During a recent trip to Pisa I made a little detour to explore Certaldo and spent the night in a beautiful bed & breakfast amidst the Tuscan countryside, Villa San Michele.
Villa San Michele is a stunning bed & breakfast that opened just a few months ago in the Tuscan hamlet of Vico d’Elsa. This place was originally a 17th-century farmhouse and its owners refurbished it with love and effort, retaining its rustic charm and adding some modern and stylish elements.
What to expect
There are 5 guest rooms in total, with a cozy lounge area on the ground floor, a fantastic pool and beautiful gardens all around.
Rooms are bright and spacious, each with great views across the Tuscan countryside. The ambiance is very relaxing and the beds are super comfy, but I must admit that my favorite thing was the bathroom, where I found a large shower, fluffy towels, and excellent beauty products!
The best part of staying at Villa San Michele is wakening up to the chirping of birds and greeted by gorgeous views of lush vegetation, rolling hills and the towers of San Gimignano in the distance. Up next is the delicious breakfast that awaits you downstairs, where Roger will pamper you with home-made bread, cakes, and foamy cappuccinos, while Stefania will help you organize your day.
Being still cold, I couldn’t enjoy the pool nor the outdoor areas, which must be amazing in summer. I can’t really complain though since I could cozy up by a burning fireplace with a glass of wine after a long day of exploration.
The hosts
No matter the beauty of the property, I believe that what makes a bed & breakfast stand out is the personal attention that guests receive from the owners and Stefania and Roger are great at this. They genuinely love what they do and have the ability to make you feel at home the moment you walk through the entrance gate.
They are also very knowledgeable about the area and Tuscany in general and they only recommend places they have visited themselves, so you’ll be sure to have an authentic experience. Bonus point for sending their guests an ebook with lots of tips to help explore the area.
The area
Location wise, Villa San Michele is situated in Vico d’Elsa, a charming little hamlet of 400 people, between Florence and Siena, in an area characterized by an idyllic landscape of rolling hills covered in olive groves and vineyards.
The bed & breakfast is a short drive from San Gimignano and Certaldo, and its position makes it a great base to explore this part of Tuscany. It’s just a stone’s throw from Chianti and close to some of the major sights, including Siena (38km) and Florence (50km).
The nearest airports are Florence and Pisa. The area is best explored by car and there is a free public car park just in front of the bed & breakfast. Alternatively, you can reach Vico d’Elsa by public transport or taxi, just ask Stefania and Roger and they’ll assist you with all the necessary arrangements.
I stayed only one night but wish I had stayed longer! If you plan to visit this part of Tuscany I strongly recommend to visit Villa San Michele, I’m sure you’ll love it!
Please note, this is not a sponsored post. All opinions and photographs are my own.
Until next time
52 Comments
nice hosts they were ..i love homestays and bnb ..since not only they reduce the cost but also give u very authentic experience..so glad u had such a great time here..will check these guyz out on my next visit to tuscany
Yay, I’m sure you’ll love it there!
What a lovely post! This place looks magical. I have been to Italy three times but have spent almost no time in Tuscany. I appreciate learning more about it from someone who is an expert!
Yep, I think that’s the bonus of staying there!
Villa San Michele looks like my kind of place! I spend a lot of time in the north-east, but really love the Tuscan countryside. It’s great that it’s near Chianti too; it’s a delicious wine and goes with so many great Italian dishes.
Tuscany is such a beautiful reason, isn’t it? And this place is such a great base for exploring the area!
That view is impeccable! I love that this accommodation is so cozy and authentic of Tuscany. Definitely could spend a month basking in these beautiful views.
I know, me too!
Looks like an absolutely idyllic place to stay. Totally agree about what you said about hosts; a friendly face to make you feel at home makes all the difference. I also LOVE waking up to the sounds of birds and the smell of fresh coffee and breakfast in the morning. What a great break.
I couldn’t agree more!:)
I have bookmarked this for future reference. I want to go to Tuscany so badly… this small, chic villa really makes me jump on an airplane right now. I would love to spend some days relaxing here 🙂 I love how you presented this location! Keep it up 😛
Jules@thetravelingtulip
http://www.thetravelingtulip.eu
Thanks so much Iulia, a few days at Villa San Michele will do magic for your soul!
