Slow Going in Italy

Where: Tuscany, Italy

In the Chiana valley, just east of Siena and south of Arezzo, an arrow-straight country lane lined with slim dark cypresses leads away from modern-day Sinalunga to a charming relic of Italy's rich agrarian past. In medieval times, Amorosa was a bustling, self-sufficient feudal farm complex, attached to a manor house owned by the powerful Piccolominis of Pienza. The villagers lived in an arcaded building of rough-cast fieldstone and bricks, its shallow red-tiled roofs fending off the Tuscan sun, right across the courtyard from the cattle barns and other farm buildings. Back in the 14th century, such farming communes peppered the Italian countryside; Amorosa is one of the few that have survived. It's still a working farm, although today its surrounding fields grow gourmet crops like grapes, olives, and sunflowers; the manor is decked out with upscale guest rooms, and the old stone stables house one of Tuscany's most atmospheric restaurants.

The estate's current owners turned it into a country restaurant, Le Coccole, in 1971, with the idea of bringing the farm's products directly to the public in fine-dining form. In the wake of the restaurant's success, the owners added 27 guest rooms as well, decorated in an eclectic mix of country antiques and rustic handmade furniture, with wood-beamed ceilings, whitewashed plaster walls, and large casement windows looking out across the farmlands. Though fully outfitted with modern amenities, they still exude a wonderful peasant sturdiness and simplicity that's ideally suited to the site.

There are actually two restaurants on site -- a casual enoteca where you can sample a full range of local wines accompanied by regional dishes, and the upscale gourmet restaurant. It still looks a bit like a cow barn, with low whitewashed brick arches, tiled floors, and handmade iron fixtures, though add enough white napery and crystal and candlelight, and it's romantically transformed. Chef Giancarlo Propedo's refined cooking pays tribute to Tuscan flavors: dishes are based on the celebrated Chianina beef and Cinta Senese pork, barnyard poultry, produce from the farm or neighboring farms, salame from Trequanda, cheeses from Pienza and Montalcino, white truffles from San Giovanni d'Asso, Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil, and homemade pastas.

Locanda dell'Amorosa makes a fine base for daily excursions around the Tuscan countryside, though you may also want simply to lounge by the small swimming pool and bask in relaxing peace, perhaps with a bottle of the estate's wine. Stay for a few days and you may forget the notion of hurrying altogether.

Information:
Off the SS326 (Sinalunga-Torrita di Siena Rd.), Chiusi/Chianciano; tel. 39/577/677-211; www.amorosa.it).

Nearest Airport:
Perugia/Sant'Egidio (73km/45 miles).