Tuscan DELIGHTS

Living the Tuscan dream in magnificent hilltop villa Palazzo Cheto

Words by SANDY CADIZ-SMITH

The Tuscan countryside subtly seduces at every step. The gently rolling hills, silvery olive groves, glossy emerald vineyards, medieval hilltop villages, and avenues of statuesque cypress trees create the complete picture of Tuscan splendour. A breathtakingly beautiful land that feels comfortingly familiar as the location of many a film set. The perfect bucolic setting for indulging in la dolce vita to the fullest.

Our charming destination is Palazzo Cheto, just over an hour’s drive from Florence airport and 20 minutes from the gorgeous ancient town of Siena. The final approach through a tree-lined avenue led to a magnificent villa on a hilltop. Originally a 13th-century monastery, Palazzo Cheto has been superbly and sympathetically renovated and has nine individually decorated bedrooms, plenty of living space inside and out, and breathtaking views at every turn.

Our cares soon melted away at Palazzo Cheto. We awoke to a cacophony of birdsong and the sight of the mist swirling through the hills in ghostly gossamer clouds. A sumptuous breakfast was served in the large dining room (the villa comes with a chef), where we planned our dream-like days. We lounged beside the large swimming pool with plenty of dips for cooling, went for energising walks in the nearby forests, and lazed in the sunshine in many of the spaces around the vast landscaped gardens. We devoured plates of delicious local dishes created by our skilled private chef using seasonal local ingredients. Lunch was served in the shade of the gazebo with breathtaking views towards Siena. We sipped our apertivo beside the pool taking in the sunset views and savoured al fresco dinners and local wine in the inner courtyard with its twinkling fairy lights.

Speaking of wine, when we could tear ourselves away from our palatial Tuscan paradise for a moment, we enjoyed winetasting at nearby Estate Montechiaro in the most picturesque of settings surrounded by vines and olive trees. We also visited the charming ancient town of Siena. It’s built over three hills with the majestic Il Campo at its heart - the square famous for the Palio horse race, contested by representatives of the city’s historic contrade (districts) every summer. Siena is a real feast for