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Farmhouse holidays in tuscany

Podere Il Fornacino is the original name of the farmhouse and land which for generations has been the home of Tuscan farmers. The agriturismo is situated in the beautiful Parish of Santa Luce: a small medieval hilltop village, gem of the Pisan Hills. The house has been lovingly renovated in a perfect balance of Tuscan traditions and modern architecture by the Pizzoccheri family who also believed in preserving, as far as possible, the relationship with the nature surrounding the property, with the land, with it’s produce and animals. A relationship shown not only in the house and beautiful gardens but through the working farm, olive groves, orchard and allotments which are lovingly tended to in a modern, organic and ecologically friendly manner.

The people

The business is run by Marco Pizzoccheri and his English partner Lora. Marco, a graduate in law, decided to break away from family tradition (his father and two brothers are all successful lawyers) and following a gap year travelling around the world with Lora, made the decision to dedicate themselves body and soul to working the land; raising animals, planting crops and flowers and running an agriturismo. Their decision was fuelled by the love of nature, the countryside, wildlife, rural life and Italian cuisine and their passion and beliefs are shown in the care they take as hosts also to transmit their experiences.

Marco and Lora are proud and happy to be able to offer you a relaxing holiday, in a refined yet friendly atmosphere, away from the chaotic city life. As a guest you can get a taste of the tranquil Tuscan way of life and the culinary specialities which both the location and Marco and Lora’s diligence, including in the kitchen, are able to offer you.

The accommodation

Podere il Fornacino is eager to make visitors feel at ease offering a refined yet cosy atmosphere, our three suites are beautifully furnished, spacious yet intimate, with their own independent entrances and terrace/balcony or portico from which there are superb views of the countryside and direct access to the cheerful gardens with large lawns and many varieties of plants and trees which decorate and perfume the serene surroundings.

Suite Dele Rose & Suite Tramontana - 2&2 people

Both suites have a large double bedroom with delightful views of the village, a living room, large bathroom, a spacious balcony or a portico area, and all the modern comforts; flatscreen TV, DVD player with extensive DVD/videogame library and own independent heating system etc. Particular attention to detail is show in the added extra for example the hand printed linen and towel sets, silk bedspreads and artist’s paintings.

Suite Degi Innamorati 2
The Suite Degli Innamorati comprises of a large double bedroom with a fireplace and 40” plasma TV, a large bathroom with a raised Jacuzzi bath and a romantic private balcony from which breathtaking sunsets seem solely for you. Perfect for couples it offers an elegant and charming getaway.
The farm

The agriturismo amongst other things is also keen to give its visitors real and direct contact with our agricultural reality through our olive groves, allotments, vineyard and lovely working farm. Sheep and goats graze on the splendid pastures surrounding the agriturismo, producing delicious milk along with our friendly Jersey cow. The chickens, of many different breeds, are free range and live in harmony with ducks, geese, turkeys, quails and doves, in addition to various breeds of rabbits. An interesting extra are the horses and 3 very friendly donkeys who love to offer donkey rides. No farm is complete without dogs and our Australian shepherds and border collies are skilfully trained by Italian sheepdog champion, Moreno Simonelli, who also offers demonstrations, lessons and experiences in sheepdog training.

The Kitchen

No stay at Podere Il Fornacino would be complete without experiencing the dishes which are prepared in our kitchen. We offer a large variety of dishes with a special love of local Tuscan traditions yet as Italian cuisine offers such a vast choice of tastes and flavours a culinary experience at the agriturismo is worth it.

Naturally we give the utmost importance to using as much of our own produce as possible as everything is grown/ reared organically and with love and dedication. From vegetables to bread, jams to pasta, wine to oil everything is made here at the agriturismo and this gives our guests the possibility of a real experience and a direct contact with the earth and the products which are nourished by it.

Particular pride is taken in our extra virgin cold pressed olive oil which is has received IGP certification and comes from the centenary olive trees which surround the property and create a breathtaking atmosphere in which one loses sense of time

Things to do in the local area

The surrounding area offers visitors many different activities to experiences each varying with the seasons. The summer is full of sun and therefore dips in our swimming pool and cold drinks in our bar area are excellent ways to relax whilst days spent by the emerald sea of the Costa Degli Etruschi are natural choices of things to do. Nature lovers will appreciate the beautiful scenery and walks in the Mediterranean woods, which grow on the hills above the village. Here it is possible to spot wild boar, deer and wild mountain sheep as well as many different varieties of birds and mushrooms, including porcini. The lake of Santa Luce is a very important stop-off for rare migratory birds it is a LIPU nature reserve and beautiful footpaths along it’s shores offer unforgettable walks. Towards the coast the Parco Provinciale delle Colline Livornese is a natural wilderness, overlooking the sea and has numerous trails for mountain bikers, trekkers and horse riders.

How to find us

Podere il Fornacino is located in a truly strategic point from which one can visit all the most important historic art cities and the most interesting tourist attractions. The thermal resort of Casciana Terme is 15 minutes away, Pisa and Livorno are at 30 minutes as is Volterra. San Gimignano, Siena and the Val D’Orcia are within easy reach in one direction whist in the other lie Lucca and the Lunigianan Sea and countryside.

The many islands of the Tuscan archipelago can be reached from Piombino and Livorno and the islands of Elba and Capraia are possible as a day trip and the agriturismo is only 15 minutes drive from the beautiful coastal town of Castiglioncello and the rugged coastline of the Costa degli Etruschi with its many small coves. A short distance further south along the coast is Cecina with its long sandy beaches.

Other places of interest are the Buddhist monastery of Lama Tzong Khapa (one of the most famous in the world and visited on many occasions by the Dalai Lama).

Santa Luce is only a few kilometres away from Pisa airport, the nearby Rosignano has a well connected train station as well as an exit on the motorway (E12).