I am searching for a farmhouse to rent for 5-6 evenings in Tuscany. Is anyone familiar with Barberino Val D' Elsa? The home I located to rent is just 35 minutes out of Florence in S Filippo a hamlet of Barberino Val D' Elsa in the hills of Chianti. I realize it may not be centrally located to explore Tuscany but the home looks great and has only excellent reviews. I will have a car. I was hoping to be in a home that felt remote with a 5-10 minute drive to a small village. I also would not mind being a 2.5 hour drive from Umbria and this house would be 5 hours or more. I am quite flexible and realistic , I do not have a list of must do's. Mostly I was hoping for some positive comments about Barberino Val D'Elsa and anything else you could share about staying off the beaten path. Thanks!
Posted by
Niagara, Ontario
1688 posts
We stopped off for lunch there one year (06 or 08). It was one of the villages we had considered staying in when researching ( at San Bartolo's in val D'Elsa, not Tavernelle), as it has easy access to the Chianti region with the added bonus of a fairly quick bus ride into Florence. As I remember, small, attractive, a few eateries, lovely views from the top. From the looks of where you are staying, only about a 5 minute drive.
Can't help you much with the off the beaten path part. As a rule we hike a lot on trails, much less so in Tuscany, where we drove further and longer than usual on day trips. Sticking to the back roads, much of the scenery is beautiful (even better further south). Close by Barberino, Radda and Casole d'Elsa are attractive tiny villages with few tourists. Cecchini's restaurants are close by in Panzano, though excellent bistecca can be had in many places.
Barberino is not the best location for day trips into Umbria, especially if, like me, you want to avoid the major highways. With only five or six evenings, plenty to see and do close by.
Posted by
Minneapolis
23 posts
My husband and I stayed in neighboring Tavarnelle 15 years ago and it is right up the road from Barberino. We found the area beautiful and easy to drive to nearby sites and wineries. The place we stayed at was a short walk into town and the nearby restaurants. We could easily take the bus to Florence for the day. It is a quite area and the people were nice. As another reviewer commented, you will need to drive everywhere.
Posted by
Atlanta
31 posts
We spend a month in Barberino Val d’elsa every fall. This year will be our 7th year - had to miss 2020. Obviously we love it. Barberino has several restaurants, wineries in the area - It’s a charming town and there are not a lot of tourists. The countryside is beautiful and you will get that remote feel. It’s easy to get to San Gimignano, Greve, Siena and numerous other towns. Feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16168 posts
I can’t think of a better central location for Tuscany than San Filippo. You are 5 minutes from the Poggibonsi freeway entrance, therefore no more than 30 min from Siena, San Gimignano, Florence, Chianti area, Certaldo, Colle Val D’Elsa, just to name the top destinations in the region. The Val D’Orcia (Pienza, San Quirico, Montepulciano) are about an hour away, and you could easily even go to Assisi in Umbria in a couple of hours.