good for you

With beautiful country views taking in hills and vineyards, delicious "slow" Tuscan food, home grown organic wine and olive oil, all a half hour's distance from the cultural treasures of Florence, the San Vito estate is a superb Tuscan retreat.

Set amidst the verdant hills of Chianti Fiorentino, atop a magnificent promontory that on one side overlooks the Val d'Elsa and on the other the Florentine plain, this working wine and olive oil estate set on 130 hectares of vineyards, olive groves and woods accommodates guests in four beautifully restored villas.

Tenuta San Vito makes a perfect base from which to explore Tuscany and all it offers. Apart from its surrounds the estate offers plenty to do with walking trails, guided tours of the winemaking cellar, as well as cooking lessons in the local cuisine.

The Tenuta produces superb wines and a highly regarded extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed in the estate's own press house. The oil and all of the estate's wines are certified organically grown, and the restaurant, offers traditional Tuscan cuisine using organic and locally grown ingredients.

The Drighi family, who have owned the estate since the 1950s, have painstakingly restored the estate buildings to create charming and comfortable suites and apartments that will help you to experience traditional Tuscan farm life.

good for tuscany

With its organic locally grown produce, slow food restaurant, carefully restored villas and it's efforts at renewable energy, Tenuta San Vito is European eco-tourism at its best. The Villino I Cavalli villa is the one to go for, it represents the first attempt to create a building according to bio-architectural principles in the whole area of Montelupo Fiorentino. It is built using all natural materials, and features solar-heated water and a sewage composting system.

Rooms

Food

Tenuta San Vito won a very prestigious award, The Best Of Wine Tourism 2007 in the category Accommodation.

The Tenuta produces superb wines, such as San Vito Chianti DOCG, Darno Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG, Madiere Igt Toscana, Il colle dei Mandorli IGT Toscana, l'Amantiglio IGT Toscana, a Malmantico Vin Santo del Chianti DOC and a highly regarded extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed in the estate's own press house. The oil and all of the estate's wines are certified organically grown, and the restaurant, which often hosts events and parties, offers traditional Tuscan cuisine using organic and locally grown ingredients.

menus

Tenuta San Vito's menu is based on local, seasonal produce.

A typical breakfast includes cookies, homemade pastries and cakes, cereals, muesli, yoghurt, fresh milk, orange juice, bread, a selection of jams, cheese, ham, croissants, fresh Italian coffee, and tea.

A sample - and substantial - dinner menu might begin with a Tuscan antipasto of mixed bruschetta and various cured meats and salamis, followed by tagliatelle al rag and then a t-bone steak with roasted potatoes, finished off with tiramis or apple pie.

As most of the accommodation comes with fully equipped kitchens, self catering is available at this farmstay.

Features & Facilities

The estate features two swimming pools, and mountain bikes are available for guests' use.

Guests can make visits to the cantina and olive presses, and can enjoy a sampling of the estate's organic produce, including its wines and extra virgin olive oil.

Courses in Tuscan cookery are held at the restaurant.

Laundry facilities are free and available on site, including outdoor clotheslines.

function facilities

The estate's 90-metre-square hall, surrounded by a splendid landscape, can cater to large occasions - from meetings to weddings. The restaurant's windows open directly onto the estate's small lake and its menu features authentic Tuscan food.

See Local Info section for more information on activities in the area

Local Info & Activities

There are many hiking and walking trails throughout the area, perfect for discovering the countryside. Stables, a golf course and tennis courts are all nearby.

The San Vita estate is located in the Chianti hills just 15km from Florence, 10 km from Vinci 50km from Pisa and 70km from Siena, making it easy to explore the nearby sights by car - though driving to the train station at Montelupo and taking the train is a better option environmentally and parking in Florence can be very tricky.

For walkers, the nearest town is Montelupo Fiorentina, 5km away, which boasts a renowned Museum of Ceramics. The town has a railway station, as well as supermarkets, banks and a post office. Even closer at 3km distance is Malmantile, which also has stores, a bank, a post office and delicatessens. The nearby towns have local pizzerias and restaurants if you want to have a change from the delicious fare at San Vito.

Sustainability

Tenuta San Vito is a biological farm: all the products, from wine to olive oil, are organic.

villino i cavalli: a bio-building

The Villino I Cavalli villa represents the first attempt to create a building according to bio-architectural principles in the whole area of Montelupo Fiorentino. Entirely natural techniques and materials were used for every part of it, from the energy supply to furnishings.

