Summary
It all started with an email. Would you like to come to Tuscany? Well who wouldn’t? It was a year ago that we responded saying that the next time we’re in Italy, we’ll definitely stop in to experience the luxury Tuscan villa of Borgo Argenina.
Owned, operated and renovated 20 years ago by Elena Nappa, Borgo Argenina is the Tuscan villa experience you’ve always dreamed of having.
A Villa in Tuscany – The Experience
While on our trip to Italy this summer, we made plans to visit Tuscany once and for all.
Sure, we’ve been to Florence and Pisa, but we’ve never explored the Tuscan countryside or experienced that dream that I read about years ago in Under the Tuscan Sun.
I’ve wanted to stay in a Tuscan villa since reading the book in 1996! After booking a flight to Rome and getting a smoking deal on a rental car, we started our road trip through Italy.
When visiting Tuscany, you want to have a vehicle to truly get the local experience. It’s the only way to really delve into the culture of the land.
We arrived in the late afternoon at Borgo Argenina, where Elena’s two dogs, “Pasqualina and Giuseppina,” greeted us with their tails wagging.
Her cats came out to say hello too! One cat even decided to hang out in our room with us for a very long nap.
Other guests were outside the villa sipping Chianti Classico wine, getting ready to watch the sun go down over the vineyards.
Note: If you don’t have a car, Elena has tour guides, driving trips, cycling trips, and hikes that you can book through her.
We settled into our traditional Tuscan villa suite (I just love saying Tuscan Villa) and instantly felt a sigh of relief. Borgo Argenina is a place that makes you feel at home.
We didn’t want to leave our room; it was so comfortable. However, we didn’t want to miss a moment in Tuscany or have an authentic Tuscan villa experience.
A Tuscan Villa Welcome
Once we were all set and ready to go, the new guests gathered around Elena’s large wooden table in her traditional Tuscan kitchen.
She takes great pride in keeping everything traditional and historic to provide her visitors with an authentic Tuscany experience.
Her story is incredible.
The Borgo Argenina Story
Elena fell in love with the abandoned village of five stone houses in 1991 while working as a fashion designer in Milan.
In 1992, she bought the property and began renovating the 10th-century property.
It took five years to bring running water, heat, and electricity to the rundown buildings, which she transformed into luxurious villas with the help of a skilled family of Tuscan craftsmen.
Read her full story here
While listening to her speak, I declared that she is the original inspiration for Under the Tuscan Sun!
A Passion for Tuscany
I have never seen such passion in anyone as Elena has for Tuscany. She wants to share everything and ensure that you have the best experience possible.
During our introduction meeting, we sipped wine and ate olives while she pointed out on her beautiful hand-drawn map where to go and what to see.
We had four nights at her Tuscan Villa, and four nights were just enough. If you want to truly experience Tuscany and have a life-changing experience, we suggest a week!
Furthermore, we followed her guidance with map in hand and explored the surrounding monasteries, castles, and vineyards.
Touring Tuscany
Each day began with a delicious home-cooked breakfast overlooking the rolling hills, olive groves, and the picturesque vineyards.
The villa doors were opened, and the warm breeze whisked through as we sipped cappuccinos and dined on fresh bread, fruit, and cheese.
She even makes homemade cakes and pies, and if you are a fan of eggs, they are cooked fresh to order.
Mornings are lazy as we sat in paradise, never wanting to leave, but by mid-morning, we pulled ourselves away from the tranquility to explore the region.
Setting off in our little Fiat 500, we were confident to tackle the winding roads.
Nearby Tuscan Sights
Brolio Castle
Brolio Castle is close to Borgo Argenina, and if you want to hike in Tuscany, you can set off from the villa and reach the castle in time for lunch! There is a winery there, where you can enjoy tastings too.
If you don’t have a car, Elena has you covered. She knows everyone in the area and can set up cycling tours or private vehicle tours with a guide of the region.
Her good friends Roberto, Paola, Sergio, Marco, and Luca will show you the best-kept secrets of Chianti.
Truffle Hunting in Tuscany
If you want a true Tuscan experience, you must go truffle hunting with Giorgio.
Giorgio also owns a nearby restaurant where Elena sets up dinners that last all night long, complete with wine flowing and prices so low they can only be experienced in Tuscany.
A fellow traveler raved about it when Dave and I arrived at the villa.
Alas, Giorgio had just left for Milan the day we arrived for an olive oil conference.
Consequently, we’ll just have to go back to Tuscany soon, because truffles and dinner at Giorgio’s are things we don’t want to miss!
During our daily excursions, Dave and I ventured a bit further out, stopping for food, wine tastings, taking unexpected turns on back roads, and stopping regularly to enjoy the view.
A highlight was having lunch at a monastery near the end of Elena’s hand-drawn map.
Monte Oliveto Monastery
There are beautiful historic towns nearby, like the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sienna, but our favorite was Radda.
This medieval town has cobblestone walking streets, large walls, beautiful views, and several eateries, shops, and places to buy and taste Chianti. When in Chianti, you can’t escape tasting wine!
Wine Tastings
When in Chianti Classico, you must taste wine. The Classico is a better vintage than Chianti, so we made sure to taste and buy a lot.
We purchased several wines from the Brolio Castle winery. €20 for a tasting, but if you buy a bottle, it is free. We thought it was a fair trade since we bought a €20 bottle.
There are several wineries in the area, and Elena has a full list on her website.
We got lost in Chianti.
Each morning, we couldn’t wait to choose a route and drive through the countryside.
The rolling hills filled with olive groves and vineyards are like something out of a movie.
It’s no wonder so many dreamers bought property in the 1990s for a song.
Elena told us that you could purchase a villa for €3000 back then. Now they are going for millions!
The Chianti experience has caught on, and if you want a break from the hustle and bustle of Florence, which is just an hour away, this is the place to come.
You really don’t need to go far to get lost in Tuscany. Dave and I always thought that Tuscany was overrun with tourists, so we avoided it. But not in Chianti. You feel like you have it all to yourself.
Cooking Class in Tuscany
If you truly want to delve into the Italian culture, you must learn to make pasta. One of the highlights of staying at Elena’s Tuscan villa is to join her in a cooking class.
Elena doesn’t allow one non-traditional piece of equipment into the kitchen.
Dave and I even tried to bring a bottle of Chianti Classico into the class, but she insisted we drink her wine poured directly out of the flask.
In Chianti, everyone used to pour out of a traditional flask. The bottles are a new invention.
It was a fun and festive experience as we made handmade pasta, chopped fresh garden vegetables, and prepared everything by hand.
The class lasted for hours as we got to know our fellow guests, drank Chianti, and worked up an appetite.
At the end of the class, you get to enjoy your giant three-course meal.
Elena provides everyone with a cookbook to continue the tradition of Italian cooking.
As she said, “Traditional Italian cooking is getting lost, and we have to preserve it.”
That is why she keeps everything as it once was and gives her guests a cookbook to take with them to pass on to their families.
Staying at Borgo Argenina was a special experience. It was a true escape.
Florence is wonderful, but when visiting Tuscany, make sure you get out to see the countryside.
While staying at the villa, there were young couples, older couples, and groups of (twenty-something) friends.
It is a destination for everyone. I could tell that everyone in the villa felt how special the experience was.
In a world filled with selfie sticks and Insta stories, Borgo Argenina in Tuscany is a place to return to what is truly important in travel.
Meeting new people, making new friends, and learning about the culture and traditions of the destinations you’re visiting is what matters most. I’m glad we had the chance to have our own Under the Tuscan Sun experience.
