Borgo Pignano

Borgo Pignano is a villa and a small stone village set on a hilltop outside Volterra, restored and run as one quiet estate. It’s a country stay, close to a farm stay, and a bit remote — there is no town to walk into and no crowd to work around, just the borgo, its gardens and the hills rolling away in every direction.

The view is the reason to come. Dinner is served under a reed-roofed pergola that frames the valley like a painting, and the pool sits on a terrace just below the villa, looking out over the same landscape — the best pool of the three Tuscan borghi I’ve stayed at and visited.

It’s also one of the best villa options in Tuscany. Around nine private villas are spread across the estate, from two to five bedrooms — so families and groups get their own house with the full hotel behind it: two pools plus a separate kids’ pool, tennis, a fantastic gym and a beautiful spa.

I’ve slept here, not just toured it, so I can tell you which rooms and views are worth asking for. It’s a Relais & Châteaux property and part of Fora Reserve. It’s great for couples who want the countryside, for families and friends who want a villa, and for anyone who wants a slower, more private Tuscany than the Chianti circuit.