Vecchia Fornace, Tuscany, Italy - hotel review: An old Terracotta factory with a modern twist

Though remote, the villa is only a 30-minute drive to the medieval city of Siena

As we crunch up the gravel drive in our hire car in the pitch black, Vecchia Fornace’s owner, Rosalba (a whirlwind of a woman), rushes out to receive us. We’ve turned up a day late after a flight delay, but the welcome is warm – if a little exhausting. We’re herded into Rosalba’s own kitchen, where she lays on a feast of Prosecco, pasta, and gelato. We gulp it all down, bleary-eyed but grateful, before making our excuses and stumbling off to bed.

It’s only the morning after that we get a true sense of how glorious our accommodation is. The sprawling property is an old Terracotta factory which been divided into two separate lodgings: one for guests, the other for Rosalba and her husband. With a view so stunning no photo would do it justice, the villa sits in the Tuscan hills, a patchwork of vineyards stretching for miles.

The rooms

Set back from the road, up a dusty dirt track, Vecchia Fornace is ideal for anyone looking to escape the clamour of city life. The first thing I notice when I wake is how quiet it is, the only sound the gentle lap of the infinity pool and the whisper of the wind in the olive trees.

The villa is made up of three double bedrooms, an open-plan living space, a kitchen, and the pool. Two bedrooms are downstairs, side by side, while the third is on the second floor, reached by a metal staircase in the garden. This room, though awkward to access, is larger and comes with its own kitchenette.

The villa’s décor is traditionally Tuscan: orange brick walls, dark wooden floors, beamed ceilings and terracotta tiles. Elements of the villa’s previous life also sneak into its design; what is now a striking fireplace in the centre of the living room was once a melting pot, where workers mixed earth and water together before baking (the property’s name means “old furnace”).

Silk drapes, colourful rugs and a collection of decorative suns and moons add an arty feel.

The swimming pool is a short walk from the rooms, across a garden dotted with sculptures (Rosalba and her husband also own a sculpture park next door, which is well worth a look). The only slight drawback is that the pool and the gardens are shared with the owners, so privacy could be an issue. No early morning skinny dips, if that’s your thing.

Out and about

You can’t do Tuscany without a car. Though remote, the villa is only a 30-minute drive to the medieval city of Siena, with its beautiful cathedral. The drive isn’t dull either, sweeping around hairpin bends and over hills flanked by lush green vineyards.

One of the best ways to appreciate the Tuscan hills is on horseback. Rendola Riding (00 39 055 97 07 045; rendolariding.com; one-hour rides €25/£20), is a 40-minute drive away,. Our hack, led by the school’s founder, Jenny Bawtree, has us cantering through vineyards and trotting through villages. Jenny’s knowledge of the area is encyclopaedic and she drops in interesting facts as we ride.

For something a little boozier, head to the Castello Di Brolio (00 39 0577 730220; baronericasoli.com). This is a castle and vineyard which dates back to the 10th century, belonging to the Ricasoli family; Bettino Ricasoli, once prime minister of Italy, was the first wine maker to produce chianti classico. The estate offers wine-tasting for €5pp (£4) at the store, or €125pp (£100) including a private tour of the castle.

The food and drink

The nearest village to the villa, Vagliagli, is a 10-minute drive away. It has a chemist, a small grocery shop and a couple of restaurants.

They say food tastes better when someone else cooks it, but I’d argue it’s all the more delicious if you’ve cooked it yourself, under the guidance of an experienced chef. At Ristorante Marlborghetto (00 39 339 303 4871; malborghetto.net) in nearby Lecchi, chef Simone Murici talks us through dishes including pasta bolognese, a Tuscan bean dish, and tiramisu.

Simone is a charming and patient tutor, and, as a sommelier too, pairs each dish with different delectable wines. A three-hour cookery class with lunch costs €95pp (£75).

The essentials

Vecchia Fornace, Tuscany, Italy. From £1,260 to £2,100 a week through To Tuscany (0121 286 7782; to-tuscany.com). The villa is in the grounds of the Chianti Sculpture Park (00 39 0577 35 71 51; chiantisculpturepark.it).