of  the blog Mapitout Tuscany. She was totally inspiring and addressed me to typical places and to meet people who are crucial for the knowledge of this area.

 The first day of my tour with Montalcino guided tour  is available on MapitoutTuscany_Montalcino.
If you enjoyed it, you will find below the second day experience, driving south to Monte Antico borough and the village of Campagntico... 

Day 2

While our friends were enjoying sightseeing in Pienza, we made our way southward to Grossetto for some inspections on villas and venues. The first one we were recommended by Katja was Art&Garden in MonteAntico, about 20km from Montalcino in the outstretches of Maremma. This places is magical…a tiny ancient borough in a gorgeous position on top of a hill. You approach the old church as if you were entering a convent, when you realize that the façade is just the entrance of a theatre! The past owner welcome young artists and performers from all over Europe to come here and have a space to share experiences and art works. In the last years it has been elected perfect retreat for detox and yoga workshops.  Elida, the manager welcome us and showed the venue, while our kids were sleeping in the car and in the buggy. We hoped we could spend more time there to relax and enjoy some noise-free time.

 The second inspection was planned at Villa Bellaria in Campagnatico. This villa provides self-catering apartments as well as B&B accommodation. The former are comfortable, country apartments merged in the villa’s beautiful park, the latter a cosy romantic deluxe rooms located in the main villa.

What struck me most was the huge bird cage, full of colorful little parrots, which dropped us back to the past of Rococò noble villas in XVIIIth century and the large meadow overlooking the slope rolling down from Campagnatico seaward.

Also, one of the highlights of villa Bellaria is that it is located right in the centre of Campagnatico, a very charming village, where we enjoyed a delicious meal at restaurant La locanda del Glicine. Organic food was fresh and Km zero, i.e. from the owner’s garden. The service accurate and refined: see the bread basket and complimentary coffee treats

  

After a delicious lunch, we drove back to Montalcino where we had planned to meet Laura Gray at Palazzone winery. Our day was not yet finished and we still had to enjoy Brunello wine tasting and a panoramic dinner at Sant’Angelo al Colle.

 TO BE CONTINUED…