Untitled - Borgo Pignano

THE ESTATE
Borgo Pignano is a 750 acre estate in the heart of the Tuscan
countryside, perched in the middle of the topographical triangle
linking Siena, Florence and Pisa. The borgo has grown out of a
hamlet dating from Etruscan times and is tended by a group of
friends committed to healthy living, biodynamic agriculture and
sustainable energy who offer the gracious, bohemian hospitality of
a well-run country house.
The center of the Borgo is a sensitively restored villa with thirteenth
century walls and ramparts and an eighteenth century manor
house, originally built by an Italian landowner. The estate includes
extensive kitchen gardens, fields, meadows, pools, small lakes,
orchards, woodlands, waterfalls and a horse arena all reachable by
footpath and full of pleasures for both adults and children.
The surrounding countryside is fretted by paths and lanes that
invite long scenic walks, bike rides, and excursions on horseback.
Active guests enjoy the three-hour hike, on an unpaved road, from
Pignano to Volterra.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
THE LOCATION
Borgo Pignano is well situated for those interested in
Italian art, architecture, archaeology and culture. Every
medieval hilltown in our vicinity has churches and
monuments of note and many have small museums and
frescoed cloisters. There are thermal springs, popular
since Roman times, Etruscan ruins and tombs, and
Renaissance palaces.
The estate is equidistant from the hilltowns of Volterra
and San Gimignano. The former, once an Etruscan
settlement, is known for its alabaster workshops, Piazza dei
Priori, Roman amphitheatre and medieval walls, and for the
Etruscan Museum, a great repository of the art made by this
mysterious people. San Gimignano, a World Heritage site, is
a gloriously picturesque Italian town, with fifteen m edieval
towers (built by competing grandees), and a cathedral. Its
vertiginous streets are lined with small shops that sell locally
made Tuscan cheeses, meats and sausages, table linens,
ceramics, olive wood carvings and gelato.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Firenze
Pisa
San Gimignano
Volterra
Siena
By plane, via the closest airports of:
MILANO - Linate (approx. 358 Km) and Malpensa (approx. 412 Km)
ROMA - Fiumicino (approx. 306 Km) and Ciampino (approx. 289 Km)
FIRENZE - Amerigo Vespucci (approx. 75 Km)
BOLOGNA - G. Marconi (approx. 165 Km)
PISA - Galileo Galilei (approx. 74 Km)
Montalcino
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
ROOMS & SUITES
Rooms with charm
Pignano’s main building is an eighteenth century villa,
surrounded by English gardens, with pristine landscapes that
are unchanged from Renaissance times. To the west, a series
of hills unfolds towards the sea; to the east, woods and gardens
are alive with the song of birds.
Generous rooms with queen size beds, some with large
windowed bathrooms of white marble and travertine, a freestanding tub and a glass-enclosed shower. Views of the woods
and the English garden.
Rooms with a view
There are 14 elegantly furnished rooms and suites, some with
their original frescos and all with white marble or travertine
bathrooms and spectacular views. An elevator serves every
floor save the cellar. There are generous public rooms and
dining areas and WI-FI is available throughout the villa.
Comfortable rooms with queen-size beds and private baths
with shower and tub. Sweeping western views of the hills and
fields, and of Volterra in the distance.
On top of the Villa, it is always possible to lodge at the Podere
La Fonte, Casa del Lago, the Artists’ house or to rent one of
the Borgo’s apartments.
Suites with charm
One of these suites has two spacious double rooms with
private access to each, and a shared marble and travertine
bathroom, while the others consist of a large double room and
an adjoining single room that share a large bathroom. These
overlook the woods and the gardens.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
SUITE WITH CHARM
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Suites with a view
The Music Room, which may be rented as a suite, is a large,
high-ceilinged room with a grand piano, fireplace and sitting
area. A Napoleonic sleigh bed sleeps two. A set of gothic-style
windows overlooks the western landscape. Lovely frescoed
bathroom, illuminated by a skylight.
Signature suites
Two master suites with king or queen size beds, spacious
bathrooms with freestanding tubs and glass-enclosed showers.
One suite is decorated with original period frescoes and has a
small terrace overlooking the villa’s lawns and pool, while the
other can accomodate one or two couples.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Casa del lago
A two-bedroom cottage with a fully-equipped kitchen, a
cozy living room with a fireplace and a covered porch
that sits above a lake surrounded by poplars and alders.
Casa del Lago is a favourite for honeymoons and couples
yearning for peace and quiet.
