RENT THE WHOLE VILLAGE
06/09/20 | European Travel | by Gregory Bessmer | iTravel.earth
In 2008 I relished a weeklong visit to the Estate Borgo Finocchieto. At the time I took a million photos and promptly saved them to my iPod (remember those?) for safekeeping and sharing. The thing I never counted on was that now, several computers later, I’ve lost full access to those photos. It’s heartbreaking as many other photos of Rome and Sienna as well as my other trips to Barcelona and Lyon are inaccessible for sharing here on my blogs and journaling.
I found this Travel + Leisure article which includes photos of the very rooms I resided in. The pool/gym I used. The library I sat in and the precise bedroom I called home for the week are all pictured here! It is as if I took these photos myself! I can not begin to impress upon anyone the wonderful experiences I enjoyed while staying at this amazing and unique Tuscan estate. The article focuses on the Obamas stay but I can tell you the Kennedy’s, as well as many other dignitaries, have all enjoyed their stays too.
While I was there, the staff continually impressed upon us that anything we wished for would be made available. They were completely and undeniably at our beck and call. Being the guy I am, I jokingly asked for nothing more than mint chocolate chip ice cream. (Being my very first trip to Italy I was unaware of the far superior gelati.) That evening, one of the staff members drove two hours away to find this ugly American his mint chocolate chip ice cream! It was a mixture of pure joy and a bit of embarrassment when they presented it to me. The service, food, and accommodations and ambiance, were all well beyond anything I had ever experienced before. I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone. Even though there were only four of us we were required to rent the entire estate and not simply a room. It would be unfair not to warn you of the price tag that goes along with the stay. You can expect to shell out about $18k per night (with minimum stay requirement.)
I spent a memorable afternoon freely roaming around the countryside, in a rented van, with my German-born Italian friend Alessandro along with our friend “Arnold”. Having someone to speak the native language added to the experience. As we drove around we randomly stopped at farmhouses and interacted with the locals. We got lost on the dusty roads a time or two which also lent itself to the overall experience.
With my friend Steve, we drove to Sienna for a day of sightseeing at the Duomo di Sienna, Piazza del Campo and Torre del Mangia. It included a stop for gelato. It was there I discovered my favorite flavor is Stracciatella. Even saying the name has become a passion of mine.
According to medieval legend, Siena’s founder was Remus’s son Senio, who fled Rome with his brother Aschio. They carried a carving of a she wolf, which became the symbol of Siena. Romulus’s knights followed the lads until they reached the hill known as Siena Vecchia, where, after a race known as “Palio alla Lunga” Senio and Aschio founded the city.
Borgo Finocchieto, rent a whole village in Tuscany from Borgo Finocchieto on Vimeo.
Inside the luxurious Italian estate where Barack and Michelle Obama vacationed
You can rent it too, but it will cost you.
06/09/20 | European Travel | By Sasha Leasca | Originally Published JUN 06, 2017 | Travel+ Leisure
In case you didn’t know, Barack and Michelle Obama have been living their best lives ever since leaving the White House in January.
The politically-famous family has been jet-setting around the globe for the last few months, spending time in the Caribbean kitesurfing with Richard Branson, dining in New York City with Bono, and flying off to French Polynesia, where they reportedly worked on their autobiographies before hopping onto a luxury yacht with Oprah and Tom Hanks. And last week the pair added a new stamp to their passports in Italy.
In late May, the duo landed in Milan, where Barack participated in a global sustainable food summit and delivered a sold-out speech. His better half Michelle also appeared to enjoy her stay, taking in the sights in Montalcino, Italy while rocking her now famous vacation style with white distressed jeans and a striped one-shoulder Teija top.
And the couple’s accommodations were just as stylish as the former first lady herself. While visiting Tuscany, the Obamas stayed at the Borgo Finocchieto, an expansive and luxurious estate in Buonconvento, near Siena, that was renovated by John Phillips, the former United States Ambassador to Italy, in 2001.
The estate includes a 60-foot pool, tennis and bocce courts, and a fully-equipped gym with sauna and steam room, along with a basketball court, which we are sure the former president and basketball megafan took full advantage of.
On site, the Obamas also likely ate fresh Tuscan foods prepared by Borgo Finocchieto’s own chef, Daniele Ciofi. The 40-year-old chef creates seasonal menus using only regionally sourced ingredients and pairs each of his dishes with wines produced right in Tuscany.
You too can live like Michelle and Barack, but be warned: it will cost you more than a few euros. As UltraVilla noted, Borgo Finocchieto can only be rented as an exclusive buy-out, but it can accommodate up to 44 guests in 22 perfectly appointed suites.
