One Of Rick Steves' Favorite Places To Stay In Italy's Countryside Offers A Most Authentic Experience

When staying in Italy, an agriturismo (or farm stay) is a more authentic and pastoral alternative to staying at a generic hotel. Farm stays are usually at a working farm or vineyard in the countryside, where the owner hosts you in a guesthouse and often provides farm-fresh meals. Among the best farm stays in Italy are those that offer beautiful views over rolling hills and Mediterranean landscapes. They allow you to have more affordable lodging in destinations beyond tourist trails, like in southern Tuscany's Val d'Orcia, a medieval UNESCO site with some of Italy's best food and wine. In fact, one of travel expert Rick Steves' favorite agriturismos, Cretaiole, is just 10 minutes from Val d'Orcia in the verdant countryside.

On his website, Steves described Cretaiole as "an idyllic retreat for any romantic tourist," highlighting the hospitality of its owners, Isabella and Carlo. The couple has been running Cretaiole together for over 30 years. They met when Isabella, originally from Milan, came to stay at the farm of Carlo and his family. They fell in love, and Isabella became the hospitality manager, branding the agriturismo business as The Isabella Experience, while Carlo continues to tend to the farm. The farm's specialties are olive oil and wine, with vineyards and olive groves unfolding all around the farmhouse. The family gives tours of the farm, where you can see farmers at work, visit the farm animals, and sample artisanal products. The stone house itself is a stunning, restored estate set on a hilltop and dating back to the 14th century.

The Cretaiole farmhouse has 10 bedrooms and can accommodate up to 20 people at once. All the rooms are fitted with antique decor, and all but one of the units has its own kitchen or kitchenette. It's about a two-hour drive from the Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Florence, and it's only about a seven-minute drive from Pienza, the gorgeous Renaissance village famed for cheese and flowers. The family owns a fascinating archaeological site near Pienza — an ancient hermitage housed in a cavern — which you'll get to tour during a stay. Typically, the agriturismo requires a minimum stay of a week, though you can book a minimum of three nights during the off-peak season. During your stay, you'll be provided with linens and towels and access to free Wi-Fi. Small, trained pets are allowed at the property, and you might even meet a few farm cats slinking around.

Cameron Hewitt, a tour guide for Rick Steves' organization, wrote on Steves' blog that Cretaiole provides "traditional-yet-cozy lodgings" but noted that "[W]hat really sets Cretaiole apart are the remarkable people who run it." A stay at Cretaiole is curated with a range of guest experiences by Isabella. You might, for example, get to do an olive oil tasting with Carlo or go on a truffle hunt with a professional truffle hunter. The farm hosts a weekly "pici night," a long-table communal feast revolving around the local traditional pasta called "pici," which you'll even get to make yourself. Above all, you'll feast on exquisitely fresh Tuscan delicacies sourced directly from the farm throughout the stay, including wine, cheese, eggs, bread, and homemade cakes.