Fonte farmhouse
La Fonte, a nearby farmhouse, is surrounded by orchards and
fields and is suitable for groups and students. It has seven
bedrooms, a small adjacent annex, a large dining room next
to a fully equipped kitchen, a covered terrace with views of a
lake, and a traditional wood-burning outdoor oven. La Fonte
is suited for groups of friends, colleagues, or families; and for
classes, workshops, conferences, or retreats (yoga, painting,
music, cooking, and cycling enthusiasts have all stayed here).
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Artists’ house
Sir Michael Moritz and his wife, Harriet Heyman, noted
collectors of twentieth century British art and frequent visitors
to Pignano, offer emerging artists the chance to stay, as their
guests, at the Borgo’s Artist Studio. These prizes are
awarded by a panel of judges, organized by the Royal
Drawing School in London, and provide travel and study
scholarships to serious artists. Caille, the artists’ house,
has a large and handsome studio space, two bedrooms and
a fully equipped kitchen. It is nestled in a wooded area that
enhances its privacy.
Separate apartments
Two-bedroom apartments in the Borgo, all with
cooking facilities and fireplaces or wood-fed stoves.
Available for weekly or long-weekend rentals. Ideal for
families.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
HOSPITALITY & FACILITIES
The public rooms of the villa include a two-storey ballroom
with a terrazzo floor and a balcony; a large library with a
fireplace flanked by comfortable sofas; a music room with an
antique Bechstein grand; a banquet room in a two hundred
year old kitchen, a smaller dining room, a television room, a
billiards room, a small gym, and a yoga and meditation
room.
The infinity swimming pool was carved from a limestone quarry
on the slope of a hill directly beneath the villa. Its depth varies
from 75 to 2.40 m. with a total surface of 141 sq. m. It is
surrounded by a limestone terrace with chaise longues and
umbrellas. There is an adjacent outdoor bar and an outdoor
shower. The pool is open from May to September.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
CUISINE
Borgo Pignano’s chefs prepare three healthy, authentic
Tuscan meals every day, using the freshest local and organic
ingredients, which vary by season.
Bread, croissants, pizza, and biscotti are baked in our woodburning oven. Vegetables, oil, grains, honey, and fruit come
directly from the property, or from neighboring organic and
biodynamic farms. We pay particular attention to the special
dietary needs of our guests for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free,
or anti-allergenic menus.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
ACTIVITIES
There is much to do at Borgo Pignano. Some visitors find
themselves seduced by the serenity of the estate and don’t
wander far. They swim in an infinity pool carved from the
limestone of an old quarry, sunbathe, read in the library
or music room, practise yoga and meditate, play bocce,
stroll among the orchards, gardens and woodland paths and
sometimes help in the kitchen garden.
Others, who pine for more activity, pursue yoga, paint or ride
horses and mountain bikes. We often host groups of avid road
cyclists who enjoy the rigor of 30 km – 120 km rides along
Tuscany’s challenging and quiet back roads. Runners and
triathletes also find that Borgo Pignano suits their adventurous
needs.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Yoga class
The setting of Borgo Pignano is therapeutic for yoga students.
The yoga sessions offer classes in relaxation techniques and
meditation and take place in the indoor yoga room, the large
open hall at the La Fonte farmhouse, or on the lawns. It is
often possible to join a retreat.
Painting
Pignano attracts artists but often tempts visitors, with no
previous exposure to drawing or painting, to pick up a crayon
or brush. We frequently host group and individual classes.
Visitors tend to take their sketch pads or easels outside while
some prefer to arrange a few objects and attempt a still life.
The Villa is equipped with artist’s supplies.
Cooking class
Food from the old tuscan tradition: focaccia, bread, pizza.
Borgo Pignano welcomes you to our cooking classes to unveil
the secrets of our typical, simple yet healthy dough, its rising
and cooking time; fresh vegetables from our biodynamic
vegetable garden will give taste and colors to these special
items of the old traditional kitchen.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Horseback riding
Biking
Borgo Pignano is home to a group of gentle and welltrained horses. Lessons are available for novices inside the
safety of an arena. We also organize guided excursions that
provide a way to absorb the pleasures of Tuscany from
the saddle. Experienced riders are free to journey alone,
atop a more spirited mount, and follow the well-marked
trails through the woods and fields.
