Borgo Pignano, an enchanting haven of peace and tranquillity in Tuscany
At Borgo Pignano you will discover a beautifully restored country estate offering an exclusive combination of elegant accommodation, exceptional comfort and gracious hospitality. Share
Borgo Pignano is an elegant historical country estate in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, just a short drive from the historic, hilltop towns of Volterra and San Gimignano and within easy reach of the medieval cities of Florence and Siena and the vineyards of Chianti. Borgo Pignano sits in the centre of a much cherished 750-acre organic estate and features a magnificent 18th century villa and an Etruscan hamlet.
Today, this sensitively restored and privately owned Borgo, offers warm and gracious hospitality in a tranquil setting about 500 meters above sea level, with some of the most commanding views in all of Tuscany. Over the last few years Borgo Pignano has successfully grown into one of Europe’s leading luxury resorts, adding new pools, restaurants and accommodation to its elegant country estate.
You will find fourteen elegant rooms and suites within the main villa, some with original frescoes and all with en-suite white marble and travertine bathrooms. A grand stone staircase leads to the upper stories and an elevator serves all floors, rooms are furnished with exquisite antiques, original artworks, Italian linens and chandeliers. Also, the main villa offers spacious common rooms that complete the country house atmosphere: the library, billiard room, ballroom and lounge offer a variety of environments in which to relax.
In addition to the beautifully appointed accommodation set within the grand villa, Borgo Pignano also has eight maisonettes, two historic suites situated in an ancient Priest’s House, two cottages and a large country farmhouse that sleeps up to 20 guests. In total the Borgo Pignano estate can host up to 120 guests and is available for exclusive rental for events and weddings.
La Canonica
This significant property dates from the 13th Century and provides an opportunity to stay in an architecturally important building just a few steps from the villa. La Canonica can be used as one large three bedroomed house or independently divided as two separate suites. La Canonica, the Priest’s house, adjoins the ancient church of San Bartolomeo and contains original features such as medieval stonework, archways, columns, vaulted ceilings, terracotta floors and restored medieval frescoes. The building offers a shared entrance hall, elegant sitting room, TV room and a fully equipped medieval kitchen with refectory table. A 2-bedroom suite and 1-bedroom Suite are located on the upper floor.
La Fonte Farmhouse
Set in the heart of Borgo Pignano’s country estate is La Fonte farmhouse. A secluded property offering spacious accommodation for up to 16 guests. La Fonte is perfect for celebratory breaks, extended families, groups of friends and retreats. With its private pool, fishing lake and beautiful gardens, La Fonte is the perfect Tuscan home-from-home.
La Fonte is a magical setting for families and groups of friends or colleagues. It is works well for courses, workshops, retreats or family reunions. Yoga, painting, music, cooking and cycling groups frequently use La Fonte as a base. The house has seven comfortable bedrooms with queen beds and five of these feature a loft with tatamis. There are seven full bathrooms, a spacious dining and living room with a wood-burning stove, a generous, well-equipped kitchen and a small adjacent annex (which contains a traditional, outdoor wood-fired oven). La Fonte features a beautiful swimming pool and a tranquil sun-deck exclusively for guests of the farmhouse.
Spa & Wellness
Discover Pignano’s wellness centre in the heart of our historic hamlet and experience another level of peace and tranquility. The wellness area harmoniously combines elements of Pignano’s philosophy which includes culture, health, nature and relaxation, all set within a beautifully designed and elegant spa. Drawing inspiration from Pignano’s unspoilt terrain, abundant gardens, wild flower meadows and organic farmland, each natural spa treatment and well-being therapy has been created using organic ingredients grown on the estate. Pignano’s trained herbalist uses flowers, herbs, plant extracts, oils and honeys that promote a sense of relaxation.
Authentic Experiences
Explore the organic farm, biodynamic kitchen gardens, olive groves, orchards, meadows, lakes, waterfalls and woodlands which can all be found within Pignano’s beautifully managed grounds. Within the estate you will also find an Al-fresco restaurant with wood fired pizza oven, infinity pool, yoga studio, bocce court, riding stables and fitness suite.
Guests can partake in a collection of authentic Tuscan inspired activities such as: Cooking classes, farm tours, painting classes, horse-riding lessons and treks, Pilates, yoga, wine tasting. Truffle hunting, farm tours, honey-making, visits to the Chianti and Brunello wine-making regions, City tours of San Gimignano, Siena, Florence and Volterra, Mountain Biking & Trekking. Children’s activities include swimming, nature trails, pizza-making, arts and crafts activities and a babysitting service is available. A designated family pool and woodland playground is located on a private lawn terrace. A nature lab is also availble to children during their stay at Pignano.
