Tuscany: A Three-Day Itinerary
AT COMO CASTELLO DEL NERO
Destination 8 minute read
Few places combine culinary heritage, cultural history and natural beauty more elegantly than Tuscany. To make the most of your visit, our in-country experts at the twelfth-century COMO Castello Del Nero have curated a three-day itinerary that will immerse you in the region’s culture and cuisine. With so much to see, our team will be on hand to tailor the journey for more adventurous souls, or for those looking for a slower pace of life.
Day One
Tuscan Tranquillity
It’s important to recharge after a long journey, so why not use your first afternoon to soak up the calm and beauty of your surroundings, including COMO Castello Del Nero's carefully preserved Renaissance frescoes. After checking in to your room, head to our COMO Shambhala Retreat for an afternoon of self-care. Enjoy our heated outdoor pool with sweeping views of the Tuscan hills, rejuvenate your mind and body with a soak in our thermal suites, and soothe tired muscles with a signature COMO Shambhala Massage.
An equally tranquil evening beckons, beginning with a wine tasting led by the Castello’s resident sommelier, Gioele Biundo. Gioele is a native of the Tuscan region, and became a professional sommelier at 19. Gioele previously worked at a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK and Italy, including the iconic, three Michelin-star Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. During the hour-long session, sample wines sourced from the surrounding Chianti region, whilst learning about the area’s celebrated viticulture.
Afterwards, make your way to our Michelin-starred La Torre restaurant to enjoy seasonally-inspired and innovative Italian dishes prepared with locally-sourced ingredients, many grown within the walls of the Estate’s own organic kitchen garden. In summer, you will be able to dine al fresco on our terrace, savouring a chilled glass of Champagne as the sun sets over the olive groves and vineyards of Chianti.
Day Two
Wine Tours and Tastings
After a day of calm, it’s time to step outside the Castello’s walls and discover what makes Tuscany one of the most captivating destinations in the world. Before you depart, start with an al fresco breakfast at Pavillion, our outdoor dining venue with views over the Estate. Enjoy fresh pastries, juices and healthful COMO Shambhala cuisine alongside local Tuscan delicacies, setting you up for a day exploring the vineyards that have earned Chianti its global reputation.
Our dedicated concierge team can recommend a number of different wine tours, all located a short drive from COMO Castello Del Nero. (To get around, our team can arrange rental of a classic Italian car, or perhaps a private driver to chauffeur you through the Tuscan hills. For the more adventurous and eco-minded, e-bikes are also available after passing a short safety test.)
Just fifteen minutes away is the welcoming and family-run Fattoria Casa Emma, where you can enjoy a tour of the vineyard and a tasting of five wines, accompanied by either a three-course organic meal or a selection of locally-sourced appetisers.
Only slightly further afield is Antinori nel Chianti Classico which, having topped the World’s Best Vineyards chart and with a wine-making history stretching back 26 generations, is the wine connoisseur’s choice.
Following your day of touring and tasting, return to COMO Castello Del Nero for a light dinner of classic Mediterranean fare at Pavillion, before retiring to your room ahead of tomorrow’s early start.
DAY 3
Italian Classics
Your final day is dedicated to the fine art of ‘la dolce vita’. The day begins in unforgettable fashion with an early-morning hot air balloon ride over the Tuscan countryside. Your balloonist will collect you from the Castello shortly after dawn, and rise above the rolling hills and towering cypress trees before flying over the Castello itself. Once back on solid ground, enjoy a delicious locally-sourced breakfast with a glass of chilled spumante, before being driven back to the hotel to refresh ahead of your afternoon’s adventures.
COMO Castello Del Nero’s position in the heart of Tuscany makes it the ideal base from which to explore the rich history, art and architecture of the region’s cities. On your final afternoon, take a tour of one of these historic centres, expertly conducted by one of our recommended guides. Tread in the footsteps of the Medici in Florence, climbing its famed Duomo, admiring the detailed facade of the Santa Maria Novella, or studying Renaissance masterpieces in the Uffizi Gallery.
Alternatively, why not head south to Siena, the UNESCO-listed medieval centre home to exquisitely preserved red brick buildings and, every August, the world-renowned Palio di Siena horse race. There is also plenty to explore closer to the Castello; hire a bike or e-bike and spend your afternoon cycling along meandering country roads to the picturesque hillside towns of Chianti.
If getting hands-on with traditional Italian cuisine is more to your taste, we can arrange for you to visit the beautiful hill town of San Gimignano, where you will learn the skill of gelato making from Sergio Dondoli, one of only ten master gelato makers in the world. Sergio’s gelateria, Gelateria Dondoli, is globally renowned for its original flavour combinations, including pink grapefruit and sparkling wine, and saffron with pine nuts. Sergio will demonstrate the finer points of his art, teaching you to make both the fiordilatte (milk) and a seasonal fruit gelato, which — you will be pleased to hear — you will get to enjoy before heading back to the Castello for one final nightcap.
Enjoy drinks on the terrace during summer months, or in La Taverna in the cooler weather. Located in what would have been the Castello’s original twelfth-century kitchen, La Taverna is now our cosy and comfortable bar space, where our expert mixologists will prepare you the perfect cocktail to toast the end of an unforgettable trip.
Our expert concierge team at COMO Castello del Nero are on hand to help you plan an itinerary suited to your tastes and convenience. Please get in touch for more information.