The mountain bikes of Borgo Pignano are available for rent –
either for rides along paved roads or Italy’s so-called
Strade Bianche – white gravelled roads. We can arrange for
the rental of road bikes from a high quality, local cycling
specialist. We can map routes that reflect your interests
and fitness levels and are available to lead group tours.
Trekking
Learning to create
One of our greatest pleasures is transmitting the knowledge
we have gained through our years of experience with the
rhythms of nature, and the art of Tuscan living. From May to
September, we offer a choice of courses and workshops where
you can learn, among other new skills, candle-making with the
wax from our bees, baking homemade bread in the kitchen,
and making natural soap with the aromatic herbs from our
gardens.
Borgo Pignano lies within a major game preserve, and is
at the crossroads of two nature reserves, Berignone and
Castelvecchio. The estate’s virgin woodland and fields, with its
protected flora and fauna, is ideal for long walks during which
all manner of birdlife, including partridge, pheasants, ducks,
geese, cranes, storks and the occasional small kestrel and
osprey can be spotted. Nearer the Villa swifts and swallows
are plentiful and owls and doves can often be heard. Out in the
woods and fields wild boar, roe deer, hare, badgers, foxes and
porcupines make their homes. We can help map trails, and are
available, on request, to accompany you.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
DESTINATION WEDDINGS
The soulful, parish church that has served Pignano since the
thirteenth century - the Romanesque San Bartolomeo still rings its wedding bells, and we also construct elegant
chuppahs for Jewish ceremonies. Couples sometimes choose
to exchange their vows among the wildflowers of a
woodland grove.
We help plan every detail of a wedding weekend and take
pleasure in designing memorable, personal experiences that
include a wedding banquet, flowers, music, photography,
entertainment and refreshments. There is plenty of space for
large seated outdoor banquets and dancing by moonlight.
For weddings we require rental of the entire villa.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
The grounds of the Borgo Pignano estate extend for
approximately 300 hectares. Here we grow organic olives,
cereals from ancient seeds and fodder.
Our biodynamic vegetable garden produces a wide variety of
vegetables that are served at our table and transformed into
natural products.
Pasta
—
At occum labo. Nem ipsum es
excerovitiis es de nonecti sae volent
aperum adio.
—
The surrounding grounds include arable fields, grasslands,
ponds and lakes, vegetable gardens and beehives that are
all lovingly cared for. We produce artisanal bread, honey
and preserves, as well as cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil.
Preparations for a vineyard of red and white native grape
varieties is underway.
Our aromatic and medicinal plants provide quality raw
materials for bodycare and wellness products.
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
Featured in January 2015
Borgo Pignano
21st-century principles marry traditional Tuscan charm
PRICE FROM:
€160
FEATURES:
Family friendly; Gym; Pet friendly; Pool; Restaurant
ACTIVITIES:
Cycling; Horse riding; Walking
NEARBY:
Volterra; San Gimignano; Colle Val d’Elsa; Siena; Florence
GETTING THERE:
Pisa Airport; Florence Airport; Bologna Guglielmo Marconi
Airport
+39 058 835032
condenastjohansens.com/borgopignano
Località Pignano 6, 56048 Volterra, Near Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
Loc. Pignano, 6 - 56048 Volterra Pisa, Italy - www.borgopignano.com
Phone/Fax +39 0588 35032
The embodiment of Tuscan beauty and Italian geniality, Borgo Pignano
is all at once reassuringly familiar and refreshingly free-spirited.
Immersed in an oil-painting scene of green rolling hills and vineyards,
this 750-acre estate is close to the medieval village of San Gimignano
and must-see cities of Siena, Florence and Pisa. A small group of
friends dedicated to healthy living, sustainable energy and biodynamic
agriculture run this former hamlet, and it’s their enthusiastic attitude
that sets Borgo Pignano apart. Fabulous organic, regional food, elegant,
timeless design and extremely warm hospitality are what you can
expect here, whether staying in a suite within the 18th-century villa or
one of the 12th-century stone farmhouses. Inside, rooms are dressed
in fine linens, original frescoes and soothing colour schemes with
a modern refinement (perfecting the homely, country house vibe).
Outside, Borgo Pignano’s Arcadian setting is a rural playground where
you may potter around the orchards, meadows and woodlands or take a
dip in the carved limestone infinity pool. Biking, hiking and horse riding
are also popular and yoga sessions are regularly available. The scenery
often inspires guests to grab a paintbrush and join in an art class while
children take part in the Nature School whose organised games and
adventures take place throughout the estate’s fields and woodlands.