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- This is a magical land, home to the renowned wines of Montalcino and
Montepulciano, the delectible pecorino cheeses of Pienza, the exquisite art towns of Siena and San Gimignano. Here in the Sienese Chianti, the landscape is one of rolling hills blanketed with silvery olive groves and brilliant vineyards, dotted with ancient stone farmhouses. But the spaces are a bit more wide open, often glistening with golden wheat and punctuated by a lone black cypress on the crest of the hill. Almost anywhere you are, the horizon is graced by one or more of the area's triangular landmarks: to the north is Montepulciano, to the west is Pienza, and to the south is the lively spa town of Chianciano. Just outside town, tucked in a quiet valley with 360 degrees of pure Tuscan vistas, is the Valeriani family's gracious estate, Palazzo Bandino.
Palazzo Bandino
Mass tourism is relatively unknown in this part of Tuscany, but seasoned travelers love it. You will hear mainly Italian on the cobblestoned streets, and you will not see as many of those big buses parked along the road. The restaurants actually cater to locals, so the food they offer has to be the most authentic, the freshest, the most traditional. During your week at Palazzo Bandino you will sample many of these specialties and learn to make them, using ingredients grown and processed right on the estate.
Open the windows of your private air-conditioned room or apartment and directly below you'll see the farm's vineyard, its olive grove and its vegetable garden (whose fruits you are welcome to pick). Breakfast is served in the spacious ground-floor dining room, where you'll also taste the dishes you've prepared yourself under the guidance of well-known local chef Luciano Benocci. Your days are a combination of hands-on cooking lessons and relaxing excursions to acquaint you with the delights of Authentic Southern Tuscany.
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Tour operated by Palazzo Bandino
