Within spitting distance of the hilltop villages of San
Gimignano and Volterra, this peaceful 17th-century farmhouse is
brimming with wholesomeness. Sit down to honey from the farm’s own
beehives, wine from its vineyards and olive oil from the ancient
gnarled trees growing within the impossibly beautiful country
estate. At the alfresco restaurant, pasta and bread are made from
Borgo Pignano’s own harvest of ancient grains, meaning they’re far
easier to digest than commercial wheat. The working farm is home to
Cinta Senese pigs and free-range chickens, as well as horses that
guests can ride and a beautifully maintained kitchen garden that’s
perfect to stroll around. Friendly cooking classes put an emphasis
on heritage grain bread-making, while guided tastings offer an
introduction to the region’s biodynamic wines.

More luxury palace than muddy homestead, the 120ha Borgo Santo
Pietro estate encompasses an extensive working farm, with a
traditional dairy, vineyards and apiary all helping to fuel the
two-Michelin-star restaurant. Stay in one of 20 unique bedrooms in
the 800-year-old farmhouse hotel, once a stopover for medieval
pilgrims in search of some R&R. Alternatively, thanks to its
close proximity to Siena, Borgo Santo Pietro can be visited for the
day, offering guests the chance to take part in a seasonal cookery
course or wine-tasting session, before indulging in some true
farm-to-table dining. The organic kitchen gardens and orchard see
hundreds of varieties of fruit and vegetables ripening under the
Tuscan sun.

A stay at this bucolic farm in Italy’s culinary heart brings you
close to one of the region’s most celebrated products: balsamic
vinegar. The 17th-century property has three beautiful rooms and a
private apartment available for guests and is surrounded by
charming gardens frequented by butterflies. Start your day with a
delicious breakfast featuring local breads, jams and cured meats,
then explore nearby villages and sample some of Italy’s finest
Parmigiano Reggiano, with many producers offering demonstrations
and tasting sessions. Modena is also worth a visit, not least for
the culinary mecca that is Massimo Bottura’s Osteria
Francescana.

This newly opened farmhouse in Montferrat is a welcome addition
in a region that’s steadily making a name for itself on Italy’s
slow-food scene. Offering 12 unique bedrooms housed within an
ancient farmhouse, the project, whose restoration was three years
in the making, respects the surrounding countryside at every turn.
Set within 5ha of arable land, the estate produces its own-label
Calligram wine. Foraging, truffle-hunting and nature walks are
encouraged, followed by dinner at the fish and veggie-centric
restaurant L’Orto. Piedmontese chef Andrea Ribaldone heads up the
restaurant, bringing Michelin-star credentials to local dishes and
ingredients.

Deep in the Umbrian countryside, this agriturismo stretches over 40 acres of sun-kissed land. Choose between staying in a restored two-storey farmhouse dating back to 1893 or separate villas spread across the estate. Spend days wandering through lanes of olive groves and vineyards, taking a dip in the infinity pool or helping yourself to freshly harvested organic fruit and vegetables. Come evening, take a cookery course followed by wine or olive oil tasting in the farm’s cellar.

On the Slovenian border, this agriturismo combines rustic charm with high-end dining on the outskirts of an old oak forest. Stay in one of the sixteen chalets benefitting from treetop terraces, alfresco bathtub and an outdoor pool. The main selling point is the Michelin-starred osteria. In this rustic Alpine restaurant, dine on local delicacies paired with wine sourced from nearby vineyards on both sides of the border.

Despite sitting in the extravagantly named village of Sotto il Monte Giovanni XXIII, this agriturismo prides itself on delicate simplicity. At the foot of Monte Canto, the farm was built from the remains of an 11th-century convent. Rooms are unpretentious, designed with eco-bio features to reduce energy waste and protect the surrounding nature. Admire the restored convent and enjoy a taster menu of local delicacies curated by the farm’s chef before exploring the gardens, orchards and woods of Lombardy.

Dating back more than 300 years, La Traversina lies deep in the forest of Italy’s Piedmont region. Like a fairytale come true, the farmhouse is draped in green vines and surrounded by gardens abundant with flowers including hydrangeas, geraniums and 300 varieties of roses. Choose between one of three renovated stables or rooms situated inside the main house. Discover neighbouring vineyards, castles and tiny villages, or try your hand at gardening and cooking courses available throughout the summer months.

Just south of Lake Garda, the Moscatello family have transformed this abandoned farm into a delightfully bucolic agriturismo. Rooms are rustic havens complete with stone floors and wooden beams. Soak up some Italian rays by the pool before sipping aperitifs as the sun sets over the vineyards, orchards and olive groves of this Lombardy estate. Feeling peckish? Head to the farm’s wisteria-covered restaurant for food and wine sourced from surrounding fields.

Since the 1400s Villa di Campolungo has perched on a hill overlooking Tuscan countryside and the town of Fiesole. Terracotta floors, original ceilings and artisanal textiles preserve the building’s long history, while solar panels and geothermal heating reduce the farmhouse’s impact on the surrounding environment. Head to nearby Chianti for wine tasting before retreating back to Campolungo for organic food and homemade cakes.

In the depths of the Veneto countryside, this converted rice mill dates back to 1733 and stretches over 100 acres of farmland. Nearby Verona, Ferrara and Padua make for charming day trips, while evenings can be spent taking a dip in the 50ft-long swimming pool or admiring views across the estate’s orchards, vineyards and wheatfields.

At the heel of Italy, this Puglian agriturismo sits atop a hill overlooking the Salento hinterland. Rooms are located around a central courtyard, and each is rustically decorated with wooden furnishings and an earth-tone palette. Awake to freshly baked bread, fruit from the orchards and local cheese from the farm before borrowing a bike to explore coastal tracks and unpaved country roads.