Do you want a break from time? Need to recharge your batteries and reconnect with nature? Discover with us Sant'Egle in the South of Tuscany. We stopped there after 7 days of road trip under the heat. It was for us a refreshing stopover.
If you followed our road trip, we arrived here after a week on the Tuscan roads. We have :
passed through the heat wave with the highest temperatures in 20 yearsvisited Siena and Florencepassed many beautiful villages on our way
The time had come for us to settle down in a quiet place. Our stopover here was perfect. I am personally all the more happy to stop here as Sant'Egle has been referenced on the site since almost the beginning. So I am delighted to finally meet the owners with whom I regularly exchange on Instagram.
Presentation of Sant’Egle
Un changement de vie
As with many beautiful stories, it was a desire for change that led Erika and Alessandro to take over Sant'Egle in 2010. Both city dwellers, they aspired to a more responsible life. They did not choose the south of Tuscany and this establishment by chance. It is indeed a historical inn, open since the 17th century. The goal was to offer responsible accommodation to travelers in the area. And it worked! Moreover, today, in addition to welcoming travelers, they also grow spirulina, saffron and truffles.
You can find all their products for sale in the bio shop located at the reception.
Le logement
It is a superb farmhouse that has been renovated with great taste and attention. Indeed, all the modern comfort has been integrated without altering the original building. This agritourism is composed of 3 standard rooms, 4 suites and 2 glamping tents. To learn more about this trend, read our article.
We slept in a standard room and it was already a very nice room with a large room in which there was a large double bed, a work table, a space to store clothes, a fridge and a safe. There is also space to leave your suitcase on the floor without getting caught in the time for those who do not take the time to unpack it when arriving (this is the experience that speaks). The bathroom is also very spacious with a large basin and a beautiful walk-in shower.
The exteriors are very well done and very pleasant to rest in. Erika and Alessandro have also made many works of art in the garden with recycled elements. This gives a very nice visual set around the pool.
Discover more about this Ethik Hotels on their dedicated page.
Locavore meal
Once again this Ethik Hotel is the perfect place to enjoy local food. Due to the circumstances of the Covid, we could not attend the pizza or bbq evenings. Nevertheless, the space dedicated to these moments in the garden let us foresee nice moments of sharing.
We were nevertheless able to taste Erika and Alessandro's cooking when we arrived and we had reserved some dishes to share with a good glass of organic wine. It was really very good.
For dinner you choose the place in the garden that you like best:
- around the pool
- loan of the vegetable garden
- on the side of the house...
Numerous tables have been set up on both sides to give you a choice.
# Extra info
Choose not to be too far from the pool to enjoy the sunset on the fields.
What to do during your stay in southern Tuscany
It is a lesser known and less touristy region. This does not mean that it does not have treasures as well.
What to do in Sant'Egle
Without even moving from Sant'Egle you will have many possibilities to occupy your days. Indeed, Erika and Alessandro have thought of everything to make your stay a great success. Here is a non-exhaustive list of possibilities:
- Relaxing around the pool
- cooking classes
- massage
- yoga or meditation in the holistic space
- bird watching
- visit the farm...
What to do in the Maremma region
We took advantage of our stay in the south of Tuscany to discover some very nice places less frequented than the famous Montepulciano and Pienza for example. This does not mean that they are less worthwhile. So if you are in the area we recommend you to visit :
Pitigliano
This town is ranked among the most beautiful villages in Italy. It is on the side of a cliff and is built around an interweaving of streets. This allows to keep the freshness and it is thus very pleasant to walk there. The view is also superb
Sovana
The village itself, although pretty, does not deserve a stop, I would say that it has nothing extraordinary. Especially since it is quite small and therefore with the few tourists that pass through, the parking places are immediately taken by storm. On the other hand, 2km from the center, at the bottom of the hill, an Etruscan necropolis has been discovered. It is a bit like the valley of the kings in Tuscany. This burial site dates from the 3rd century BC and it is in the middle of the forest. It is nevertheless hot there, prepare your visit in the morning. You will be able to observe ancient tombs and impressive spans dug in the tuff.
Sorano
Our favorite place in southern Tuscany. I don't know if it's because we were there at the end of the day on a Friday, but the atmosphere immediately seduced us. The streets were lively: children playing there, adults sitting on the steps in front of their house having a drink with the neighbors there... It was very relaxed, we felt good. In addition, the village is also very pretty. It is also built on the side of a cliff, with a labyrinth of streets on several levels. It is a real pleasure to get lost in it. There is also a church with a panoramic roof that offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings and the roofs of the city. Moreover, if you want to eat there we can only recommend Ristorante Da Fidalma and, for a meal on the go, the cantina dei Sapori.
Leaving Sorano
The Tarot Garden
If you make the same journey as us, when we left we took the road towards the sea with the objective to visit this garden created and imagined by Niki de Saint Phalle. We are really immersed in her universe, it is exceptional. I really advise you to go there.
# More info
The garden is only open in the afternoon from 2:30 pm to 7 pm and it's better to reserve your places in advance because it's very crowded.
Find all the information to organize your visit on the website of the garden.
Manciano and Capalbio
On the way to the Jardin des Tarots, in order to occupy our morning we decided to make stops in these two villages. These were stops that we had not planned and a bit forced by the timing. We had chosen these ones because they were on our route but we didn't know what to expect. Well it was for both of us a very good surprise:
- Manciano: a very nice little village with a castle on the heights. It is not at all touristy and it is good to be alone in the streets.
- Capalbio. This is a fortified village, and you can follow the walkway on the ramparts. You can enjoy the panoramic view of the Maremma and the sea which is only a few kilometers away. The interior of the citadel is also very pleasant with its tortuous maze of streets. It is a little more touristy than the previous one but that is quite acceptable. It has the advantage of having a few restaurants and of being 15 minutes away from the Tarot Garden. The ideal place to have lunch before the visit.
So are you ready to get away from the tourist trails and discover the south of Tuscany, another facet of this famous region?
