Castello Ginori di Querceto

Wind through olive groves and woods to reach this tiny hamlet, a rambling medieval Borgo on many levels, whose nucleus is a castle around which workers’ cottages have evolved. Leave the car outside the walls and enter another world; the Liscis may own 250 hectares of vineyards and produce a number of important red wines but no-one is in a hurry here.

The apartments will charm: large fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, terracotta floors with modern kitchens and bathrooms. This is a ‘living’ Borgo with 32 permanent residents and also a zero carbon space with a state of the art Bio-Energy methane production facility – one of the first in Italy.

Views are delightful, you can cool off in the pool or find a shady spot in the gardens with a book. The restaurant in the village serves traditional Tuscan dishes following the Ginori Lisci family’s old recipes; you can order fresh bread at reception and buy locally grown farm veg twice a week.