I’ve recently returned from the most brilliant long weekend in Tuscany with 12 of my fellow family travel bloggers. We’d travelled there to review Country Relais and Spa Le Capanne (Villa Le Capanne) which is a magnificent property from Bookings For You set in the Tuscan countryside. We knew we’d have an incredible weekend but I don’t think any of us anticipated quite how great a trip it would be. The Giovannini family made us feel relaxed from the off, their hospitality and kindness exceptional, their Tuscan cuisine exquisite and their attention to detail impeccable. If that wasn’t enough, we laughed until our sides ached and our cheeks hurt, we danced and we sang. We packed a lot in too, exploring the likes of Volterra, Siena and Florence during our four-day stay. We had a truly memorable trip to Tuscany which was pretty much perfect from beginning to the end.
Villa Le Capanne is easily accessible from the UK. The British Airways flight we took from London Heathrow to Pisa International (Galileo Galilei) is just over two hours, the drive to the villa about an hour. The wonderful Giovannini family were there to welcome us when we arrived. They purchased Villa Le Capanne back in 2004 and they also own a renowned catering business and pastry shop. Giancarlo and Fabiola Giovannini originally founded Giovannini Enterprises which is now run in partnership with their son Dario and his wife Vera. Having met the family in the UK a few weeks earlier, when they hosted at an Italian culinary masterclass for Bookings For You, it was great to see them again.
Situated ten minutes drive from the charming town of Volterra, Villa Le Capanne is set in the Tuscan countryside with 360-degree panoramic views that simply take your breath away. The villa itself is a one-hundred-year-old farmhouse which the Giovannini family renovated to an exceptionally high standard in 2015. While many of the original features remain, Villa Le Capanne has all the mod cons you’d expect to find in a luxury property (more on that later). Outside there’s a large table (and convenient wood-fired oven!) for entertaining plus a luxurious 15-metre swimming pool to cool off in the summer sun. There’s even a nature reserve with waterfalls, hiking trails and panoramic views nearby.
The villa is stunning throughout, authentically Tuscan and has an abundance of charm. With furniture that’s been passed down from generation to generation and an exceptional attention to detail, the Giovannani family really want you to have a truly Tuscan experience. They’ve more than achieved that, Villa Le Capanne gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside. The Doves typically shirk away from the contemporary accommodation, opting for properties with character off the beaten track but ripe for exploration.
With nine bedrooms and ten bathrooms, Villa Le Capanne is ideal for weddings, special occasions and large groups or family gatherings. It can accommodate 18 people – 14 in the main house and a further 4 in the private suites (with an option for a further 4 single beds to take the occupancy to 22). I loved my bedroom and it really felt like a home from home. Along with the queen-sized bed (I had all to myself!) and the antique chair that stood proudly at the bottom of it, the views from the window were seriously impressive. Although there were shutters, I kept mine open at night so I could see the Tuscan countryside from my bed. One morning I spotted a couple of deer frolicking by the olive groves and another a pheasant. It wasn’t just the bedroom that had the personal touch, my bathroom had an iron arch with pretty buckets hanging from it for those essentials like a hairdryer, face towel and toilet roll. Much more preferable and far prettier than a bog standard shelf.
Villa Le Capanne has two dining areas, typically we ate breakfast in one and our evening feast in another. There’s also a comfy lounge with satellite TV, a DVD player and Bose speakers. All these rooms are interconnected and we had plenty of space for sitting around chatting. And dancing. Just off the lounge area is a spa which has a seating area, massage area and a jacuzzi which a few of us tried out one evening.
There’s also a fully equipped kitchen and while you can stay at Villa Le Capanne and self-cater, I’d strongly recommend you don’t. The Giovannini family own a catering company and their mouthwatering food is just to die for and it’s all locally sourced. There are various menu options on offer from breakfast and a catered lunches and dinners to cooking classes, pizza making and BBQ’s.
We had a cookery demonstration on our first night which included Panzanella Croccante, Risotto allo Zafferano (risotto with local saffron) and Arista di Maialino al Forno con Patatine e Insalata Croccante (roasted pork with baked potatoes and salad). It’s a wonderful thing seeing the family talk about how their prepare and cook their food and with such passion too. Eating our first meal was something else, we were spoiled with everything on offer and even got to sample some of the Tuscan pastries from the Giovannini family’s shop afterwards.
Other culinary delights included Caprese which is slices of mozzarella cheese layered with tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, basil and oregano. Pappa al Pomodoro (an unbelievably tasty thick soup), Pici Cacio e pepe (a pasta dish with cheese and pepper), Cinghiale in salmì (wild boar with olives which was just superb) with Cantuccini biscuits and Vin Santo for dessert. Our final night saw us have a pizza party with more pizza eaten than you could have ever thought possible. My mouth is watering just thinking about all the food we had.
The Giovannini family can organise excursions like horseriding and hiking and there’s plenty to see locally too. Villa Le Capanne is just twenty minutes away from Volterra which is home to their pastry shop Dolceria Del Corso. Volterra is a beautiful walled town with magnificent views, cobbled streets and a Roman amphitheatre.
Just an hour away from there is the medieval city of Siena. The central piazza, Il Campo, is known for the famous Palio horse race which takes place twice a year and you may recall it featured in the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. We ate lunch close by but got to enjoy the square and Fonte Gaia with its Jacopo della Quercia statues afterwards. We didn’t get time to climb the Torre del Mangia but that’s a must for my next visit. Just a few minutes walk away is the Piazza del Duomo which is a must see if you’re heading to Siena. It is one of the finest examples of a Romanesque-Gothic church in Italy.
The following day we headed from Villa Le Capanne to Florence which is about an hour and a half away. Although it was an unusually wet day, this splendid city is just as beautiful as I remember it. We had a private food tour and gelato making class in the morning with a Renaissance tour included Michaelangelo’s David in the afternoon.
We had the best long weekend in Tuscany with Bookings For You. Villa Le Capanne honestly isn’t somewhere you should consider for your wedding, a special occasion or a holiday. It’s someone you absolutely have to stay and experience for yourself. I’m seriously tempted to get a big group together just so I can return! To book Villa Le Capanne, head over to Bookings For You – make sure you tell Jo we highly recommended it!
Do check out reviews from my fellow family travel bloggers too:
Tin Box Traveller: A Luxury Villa Holiday in Tuscany with Bookings for You
Mini Travellers: Villa Le Capanne, Tuscany with Bookings For You
Flying with a Baby: Review of Country Relais & Spa Le Capanne – A Luxury Villa in Tuscany
Extraordinary Chaos: Staying at Country Relais and Spa Le Capanne with Bookings For You
My Travel Monkey: A long weekend in Tuscany with Villa Le Capanne
Travel Loving Family: A Luxury Villa Foodie Holiday With Friends in Tuscany
One Tiny Leap: Over The Tuscan Hills: Villa Le Capanne With Bookings For You Review
Live Love Do: A Tuscan Experience at Country Relais & Spa Le Capanne With Bookings For You
Otis And Us: Country Relais & Spa Le Capanne in Tuscany: Bookings For You
Disclaimer: I stayed at the Country Relais & Spa Le Capanne as a guest of Bookings For You and Giovannini Enterprises. Opinions are as always my own.
