La Piana dei Castagni

CHECK INTO THIS COMFORTABLE 19th century farmhouse high above a valley with views of the Tuscan-Emilia hills to forget about it all. Guests come to La Piana dei Castagni to dump their stressful baggage and switch on to the simple life.

The mellow stone house reached along a winding track sprinkled with leafy chestnut trees (hence  the name 'Castagni')) may look a modest starting point, but the serenity herabouts and the warmth of owner Valeria Vitali lend it lashings of down-on-the-farm appeal.

La Piana dei Castagni is somewhere to idle, read or paint the hillside vistas from the terrace and sunny courtyard, with its climbing roses. Alternatively, you can potter around local markets, go truffle-hunting or set off on breezy country treks. And a stay here certainly won't break the bank.

You're sure to meet your fellow guests in the evening, when dinners are cooked to order. Look forward to traditional Emilian house specialities like tigelle montanare, tortelloni alle ortiche and torta de riso.

Dinners cooked to order

La Piana dei Castagni is within reach of three national parks, not to mention working farms where Parmesan cheeses, balsamic vinegar and fine Appenine wines are produced. There’s a lively fire during cooler months in the farmhouse’s sunnily painted dining room, while simply decorated bedrooms in restful pastels, with rustic prints and bedcovers, are made for curled-up nights.

Head off to Florence and Bologna if you're in need of a city fix, or take in the dozens of medieval villages and farms in the locale.

© Room for Romance