I was lucky enough to spend all of last week in Tuscany, some much needed catch up time with my mum, and a chance to tick another Italian destination off my bucket list. I got to partner with I-escape, which for transparency, means that we received a discount for both of the amazing hotels that we stayed at. It’s definitely the best perk of the job, I love travelling and meeting new people, and it’s something I want to continue doing for as long as I’m able to. Tuscany has been somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for years, so getting to have a last summer fling there was a dream come true…
We flew to Pisa and picked up our pre booked car close to the airport – super easy, and kind of a must if you want to explore Tuscany! We then headed to our first destination on our mini road trip – a magical place called Borgo Pignano. Don’t worry, I can’t pronounce it either, and pretty much avoided saying it for the entire time we were there. Something about a northern accent that just doesn’t do the Italian language justice…
Poor pronunciation episodes aside, I feel very lucky to have been somewhere like Borgo Pignano – a 750 acre estate that overlooks the idyllic Tuscan hills. I pretty much felt like I was a character in a Jane Austen film for our entire stay. It was fun to put on my current favourite dress and walk about the grounds just before sunset. It felt like a million miles away from life back in Manchester, and sometimes that’s exactly what my brain needs – I can’t describe how calm and collected I felt here.
Dress – Realisation Par | Shoes – By Far | Bag – Rouje (sold out/similar here)
Borgo Pignano is described as a place that’s been ‘Inhabited since 900BC, it’s witnessed war, peace, plague and prosperity, and even a stint as a medieval hospital.’ Fast forward to present day and it’s a place full of organic goodness and relaxation – breakfast is a fresh feast of locally sourced produce, and I don’t think I’ve been so excited to wake up each morning and eat granola. I really need to email them and ask for the recipe – it was covered in their own organic honey and unlike anything else. Yep, I’ve reached the age where a good granola now excites me, I don’t even recognise myself anymore…
It took us around an hour and a half to reach Borgo Pignano from Pisa airport and the drive was super easy to navigate. When we arrived we were lead up to our suite that overlooked the infinity pool – a massive perk indeed because I could suss out the best time to go and read my book down there or have an evening swim…
We spent our time exploring and lazing around – the grand bathrooms mean that it’s almost a crime not to have a long bath each evening, so we both used the time to really just turn off from the world. There’s also a restaurant on site, so it’s the perfect place to stay for a few nights if you want a mini break, pretty much everything you need is in one location. The pizza oven really is a site to behold, it’s got a very medieval vibe to it, and creates a really special atmosphere in the evening time…
They also offer horse riding treks on site which was lovely if you like that type of thing – my mum roped me into it as it’s one of her favourite things to do, but I actually quite enjoyed it. It’s a great way to see more of the Tuscan landscape, but I don’t feel comfortable riding around on any sort of animal, so there’s always that in the back of my mind. Plus, I got assigned the biggest horse on offer, so I was definitely out of my comfort zone. It was beautiful though, and a great way to kill an afternoon if you find yourself wanting to do something a bit more active than sunbathing by the pool…
If you’re not soaking in the bathtub or riding around amidst the Tuscan countryside – you can head to one of the nearby towns for food and shopping. Borgo Pignano is set between Volterra and San Gimignano, so both are worth a visit if you feel like escaping the grounds for a day and seeing some more of Tuscany. We spent three nights here, and didn’t venture out because we just wanted to relax, and boy did we relax. I’m going to miss the sunsets the most, even from our bedroom window they were pretty spectacular…
All photographs captured by: Contax T2, Olympus MJU II, Olympus Pen EPL9
Read more about Borgo Pignano here