The Guide
Where the family would send you
Recommendations gathered over years at the villa, from the trattoria ten minutes away to the table worth a detour in Rome. The concierge arranges any of it.
Recommendations gathered over years at the villa, from the trattoria ten minutes away to the table worth a detour in Rome. The concierge arranges any of it.
The estate adjoins Belmond Castello di Casole, where San Giovanni guests have privileges at the spa, restaurants, and bar. Beyond the gate, these are our locals.
The closest of our regular tables, ten minutes from the villa.
Book for 7:30, when the doors open. Worth planning an evening around.
The village cafe in Casole d'Elsa, for coffee and the morning ritual.
A village osteria worth the short drive into the hills.
Famous ribollita, serious pastas, and a hand-written wine list worth reading twice.
Classic Tuscan dining with a view to match.
A country osteria we return to again and again.
An old mill turned locanda, rustic and warm.
A working artist's gallery ten minutes from the villa.
Lunch at the counter, or spend the day as a butcher and make the Chianti butter yourself. The concierge arranges both.
All of Tuscany's great towns sit within an hour of the estate. The concierge arranges drivers and private guides.
The towers at golden hour, once the day crowds have gone. Stay for dinner at Le Vecchie Mura, and gelato at Dondoli.
The Campo, the Duomo, and the best evening walk in Tuscany. Il Bargello, just off the Campo, is our lunch table.
Etruscan walls, alabaster workshops, and quiet streets.
The home of Brunello. Boccon DiVino is our table there, with a terrace over the valley.
Refined dining at the Antinori abbey estate, an easy excursion through the vines.
Hiking, biking, and horseback riding through the surrounding hills, arranged by the concierge.
Close enough for dinner. Guides who skip every line, arranged on request.
Chianina beef and bistecca alla fiorentina done properly.
Refined Florentine dining in a Renaissance courtyard.
An institution, and the best bistecca alla fiorentina in the city.
Sunset from a rooftop, or from Piazzale Michelangelo with the whole city at your feet.
Most guests pass through Rome coming or going. These are the family's own bookings, not a guidebook's.
A seaside palazzo outside the city, ideal for a first or last night in Italy.
Our lunch stop on the drive between Rome and the villa. Linger.
A two-day Rome plan we recommend to first-timers. The concierge has it ready.
Ferry from Naples or a helicopter transfer; the concierge arranges either.
The beach club lunch against the Faraglioni. Book well ahead.
Dinner under the lemon trees.
A Capri institution steps from the Piazzetta.
If your Italian itinerary runs north, the lake's villages and villas deserve a slow day or two, from the spots made famous by the lake's part-time residents to the quieter corners we prefer. Further north still, dear friends of the family keep a mountain lodge in the Dolomites and sail a sea lodge on the Mediterranean; both are worth building a trip around.
The concierge stocks the villa before you arrive. If you would rather shop the Italian way, these are the stops.
The best of the nearby supermarkets for a full stock-up.
A solid second option for staples.
The deli. Cheese, salumi, and whatever looks best that morning.
Every favorite gathered from friends and family across Italy, organized town by town. The deep end of this guide.
Dinner cooked at the villa, from market to table. Arranged through the concierge, as are private chefs for the length of your stay.
Every reservation, driver, and day trip above is a note to the concierge away.
Write the Concierge