Italian Summer (Tuscany) Blog

The second half of my Italian summer was spent in the Tuscan Hills near Civitella In Val Di Chiana. My mom's very close friend owns a Villa there, where she grows her own wine grapes and olives for oil. We hadn't seen her for years, so spending a whole week with her at her villa was an absolute treat. The villa is called La Casa Del Tramonto, which means the house of the sunset in Italian. After so much stress and chaos in Rome and Amalfi, my family and I enjoyed getting out into the countryside of Italy, and relaxing with close friends on the grounds of a beautiful warm and communal villa. Keep reading for a list of the activities we did in Tuscany over the course of this week. I will be linking the website to Casa Del Tramonto at the end of this blog post for those who are interested in visiting.

Casa Del Tramonto

The week we stayed with Bianca was the most relaxing week we had in Italy. If you stay there during your Italian adventures, you'll feel right at home. Bianca is hospitable to everyone, and very knowledgeable about the region for her guests who visit from all over the world. She speaks five languages (Dutch, English, Italian, German, and French), and as the host of a villa with multilingual guests, makes everyone feel included.

While we were there, there was a lovely British couple staying in the room next to ours, and some old friends from the Netherlands were staying in a villa a few buildings over. For the week that we stayed at Casa Del Tramonto, we had a small close knit group of people, who we would do everything with. We would lounge by the pool together, eat meals together, watch the sunsets together, explore Tuscany together. It was a beautiful neighborly community that made me sad to be going back to America.

Visiting Casa del Tramonto in the summer is a must, but I would also suggest visiting during the months of September/ October and April/May. You can book rooms for a minimum of a week, with the rooms being fairly inexpensive, ranging from €800 - €1200, depending on the time of year you're staying there, and how many people you're reserving the room for.

Towards the end of September and the beginning of October, the grapes on Bianca's property are ready to be picked and fermented for wine. As a guest, you can help with this process to learn more about wine harvesting/fermentation. This is something I plan to come back for next year to learn more about winemaking.

Casa Del Tramonto, Italy; picture taken by Anieka Sarmer

Civitella in Val di Chiana

After a day of relaxing at the pool and getting groceries at a local market, we went to the very small village of Civitella with our host, Bianca, and the rest of the guests for a dinner of pizza at La Botteghina di Civitella. We all got to know one another better over glasses of Tuscan wine and various pizzas. After our dinner, we experimented with dessert pizzas which were coated with sugar and slices of orange or lemon. I was skeptical of them at first, but they were surprisingly delicious.

Civitella in Val di Chiana is a small village, located between Arezzo and Siena. The village is quite tricky to reach using google or apple maps. I would recommend typing the castle of Civitella into your directions, then the maps will lead you in the right direction. Cars are not allowed inside the village, so make sure to park your car along the border wall of the village, and take the stairs up to the square above.

Civitella in Val di Chiana along its border wall, Italy; picture taken by Anieka Sarmer

Arezzo

After another day of lounging by the pool and getting incredibly sunburnt, we drove to the town of Arezzo and had the most amazing dinner at Ristorante Logge Vasari. We practically stuffed our stomachs completely full with the most artistically garnished food, and smoothest wine we'd ever drank. If you ever find yourself in the town of Arezzo, you must stop at Logge Vasari for either a sip of wine with some appetizers, or a full course meal. The restaurant is located on Piazza Grande, a cute medieval square. There are many other shops, cafes, and restaurants there, along with a church, Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pieve, built out of stone in the 10th century. I would also recommend viewing the inside of the church while you're visiting the square. The church is less widely known by tourists, and you'll find it very peaceful inside.

Siena

We drove an hour to Siena, a medieval town dating back to the 14th century, and visited the Duomo di Siena (Santa Maria Assunta), one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Italy. We had to wait in line for a while to get inside the cathedral, but luckily for us the line wasn't too long, and the wait wasn't terrible. This cathedral, completed in the year 1348 and originally dedicated to the Roman Catholic Church of Rome, has elements of Italian Gothic, Romanesque, and Classical styles. The Duomo is a sight to behold and a must see when you're in Tuscany.

