Activities & Experiences in the Villa
Traditional Tuscan dinner by our cook
Agree with our cook in advance on the menu for your traditional Tuscan dinner. On the day of the dinner you can participate in the final stages of preparation of the meal, learning the recipes and secrets of making Tuscany’s most famous dishes. Just relax and enjoy a magnificent evening, in which you will be pampered all the way from antipasto to dolce; your only problem will be choosing whether to dine by the pool, in the outdoor loggia or at the round table in the living area.
Tuscan cooking school
Our cook guides you step by step through preparation of traditional Tuscan dishes, revealing the tricks and secrets involved in making delicious local antipasti, primi and desserts. When you have finished preparing your culinary creations, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour with your family and friends, for a truly unforgettable evening!
Pizza Party
Yoga classes
Our yoga teacher is at your disposal to accompany you in a yoga lesson appropriate for your requirements and those of your guests, to be held wherever you like: in the shade of our pergola, on the lawn or by the pool.
Mountain bike tour from the villa
Villa il Poggino is the perfect starting point for an infinite variety of mountain bike and e-bike routes discovering the hills and villages of the Orcia Valley from a different perspective. Discuss the type of bike, time of delivery to the villa and route to take with our guide.
Horseback riding
We have the good luck to be less than one kilometre from one of the area’s best-equipped horseback riding centres: Il Destriero. Gabi, Valentina and Giada are at your disposal to arrange for riding lessons or horseback rides starting at the Villa. The Destriero Pony Club offers children under 10 an opportunity to start learning about horses and riding.
Activities & Experiences in the Area
Cooking school in a Brunello winery
In this lesson we take you with us on a magical voyage through our grandmother’s kitchen. Together, we prepare simple, substantial dishes that you will then be able to make on your own at home and hand down to the next generation. We will of course use only the purest of ingredients. Together we will pick fresh vegetables from the garden on the estate, then go to the local dairy to pick up some cheese and milk, thanking the animals for their contribution to our meal. During this time we will have an opportunity to introduce you to the basics of Tuscan cooking and regional specialities, from pappa al pomodoro to pici pasta. We then go back to the castle kitchens and put our aprons on! Together we’ll learn to make four different dishes: an appetiser, a first course, a main course and a dessert, all based on traditional Tuscan recipes. After preparing your culinary creations, you will sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour, accompanied by an aperitif, a Brunello wine tasting and a special dessert.
Wine tasting at Castiglione del Bosco Winery
Enjoy a visit to the stunning Castiglione del Bosco Winery ! Different experiences are available, from the tour of the cellars of the winery where you will taste three Rosso di Montalcino and one Brunello to the signature wine tour and tasting. The experience is divided into two parts and features a tour of the winery and wine tasting of six wines of Castiglione del Bosco sampled together with a fine selection of Tuscan cheeses and cold meats, fresh bread, oil and honey. Please reserve at : wine@castiglionedelbosco.com and mention you are our guest.
Foto di Maksym Kaharlytskyi su Unsplash
Brunello and Vino Nobile wine tours
Prepare to sample some of the world’s best-known wines, visiting three different wineries in the Brunello region with a small group of wine-lovers like yourself. As you sample these unique wines, local experts inform you about the wine-making process and its history in the area. (And if you want to continue enjoying a certain vintage all year round, feel free to take a case home with you!) After a light lunch of traditional Tuscan dishes, we take you on a tour of Montalcino or Montepulciano, both fascinating hilltop towns. Explore medieval fortresses and Romanesque churches, stroll among artisans’ workshops, sample cheese, or just enjoy the breath-taking views of the Tuscan countryside.
Val D'Orcia cheese tasting
Sample the best of Tuscany! Enjoy an exciting day trip in the Orcia Valley. Make the most of your time and experience different atmospheres on the same day, visiting an organic pecorino cheese maker and “dining with a view” in the most iconic location in the Orcia Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Then spend the afternoon visiting a boutique Brunello winery and getting to know the region’s “great reds”: Brunello, Brunello Riserva and the Super Tuscans.
Olive oil and cheese tasting
Escape the crowds in the city and spend a morning in the glorious Tuscan countryside!
Visit a family-run organic olive oil producer and winery outside Montalcino with spectacular views over the gently rolling hills, where you can sample a vast range of extra virgin olive oils.
Continue your tour at an organic cheese dairy on the hills above the Orcia Valley and Pienza, enjoying a lunch of zero-kilometre cheeses with excellent local wines. After lunch, explore the nearby town of Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Tuscany’s most beautiful cities.
Truffle hunting and cooking lesson
Enjoy the magic of the dense woods of Tuscany, wandering with a canine companion specifically trained to sniff out truffles. End the excursion in a picturesque farm where you can enjoy a quick snack with the truffles you have just found: under the guidance of a professional Italian chef, you will learn to prepare two completely different types of pasta and sauce to enjoy with truffles.
Day trip to Siena
Dine in the heart of Tuscany and discover the hidden corners of Siena!
Be prepared to sample more than 8 traditional delicacies from Siena, with superb wines, handmade pasta, extra virgin olive oil, aged pecorino cheese, chewy panforte and more. You’ll encounter centuries of history as you wander the medieval cobblestones of the city’s lanes, exploring splendid Renaissance palazzi and strolling about the town’s piazzas. Our guide will be with you all day to explain the history of Siena and its fantastic foods!
Bike tour of the Orcia Valley
A bicycle tour of the Orcia Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will make your Tuscan holiday truly unforgettable. Pedal over the Tuscan hills and tour villages such as Pienza, Bagno Vignoni and San Quirico d’Orcia. On the way, we’ll stop to visit a cheese dairy, sampling a variety of cheeses made from raw sheep’s and goats’ milk and cured meats. Then we’ll continue down the valley for a quick visit to the charming little town of Bagno Vignoni. The tour starts in San Quirico d’Orcia at 9:00 am.