Tenuta La Bandita

As you walk, the crunch of gravel underfoot is what grounds you in the here and now. Your mind whirs as the typical villa you imagined in your daydreams materialises before your eyes. As a welcome drink is placed in your hand, you begin to soak in the understated farmhouse grandeur of your surroundings, embodying the Tuscany you had so longed to encounter.

Famished from your travels, you crave your first taste of Italy. Perusing the menu at Ristorante La Bandita, you can see why Tuscany is often called the larder of la cucina italiana. Your choices, rustic and hearty plates, taste as though they could only have been made by the hands of Italian grandmothers, whose recipes have nourished generations.

With your dropping eyes induced by a satiated stomach, you decide on a decadently early night. As you retire to your bedroom, you are welcomed by a complimentary bottle of wine. The pop of the cork and the satisfying glug as the contents spill in to your glass makes the wine taste all the better.

You take pleasure in selection morsels from the breakfast spread, decorating a plate with a plethora of different choices. As you step into the open air and breathe in the scents of a new day, you muse that time in nature where it both grounds and lifts you. Strolling in a loop around the extensive, tree-shaded grounds, you admire the tenacity of the dainty wildflowers scattered in your path who bloom exactly where they choose.

Perhaps la dolce vita isn’t so elusive after all?