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Traveling through Tuscany and Umbria is to escape to a gourmet paradise! Here you can meander through enchanting countrysides, visit stupendous villas and abbeys, contemplate extraordinary paintings and frescoes, and savor the best products of the center of Italy: truffles, Prosciutto di Norcia, gourmet baked goods, and the fine wines of the Chianti region. A journey through Tuscany and Umbria takes you to a world in which all your senses come alive...
This route was created by Annie Féolde, Owner and Chef of Ristorante Enoteca Pinchiorri
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Hotel and restaurant in town. The former Ciofi Jacometti Palace in the heart of Florence, restored in a manner that faithfully respects its architecture and original frescoes, is home to the Relais Santa Croce. It is an ideal setting, both charming and intimate, just a stone’s throw from the city’s main attractions. The magnificent rooms and suites with views of the rooftops and Basilica combine period furniture with contemporary design, elegant details and a sumptuous finish. The attentive, impeccable service gives the impression of being welcomed into a private residence. The restaurant Guelfi e Ghibellini offers a seasonal menu that skilfully combines tradition and innovation.
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Chef Annie Féolde, also known as The Diva of Cuisine, was the first woman Chef to earn 3 stars in Italy and the fourth one in the world. She serves innovative cuisine created from all top-quality Italian ingredients. The fine wines selected by sommelier Giorgio Pinchiorri, her companion for forty years,...
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On the route
Along the Chianti Wine Route
Although the Chianti Wine Route is all about the region's vineyards and wines, it also offers endless views of olive groves that cover hillsides dominated by fortified villages, Florentine villas, churches, convents, and monasteries. Endless opportunities exist for visiting wine cellars and tasting some...
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Antica Norcineria Falorni, Greve in Chianti
This is the story of a little local butcher’s shop which has become renowned around the world. Run by the Falorni family since 1729, the shop sells products made from Cinta Senese pigs, which are allowed to roam across the beautiful landscapes of Chianti. Their raw ham, sausages and bacon are absolutely...
Hotel and restaurant in a village. In this superb 1100-hectare Tuscan estate, time seems to have stood still. The property belonging to Ferruccio is an oasis of charm in the style of a medieval village with a 19th-century villa, farm and outbuildings.
An integral part of the region’s landscape are the organic wines and olive oils that are produced here using traditional methods. Whether you are strolling through the narrow streets of the village, relaxing at the pools, indulging in treatments at the spa, or enjoying the flavours and local ingredients of the fine cuisine at Osteria del Borro, you are sure to experience an art de vivre imbued with tranquillity and elegance.
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Discover the frescoes of Pierro della Francesca (Cappella Bacci, Arezzo)
Behind its austere facade, the gothic Basilica of San Francesco in Arezzo houses in its small Cappella Bacci one of the most magisterial paintings of the Renaissance, the Legends of the True Cross frescoes by Piero della Francesca. In his ten frescoes, the painter proposes a new way to regard perspective...
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Monastery and hermitage of Camaldoli, Arezzo
Founded in 1025 by Saint Romuald, a Benedictine monk, the Camaldoli monastery is a splendid site, set in the heart of the forest in the Apennine Mountains. I was struck by the austere appearance and solemnity of the place. In accordance with the wishes of its founder, the monastery still places great...
Hotel and restaurant in the country. Silvia and Riccardo Baracchi’s 17th century family residence, set amongst the vineyards and olive trees that surround the small Etruscan city of Cortona, is a true delight. The guest rooms, located around the main residence, have all the simplicity of a Tuscan villa. The terraces of the former winter garden, with their heady aromas of rose, offer superb vistas over the neighbouring countryside. A sophisticated restaurant serves cuisine, reflecting the flavours and fragrances of the terroir. The Thesan Etruscan spa offers exclusive, luxury rituals. Riccardo Baracchi is delighted to show you his cellar and welcome you to the cookery classes organised by Silvia.
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The walled town of Cortona is known for its rich Etruscan heritage. Within the town, visitors will discover impressive tombs (Tumulo del Sodo I and II) as well as a necropolis which dates back to the second century BC (Tanella di Pitagora). In addition, at the town’s Etruscan Academy Museum (located...