I would also recommend checking out the Piazza del Campo located only a brief walk away from the Duomo. Walking through this square will make you feel like you time traveled to the middle ages. The circular sandy square is surrounded by wooden bleachers where people watch community events/games. Around the square are shops, restaurants, and cafes, where you can sit and observe. Piazza del Campo gives a more lively and vibrant feel compared to the cobblestone streets of other towns and cities.

Duomo di Siena in Siena, Italy; picture taken by Anieka Sarmer

Wine Tasting

With a British couple who were also staying at Casa Del Tramonto, we went wine tasting at Azienda Vinicola Pie' Di Colle, which is just outside of Civitella. We tasted a variety of their wines, and received a detailed description of how each wine was fermented, which grapes were blended, and how they got their notes. At the end of the tasting, we had a tour of the storage rooms, where they keep the wine for fermentation. If you're wanting a recommendation for wineries in the Civitella area, I would suggest visiting Pie' Di Colle, for an up close and personal wine tasting experience.

Azienda Vinicola Pie’ Di Colle near Civitella, Italy; picture taken by Anieka Sarmer

Monte San Savino

On a Wednesday morning, we went to Monte San Savino with Bianca. Wednesdays are when the markets are open, so we did some produce shopping from local farmers, and bought some cheap handmade clothing. I bought a gorgeous light olive green dress, made out of the softest fabric. We ate an early lunch once the market had ended, where I practiced ordering food in Italian to our waitress with words I had learned throughout the trip. She understood me and Bianca said my Italian was decent, which was good enough for me. We then took a stroll through town, Bianca showed us the town's water reserve, and we had gelato at a gelateria before heading back to Casa Del Tramonto. Monte San Savino is very cute, quaint, and a wonderful place to take a stroll and witness small town Italian life.

Le Bindi "Bottega di Cuoco"

Half way through our week at Casa del Tramonto, Bianca took us and the rest of the guests to Le Bindi; a restaurant located in Monte San Savino, where we had gone to market earlier that day. At Le Bindi, you make reservations and pay a grand total for your entire party to eat there. A husband and wife own the restaurant, and while the husband serves you, the wife cooks a full course meal for your party. We ate so good that night that we walked away barely able to breathe. We were given at least 6 appetizers, two pastas, two entrees, and desserts (per person) staggered over the course of four hours. At the end of the four hour ordeal, the wife stepped out of the kitchen and we all applauded her. We weren't the only ones dining at Le Bindi that night either. She was cooking for two other parties, twice the size of our own at the same time. We were all very impressed and honored to be one of the people she cooked for. If you happen to be roaming the Tuscan hills and hungry out of your mind, I would recommend stopping at Le Bindi.

Tuscany is a beautiful region in Italy that I would highly recommend for anyone to visit. One thing I would suggest though for this part of your trip, is to rent a car. In my prior Italian blogs, I suggested using other modes of transportation, simply because they're easier. In Tuscany, a vast and spread out region, you will desperately need a car; Especially if you're staying in remote places like Civitella. My family rented a car from the Florence airport. It's a very quick taxi ride from the Florence train station to the airport rentals. If you're flying out of Italy from Florence, renting from the airport is very simple once you need to return it and catch your flight.

Me in front of the Duomo di Siena, Italy; picture taken by family member

There are so many small towns and quaint cities in Tuscany with wineries, restaurants and churches to explore. You won't run out of things to see and do. I do wish this blog helps you with your Tuscan vacation planning. I will be posting one more blog about the beautiful city of Florence; a day trip I had while I was staying in Tuscany. To stay informed on future blog postings, be sure to follow me on instagram, @aniekasarmer, for updates and future destinations.

I have attached Casa del Tramonto's website down below for you to visit, if interested.

As always, thank you for reading.

Now go out and explore the world!

Love,

Anieka ♡

Casa Del Tramonto's Website

Italian Summer (Tuscany)