Here's what makes the building sustainable:

• Load-bearing masonry and partitions made from air permeable, heat-insulated blocks, rendered porous with sawdust or vegetable flour and bound with a mortar prepared with hydraulic lime.
• A ventilated roof insulated by wood-fibre panels glued together by "hydrogenous bindings", without the use of synthetic adhesives. Waterproofing of the roof with latex impregnated wood-fibre panels.
• Preservative and anti-parasite treatment of wooden beams and joists using boron salts woodworm treatment, liquid finishing wax, natural oils and beeswax.
• Treatment of the terracotta ceiling with beeswax, carob wax, linseed oil, citrus peel essence, essential soya oil, rice starch, boron salts, water and linseed oil sodic soap. Inside walls are painted with natural water paint prepared with vegetable and mineral raw materials, while outer walls are painted with matte water paint prepared with mineral raw materials, lime putty, bentonite, clay, natural calcium borate, borax and rock alum.
• Double sheath wiring is used throughout the building, plus systems to reduce and eliminate magnetic fields. The estate is currently studying the possibility of producing alternative energy by means of photovoltaic cells.
• The plumbing system uses pipes that release no harmful substances. Floor-heating is provided by means of copper coils, while hot water is produced by a condensation gas boiler supplemented with solar panels.
• A natural sewage disposal system using a dispersion network drains into the soil.
• Wood furniture and natural fabrics, treated with products that allow it to breathe.

Getting There

The San Vita estate is located in the Chianti hills just 15km from Florence and 70km from Siena. The nearest town is Montelupo Fiorentina, 5km away and this town has a train station. Best to arrive by train and the Tenuta can organise a taxi or a transfer.

Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.

Rates & Bookings

• Breakfast
• Utilities and heating
• Weekly change of linen and final cleaning

Weekly rates for APARTMENTS are as follows. Apartments are normally let from Saturday to Saturday, however, when available they can also be let per night.

High Season - 1st July- 1st Sep and 29th Dec - 2nd Jan

Two Rooms, 2 double beds: Euro720

Two Rooms, 2 double & 2 single beds: Euro900

Three Rooms, 4 doubles: Euro1100

Three rooms, 4 doubles + single: Euro1250

Three Rooms: 4 doubles + 2 singles: Euro1250

Colonica 14 doubles: Euro4200

Middle Season - 15th Apr - 30th June and 2nd Sep - 20th Oct

Two Rooms, 2 double beds: Euro650

Two Rooms, 2 double & 2 single beds: Euro760

Three Rooms, 4 doubles: Euro950

Three rooms, 4 doubles + single: Euro1100

Three Rooms: 4 doubles + 2 singles: Euro1100

Colonica: 14 doubles: Euro3800

Low Season - 9th Jan - 14th Apr and 21st Oct - 28th Dec

Two Rooms, 2 double beds: Euro490

Two Rooms, 2 double & 2 single beds: Euro560

Three Rooms, 4 doubles: Euro720

Three rooms, 4 doubles + single: Euro780

Three Rooms: 4 doubles + 2 singles: Euro780

Colonica: 14 doubles: Euro3000

A 10% discount applies to 2 or 3 week stays.

High Season - 1st July- 1st Sep and 29th Dec - 2nd Jan

Double Room: Euro125

Single Room: Euro110

Additional Bed: Euro40

Middle Season - 15th Apr - 30th June and 2nd Sep - 20th Oct

Double Room: Euro105

Single Room: Euro80

Additional Bed: Euro40

Low Season - 9th Jan - 14th Apr and 21st Oct - 28th Dec

Double Room: Euro90

Single Room: Euro68

Additional Bed: Euro40

booking & cancellation policy

• A booking is confirmed on payment of 20% deposit. 10% deposit is non-refundable on cancellation at any time.
• The remaining 80% is required 2 weeks before arrival date.
• Cancellations made between 40 and 20 days prior to check in incurs a cancellation fee of 40% of entire cost of stay.
• Cancellations made between 19 and 7 days prior to check in incur a cancellation fee of 60% of entire cost of stay.
• Cancellations made between 6 and 2 days prior to arrival incur a cancellation fee of 90% of stay.
• No shows incur a cancellation fee of 100%.

Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.