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Santa Maria delle Grazie, Calcinaio
Dating from the fifteenth century, the Renaissance church of Santa Maria delle Grazie al Calcinaio would by itself make a visit to Cortona worthwhile. The church was built by the shoemakers’ guild, whose members tanned leather in the vicinity. The impressive architecture houses some beautiful treasures...
Hotel and restaurant in the country. The luxuriant green countryside of Umbria, the “Garden of Italy”, is the perfect setting for this ancient mediaeval fortress. It is an impressive collection of neo-Gothic buildings, a Baroque chapel, surrounded by parkland planted with trees over one hundred years old and an olive grove, which offers outstanding hospitality. Outside, the infinity pool, the flower-bedecked courtyards and the shaded paths offer a cool haven of peace. Inside, the contemporary décor of the rooms and the elegance of the lounges also combine to create a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere. The restaurant serves traditional dishes in a vaulted dining room or on a terrace overlooking the hills.
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Take a chocolate course at the Perugina School of Chocolate (Perugia)
Welcome to the home of the Baci, those small chocolate delights that are now an icon of Italian culture! Not far from the museum opened in 1997 to celebrate the chocolate maker’s 90th anniversary, the School of Chocolate offers you the opportunity to discover the products, techniques, and secrets for...
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Caffè-Pasticceria Sandri, Perugia
Situated in the old stables of the Palace della Corgna, Perugia’s most famous bakery opened its doors in 1860. The decor and aromas of this place will take you back in time. The coffee is wood-roasted on the premises and all the pastries are homemade. Try the “Torcolo di San Costanzo”, a traditional...
Hotel and restaurant in town. Norcia, the town of St. Benedict, nestling in the National Park of the Sibillini Mountains, is the Italian capital of the black truffle. The Palazzo Seneca tells the story of this region from the 16th century onwards, and the Bianconi family can look back on a glorious, more than 160 year-old tradition of hospitality. The best Umbrian artisans worked on the detailed refurbishing of the property and used unique materials and decorative objects to create perfect harmony between colours and lights, tradition and design. The fragrances of the herb garden and the quality of the local products delight in the restaurant Vespasia.
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Situated in the mountainous part of Umbria, the nearby Valnerina valley is where you can find one of the hidden treasures of Italian gastronomy: the black truffle. It grows at the foot of trees on calcareous soil and takes several months to reach maturity. In the little village of Scheggino, a few kilometres...
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Explore amazing delicatessens as you stroll along the Corso Settorio (Norcia)
The small town of Norcia is considered the capital of Italian cured meats and cold cuts. Here, everything they make is treated as a work of art. Whether it’s sausages (Corallina, Coglioni di mulo, etc.), hams (Prosciutto di Norcia IGP), or slices of cured pork, the window displays and shelves of the...
**Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments before December 31, 2020, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges from June 25, 2020, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges.
Total price communicated as an indication, based on a stay of the number of nights recommended on this webpage, taking place in the next 3 months, and based on double occupancy (excluding recommended activities, excluding properties not bookable online).
Reservation Service
To give you inspiration, Relais & Châteaux presents the Routes du Bonheur:
Suggestions for travel itineraries that you can fully personalise according to your wishes and the experiences you would like to discover. Our consultants are available to help customise your route and assist you in making reservations at our properties. It is up to you to reserve any recommended activities on-site or nearby that might interest you.
** Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments before December 31, 2020, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges from June 25, 2020, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges. Call our concierge to tailormade your booking and itinerary*. *Price of a local call
Flavors of Tuscany and Umbria
This route was created by Annie Féolde, Owner and Chef of Ristorante Enoteca Pinchiorri
"I arrived in Florence in 1969, after spending a year in London. I am from Nice and I wanted to improve my Italian in order to work in the tourism industry. I had been advised to go to the city of the Medici, which is known for the purity of its accent. It was at this point that I met Giorgio, and I have never left. Today, our search for regional produce and wines allows us to discover the sublime scenery and heritage of Tuscany and Umbria. It is a never-ending journey…"