Tuscan Gold: Gardens for Gourmets in Southern Tuscany

3 October 2022

5 days from £4,250pp

We are privileged to have Charles Quest-Ritson and Kirsty Fergusson to host and lead this special tour, both contributors to COUNTRY LIFE

Visit Pinsent’s finest garden, La Foce, with owner, Benedetta Origo
Explore Siena’s hidden splendours
Enjoy a medieval walled garden with spectacular views of Chianti
Stay at the luxurious five-star Grand Hotel Continental in the historic heart of Siena

This golden late-summer tour has been carefully designed to include some of the most beautiful and exclusive gardens of Southern Tuscany. We visit some Renaissance gardens dating back to the in the 15th century as well as important gardens of the early 20th century including La Foce, designed by Cecil Pinsent for Iris Origo, arguably Pinsent’s best garden set in the dramatic landscape of the d’Orcia Valley. This tour includes opportunities to taste local specialities and special invitations to dine in private villas with the owners. We are accommodated for four nights at the luxurious 5-star Grand Hotel Continental in the historic heart of Siena, just a short walk from Piazza del Campo and the magnificent Duomo cathedral with fine dining included in the hotel’s own gourmet Ristorante Sapordivino.

Day 1:
Depart London Heathrow for a morning flight to Pisa Galileo Airport. Journey through the Chianti region of Tuscany stopping at Badia a Coltibuono to visit the formal garden and to taste their organic wines and enjoy a light lunch. Then journeying on to Siena we receive a warm welcome at The Grand Hotel Continental in the heart of the old city, with time to settle in before dining together at the Ristorante Sapordivino, the hotel’s acclaimed gourmet restaurant.
Day 2:
Start the day visiting the gardens of Villa Vico Bello, owned by the Chigi family since the 1500’s, before travelling south to the Val d'Orcia, a beautiful and miraculously intact valley in Southern Tuscany. In the heart of this beautiful region, we discover the gardens of La Foce where we are invited to lunch and a special guided tour with the owner, Benedetta Origo. When Antonio and Iris Origo bought the estate of La Foce in 1923, they engaged the English architect Cecil Pinsent to restructure the main buildings and create a garden to enhance the Renaissance house and expand the spectacular view over the valley. Perfect harmony between buildings, garden and nature helps La Foce stand out as one of Pinsent’s best works. Return to Siena for a free evening.
Day 3:
We are privileged today to be accompanied by Antonella Piredda, an official guide to Siena as well as an accredited cheese and olive oil taster and wine aficionado. Antonella will accompany us on her tour of Secret Siena that opens the doors to the city’s hidden or forgotten treasures and masterpieces. This is followed by free time to find lunch, continue exploring or enjoy the proximity of our luxurious hotel. Later, in the afternoon we travel out of Siena to meet Count Bianchi Bandinelli of Villa di Geggiano where we are invited to an early evening meal together in the villa and the opportunity to view the beautiful 18th century frescoes representing the twelve months of the year created by Austrian artist, Ignazio Moder and have time to stroll around the garden to enjoy the famous green theatre and walls decorated with vases and monkey grotteschi. Return to the Grand Continental Hotel in the evening.
Day 4:
La Ferriera is a garden designed, created, and loved by Contessa Giuppi Pietromarchi, who discovered the romantic villa more than fifty years ago when looking for an Italian home for her wandering diplomatic family. The family restored the house and Giuppi created the garden on the site of a 15th century foundry, including many plants collected on her extensive travels. We are invited to lunch with her, before visiting Il Giardino dei Tarocchi, a fantastical sculpture garden designed by Nikki de Saint-Phalle, inspired partly by the Parco Güel of Antonio Gaudi. Return to Siena to dine in La Corte di Sapordivino at the hotel.
Day 5:
Leaving Siena we drive to the most celebrated of the Antinori family wineries: a contemporary, cathedral-like structure set within the vine-clad hillside and offering breath-taking views of the soft rolling Tuscan hills scattered with olive groves and historic churches. A seasonal lunch, accompanied by a selection of Antinori wines will be served in the stunning rooftop restaurant. Return to Pisa Galileo Airport. Check in for British Airways flight BA0613, departing at 17:00 and arriving at London Heathrow Airport at 18:20.

Return flights from London Heathrow to Pisa Galileo Airport
Private coach transfers and excursions
Four nights' bed and breakfast at 5-star Hotel Grand Continental, Siena
Three dinners and four lunches
Guided visits to sites listed in the programme
Services of the Tour Leader and Hosts
Detailed programme and garden notes
All entrance fees, taxes and gratuities for coach drivers and waiters

Charles-Quest Ritson

Charles Quest-Ritson started out as a lawyer but is better known as a writer, journalist and translator. His many books include The English Garden Abroad [1992], Olive Oil [2004] and Ninfa [2009]. He has also edited the RHS Year Book and written two prize-winning books on roses. He and his wife Brigid garden in Hampshire (2½ acres of chalk) and Normandy (12 acres of woodland and apple orchard, where they grow 1200 roses.) He is a popular lecturer and columnist for Country Life magazine.

Kirsty Fergusson

Kirsty exchanged a career in academia (she is a PhD specialising in French philosopher-novelists) for a life in gardening. Trained at Capel Manor, she was head gardener at Mapperton in Dorset during the early nineties, where a series of fortunate encounters opened the door to garden writing. As well as writing a weekly column for The Express, for many years she was a frequent contributor to Gardens Illustrated, House and Garden, Country Life, The Times, The Telegraph and The Independent. In 2003 she moved to SW France, where she continues to explore the possibilities of her own (very forgiving) garden - when not travelling, writing or leading tours.

Fly from London

Return flights from London are included in our package on our specific arrival and departure dates plus one item of checked in luggage, per person.

Transfers will also be included on our specific arrival and departure dates to take you to your holiday destination. If you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Overview

The Grand Hotel Continental in Siena is located in Palazzo Gori Pannilini, built around 1501 on pre-existing buildings and presumably realized in the present form by Pope Alexander VII, a member of the powerful Chigi family, as a wedding gift for his niece Olimpia and noble Giulio de Gori in 1677.

Set in the historic center of Siena, this beautiful noble palace totally reflects Renaissance architecture and is embellished with magnificent frescoes and rich decorations brought to light with various restorations.

Siena's Residence of the Queen of Italy Margherita of Savoy and a favorite destination of the intellectuals involved in the Grand Tour during the nineteenth century, the Grand Hotel Continental has always attracted the international elite for its glamor and its privileged location within walking distance from Piazza del Campo, becoming the first and only luxury 5 star hotel in the city of Siena in 2002.