My whole family’s from Italy, I’d so love to go. It sounds amazing!
Oh wow, then you must come over!! 🙂
I am just planning my trip to Tuscany, because it has been my dream for several years. I was looking for such a place, I really like this villa 🙂
Wow, that sounds fantastic! I’m sure you’ll love Tuscany 🙂
This place looks amazing. I’m always looking for a villa to stay at when I go to Tuscany!
Yep, amazing bed&breakfast!
Lovely place! During my last visit to Italy, I wanted to see the rural side but ended up to be in the cities. Your post make me wanna go again.
Cities are amazing but the countryside around them is equally beautiful and worth exploring 😉
Tuscany is a region I’d like to visit properly, and Villa San Michele will be on top of the list!
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hope my tips will be useful 😉
Tuscany is just breathtaking!! You are so lucky to experience this.. love the blog. 😍
Thanks so much Kanika! I hope you’ll be able to experience all this yourself one day 🙂
Tuscany is on my bucket list! Thank you for this article, it makes me want to move it up higher on the list 🙂
Yay!!! 😀
What lovely hosts and a beautiful place to stay. We’ve always felt at home in the B&B’s in Italy as well. Love it when the owners update but keep the old feel of the villas. And Tuscany is such an amazing place anyway. It’s always fun to see the real Tuscany once you get away from Florence and Pisa is one of our favorite little cities.
Pisa is so pretty, isn’t it? It was a surprise to me, I’m glad I finally managed to see it!
I am sure you regretted staying there for only one day, this place requires more days to explore and enjoy the good vibes. Looks like an amazing place.
To be honest I could have stayed there like..forever! Ahahaha
I haven’t stayed in a B&B for years – since I was a kid, in fact! If I did now, I’d definitely make it somewhere like this – it seems like the hosts are what really make the stay special, and the beauty of the villa itself doesn’t hurt!
Exactly! I think it’s really the hosts to make such a difference!
This is such a raw and gorgeous place. The landscape makes you feel so relaxed. The exterior seems rugged but the insides are so cosy. Definitely seems well maintained. It is definitely a good pick if you are in town to unwind. The atmosphere created does half your task of detox
It’s a super cozy place, that’s what makes it so special 🙂
The place looks so beautiful and peaceful. I have always liked the places where I can wake up to great views. It looks like a perfect place to relax.
Yep, waking up to such a peaceful view was simply amazing!
This is a very nice review. You made me want to come there. I think it’s very cosy place with the old ambient which I really like.
Yay!Thanks so much Anita, I hope my tips will be useful 🙂
I’ll definitely take the Villa San Michele when I get to Tuscany. It looks perfect!
It truly is 🙂
Those views and that fireplace!!! I love the TOSCANA region. I happened to do a little road trip for 5 nights in winter (dec/jan) this year through toscana and we stayed in a couple great old properties similar to this one. Looks incredible and I’m going to be back very soon for more food, vino, and Sunshine. I’m dying to return in summer!
Late spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit Tuscany 😉
Looks like an amazing place to stay and have a relaxing vacation. Bookmarking this, as I might check it out during my upcoming Italy trip. The rooms look extremely spacious, and the surroundings, are a perfect detox holiday in the making.
Exactly, it’s a fantastic place to unwind!
I went to Florence, but was gutted I never got to see more of Tuscany! I love this post
A good reason to come back then! 🙂
Stefania and Roger sound like they make good on the reputation of Italian hospitality. Their villa looks so charming, an apt way to enjoy the Tuscan countryside.
Definitely a great example of Italian hospitality!
Wow, Tuscany really is gorgeous! Every bit of research I’ve done on this place always features gorgeous scenes and such enticing information and this post is no different! I do hope to visit some day soon!
It’s truly beautiful and with such a variety of things to see and do!
This place looks perfect to do a little bit of exploring, hiking and photography 🙂 what a lovely villa! I have only been to Italy once, staying in Siena for the most part, but we did spend an afternoon in Pisa – I didn’t think much of the city, I have to confess, but then I never really explored much further, unlike you x
I didn’t have great expectations before visiting Pisa, but the city really surprised me!
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