My wife and I stayed at Borghetto Calcinaia for more than a week in late October / early November. We enjoyed it immensely and couldn’t recommend it highly enough!

The location is very convenient to area sightseeing, situated between Anghiari (8 minutes drive) and San Sepolcro (maybe 12 minutes), suitable for day trips to Citta di Castello, Arezzo, Perugia, Assisi, Gubbio and Urbino (all of which deserve at least a day trip). Don’t miss the closest - the medieval town of Anghiari — which is a largely untouched small town with few tourists. We also drove 5 minutes to start a nice walk on a gravel road along the Tiber River that feeds the lake. There is other hiking available in the area, too.

The historic buildings have been beautifully rehabbed for modern living. The main guest house has a fully equipped kitchen with a full-size fridge, powerful gas cooktop and electric oven, and dishwasher, as well as a very good supply of pots, pans, and cooking gear, which we happily used daily as we prefer to cook our own meals. A lovely herb garden is also provided just outside the door for use by guests, featuring thyme, rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, parsley, chives, tarragon, a large bay tree, and some others I can’t remember. (There is also basil earlier in the season). The washing machine and clothes drying rack and clothesline were also very handy.

Dennis and Gilly have created a beautiful landscape and gardens that seem to go on forever, including a large olive grove, numerous other fruit trees, an herb and flower garden, and fields of grasses and wildflowers, all artfully arranged. The views from the patios outside the main guest house, as well as the upstairs bedrooms, focus on the olive groves, hillsides, pool and garden. The ancillary guest houses feature wonderful views of Lake Montedoglio from their living room or patio. The property offers complete privacy, situated on a hill down a gravel road with no neighbors in sight.

What made our stay most enjoyable, by far, was our delightful interactions with our gracious hosts, Dennis and Gilly. They were incredibly welcoming, attentive, and ready to offer insights into local culture. They pointed us toward the best local providers of wine and organic produce, and made sure we knew when each city was holding a fair we should see. They always respected privacy, but were only a door knock away if needed. Our daily discussions with them made the whole experience fun!