The Pools
Borgo Pignano’s infinity pool is completely unique, nestled on the slope of a hill beneath the villa, it provides expansive views of the Tuscan countryside. The pool was carved from an ancient limestone quarry, which supplied most of the stone used to build Porta dell’Arco, one of the principal gateways of Volterra as well as Pignano’s own buildings. The spacious pool is surrounded by a limestone terrace with chaises longues and parasols. Adjacent to the pool area there is an outdoor bar and a manicured lawn for those seeking tranquility.
A separate, smaller pool for families rests on a lawn terrace next to an adventure play zone and is perfect for younger guests.
Dining Experiences
Gathered from the large vegetable garden and organic farm, each ingredient is treated with the utmost respect. From the flour ground in the mill to our organic bees who produce our honey. Pignano’s free-range pigs and hens provide eggs and meat for our restaurant, and each homegrown ingredient is handpicked when at its most delicious. Pignano’s creative approach to food can be enjoyed in to two different dining experiences.
The gastronomic restaurant Villa Pignano offers an innovative and creative menu. Here you can sample innovation and excellence, where the ingredients take centre stage. 0km cuisine is further complimented with an exquisite selection of organic and biodynamic wines from Tuscany. At Villa Pignano you will experience attentive, yet discreet service that defines Pignano’s philosophy. During the summer, a traditional Trattoria Al Fresco offers an informal, relaxed dining experience set within a beautiful garden environment. Guests can savour authentic Tuscan recipes, such as grilled meat, stone-baked pizza cooked in a classic wood fired oven, together with homemade organic beers and local wines.
Agriculture & Nature
At Pignano the links between the countryside and daily life are evident everywhere: flowers from the gardens are displayed in arrangements throughout the Borgo; seasonal menus reflect vegetables and fruits that are at their freshest, bathrooms stock toiletries made from plants and flowers grown on the estate; in winter, open fireplaces glow with timber harvested from the surrounding woodlands. The kitchens make artisan breads, organic pastas, stone-ground flours, cold pressed olive oil, honey, herbs, jams, soaps and other toiletries using traditional Tuscan techniques. All are available for sale. The sustainable infrastructure at Borgo Pignano provides the backbone for all activities. Wherever possible, the estate tries to protect and support the natural environment and uses both innovative and traditional farming techniques.
Weddings & Events
Pignano offers a heart-stopping location for weddings and honeymoons chosen by couples from all over the world. The estate’s Romanesque parish church, San Bartolomeo, has served Pignano since the thirteenth century and still rings out its bells for weddings and celebrations.
Weddings can be held on the villa’s lawned terrace overlooking Volterra; inside the 18th Century villa; amidst the wild flower meadows; or by the ancient staircase of the 12th Century church. We can work with you or your wedding planner to make your ceremony and celebration unforgettable. Pignano is beautifully appointed for both intimate weddings and larger celebrations, which can be held within the grounds of the hamlet.
Art
Borgo Pignano and The Royal Drawing School in London have a long- established collaborative relationship, where both organisations actively support the work of talented artists in the form of residential programmes in Tuscany. Students of the Royal Drawing School’s MA-level postgraduate programme ‘The Drawing Year’ visit Pignano every summer as part of their studies. For these talented young professional artists, the light and beauty of Tuscany, framed by the welcoming hospitality of Pignano, offers an intensive period of drawing and painting.
Borgo Pignano also recently opened a unique Art Gallery and inviting exhibition space situated in a beautifully restored historic farm building. The Pignano Gallery offers a tranquil yet sophisticated environment for artists to exhibit their work and allows hotel guests the privilege of viewing exceptional art during their stay.
Throughout the seasons you will discover a collection of inspiring exhibitions featuring contemporary artwork, sculpture and design.
Surroundings
Borgo Pignano lies a short distance from Volterra and San Gimignano Once an Etruscan settlement, Volterra is known for its alabaster workshops, the grand Piazza dei Priori, the town’s recently discovered Roman amphitheater, intact medieval walls and for its Etruscan Museum, and a bountiful collection of art galleries and artisan studios.
San Gimignano, a World Heritage site, is a picturesque Italian town with fifteen medieval towers (one of which can be climbed for its stunning views) and a cathedral. Its narrow streets are lined with small shops that sell locally made Tuscan cheeses, meats and sausages, linens, ceramics, olive wood carvings and of course San Gimignano’s world-famous gelato.
