After a full week of sightseeing in Italy’s capital city Rome and Vatican City ticking off all the big-name attractions for first-timers and biking along Rome’s ancient Roman roads, we got a taste of “La Dolce Vita” (the sweet life) in the Tuscan countryside near Florence on our way to Venice.

Villa Il Leccio

Villa Il Leccio is an 18th-century villa in the Chianti wine district of Tuscany with a view of hectares of rolling hills, olive groves and vineyards from the garden. This Tuscan villa was first built in the 1200s as a medieval tower house.

At least nine generations of the Landi Family have lived at Villa Il Leccio for over 300 years, using the property mainly as a country residence and for summer gatherings.

The Landi family maintains the villa and a thriving agritourism business, specializing in wine and olive oil. The family farms almost 90 acres of the Tuscan countryside from their estate.

Since farming such a huge area and keeping old villas in good condition takes a lot of resources, they decided to open up their home to special tours with farm-to-table meals, which we got to experience as part of Trafalgar’s Be My Guest tour, which connects tourists to locals for an authentic Italian experience.

The villa is open for overnight stays with 11 rooms available, originally belonging to family members and servants. The architectural structure of the manor remains the same as it did centuries ago, but rooms now come with modern comforts and furnishings for guests.

Guest room photos from Villa Il Leccio’s website

The rooms reflect the history of the original Tuscan Villa, with some overlooking the inner courtyard of the Medieval Well or surrounding oak trees. I think it’s a great choice for honeymooners who want romantic getaways and seasoned travelers who wish to immerse in countryside comforts in Italy instead of the typical tourist routes.

Giada Landi, the head of the household, led our group through the main living area and into the garden with a fountain surrounded by hedges, lavender flowers, and lemon trees for some white wine.

After the warm welcome, our group was given time to enjoy the gardens and grounds. Villa Il Leccio has a swimming pool built on a natural terrace, and lush gardens with seasonal vegetables, fruits and herbs that the family uses for fresh meals.

Aside from being a great place for country stays and meals, it’s a lovely venue for events, destination weddings and receptions among European families.

Our lunch here was a feast of traditional Tuscan fare using produce grown in the villa’s garden paired with their Chianti wines. The Landi family takes pride in handpicking olives for olive oil, harvesting the grapes used in their wines, and growing their own fruits and vegetables. Even the herbs used in the dishes are plucked from estate grounds.

Giada, who learned how to cook from her grandmother and mother, donned her chef’s hat and clothes to prepare the lunch meal while other family members helped with the service.

For starters, we had fresh pasta made from scratch with a delicious homemade pork and beef-based meat sauce. The main dish was Tuscan chicken cooked in Chianti wine and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, which was amazing. It was served with potatoes, homemade bread and salad as sides.

For dessert, there was a slice of baked pie with a tart fruit sauce. I’m not sure what the fruit in the pie was, but I finished everything on my plate and went back for seconds. My photos don’t do the food justice, but this lunch was one of the most delightful meals we had in Italy. Everything tasted so fresh and comforting. I’m more of a beer drinker myself, but who can say no to free-flowing wine in this setting?

For those interested in Italian cuisine, Villa Il Leccio also hosts cooking classes for small groups. According to their website, guests can learn family recipes, “starting from basic recipes such as bread, pasta and pizza, to more complex traditional Tuscan menus, or medieval banquets.”

While the food was delicious and the villa and surroundings were stunning, what made this meal more special was the genuine warmth and hospitality of the Landi family and the care they put into the service. Villa Il Leccio was an unexpected surprise that allowed us to slow down and get a breather before heading off to Venice.