Follonico

in Montefollonico, Tuscany, Italy

We have all the elements of the typical Tuscan landscape — vineyards, olive groves, cypresses, little rivers, hilltops — and it’s all right in front of our door.

Fabio, the owner
Follonico, Montefollonico, Tuscany, Italy

Follonico

  • Location: Countryside
    Montefollonico and local restaurants: 4km (10 mins by car)
    Montepulciano with its wineries: 10km (15 mins by car)
    Siena: 60km (50 mins by car)
    Pienza: 15km (20 mins by car)
  • Perugia Airport (PEG): 80km (1h by car)
    Florence Airport (FLR): 120km (1h 25 mins by car)
    Car recommended
    Free parking

Fabio and Suzanne are wonderful hosts, they’ll be happy to show you the lesser-known treasures of the area.
Enjoy the slow-living philosophy, visit local cheese makers, small wineries and other local producers.

You will need a car to visit all the beautiful places the area has to offer.

Contact the owner directly for the best rates
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An introduction to Follonico

How would you describe Follonico in a nutshell?

Follonico is not really a place for tourists. It’s a home for us that we opened up to our guests, so the quality of the linens, the beds, the furnishings and decoration are all what we prefer for our own home. It’s a real place.

What makes our bed and breakfast special is the location within this Tuscan landscape due to it having been preserved by farmers since the 15th century.

Why did you leave your previous life to restore a property and rent it out as a small hotel?

We were tired of the city. We wanted to create something tailor-made just for us, which is why we bought a ruin rather than something that was already finished.

Before, we had wasted a lot of time commuting. We wanted more quality of life for ourselves, as well as for our kids.

Why is the slow living philosophy important to you?

I feel I get back 25 days of my life every year with this slower lifestyle. That’s the difference between a crazy city life and a slower live in the country. I try to encourage my guests to do the same. Try to just slow down, stop your car, have a walk, breathe, smell, do all those things.

We also encourage our guests to travel to the smaller Tuscan villages nearby rather than the bigger cities. People in the area all believe in this way of living. This way, guests experience a real farming tradition and the food that comes from it.

Is it possible to visit the local cheese makers?

Some of the places we suggest have the full production — they raise the sheep on grass and produce the cheese on-site. The grasses have a different taste every season, so the quality of the milk can vary in flavor. You can also taste the difference between the cheese produced in the winter when the cows have hay compared to when they have access to grass in the other months.

The cheese you get in shops or on the road, they’re produced for the mass market, getting their milk from other places like France, Spain or Turkey, so they have a flatter taste. The local cheeses are much more flavorful.

What about visiting the Tuscan wineries?

Some guests like to visit the more famous Tuscan wineries and have already booked their tours. That wine is an industry, not farming, so we try to convince them to go to the smaller farmers to taste the difference. The flavors of the local wines are amazing.

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Follonico
Follonico
Follonico
Follonico
Follonico
The farm at Follonico
Breakfast area
Breakfast area
Blu Notte
Blu Notte
Rosso Tramonto
Rosso Tramonto
Rosso Tramonto
Verde Intenso
Verde Intenso
Verde Intenso
Alba Chiara
Alba Chiara
Montefollonico
Montepulciano
Montepulciano
Follonico pool
Follonico pool
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Follonico
Landscape surrounding Follonico

Follonico rooms & rates

My wife did everything. She has a passion for recycling materials, creating something new out of something old. We get professional photographers who come here and want to know her design ideas, and they’re surprised to hear that interior design wasn’t her background.

We have six rooms that make up our very small hotel. They are all very different. Between May and September, the White Essential is my favorite because there is a terrace off the bedroom. From October to April, when you want a little bit more space inside, I prefer Blue Notte. But all have their own charm. It’s like a fairy tale atmosphere here at Follonico.

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  • Blu Notte for 2 people / 60 m²
    365 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Shower room (ensuite)
    • 1 Living room
    • Terrace
    • Fireplace
    • Air conditioning

    The largest suite at Follonico is on the first floor and it has been created where the farmer’s kitchen stood. An amazing huge and well preserved arch divides the bed area queen-size bed) from the living area. A very romantic open fire is on disposal for guests. The suite is accessible via a beautiful staircase through a very panoramic loggia. Enjoy the view from the balcony looking out over the famous church of San Biagio in the south, near Montepulciano and the profile of fortified Montefollonico to the west.

    The room includes an iPhone/iPod Dock Station, multiple pillows, a large raindance shower, hair dryer, Ortigia Toiletries, Coffee/Tea make and free water / soft drinks.

  • Alba Chiara for 2-3 people / 43 m²
    335 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Shower room (ensuite)
    • 1 Living room
    • 1 Extra bed (on req.)
    • Terrace
    • Air conditioning

    This suite at Follonico is accessed directly from the garden, through a feature loggia (or gallery). Three areas in sequence provide a series of emotions with views to the east. From the room with queen-size bed and bathroom with shower you can admire the magnificent panorama of Montepulciano, which is the background to perfectly manicured vineyards.

    The room includes an iPhone/iPod Dock Station, multiple pillows, a large raindance shower, hair dryer, Ortigia Toiletries, Coffee/Tea make and free water / soft drinks.

  • Verde Intenso for 2 people / 41 m²
    335 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Shower room (ensuite)
    • 1 Living room
    • Terrace
    • Air conditioning

    Ten steps are the only sacrifice that we ask of you to immerse yourself in this suite at Follonico, which is accessed by a small private balcony on the top of the staircase. Three rooms at different levels (queen-size bedroom, bathroom with shower and living area), divided by a few steps of ancient origin - architectural elements maintaining the legacy left by the past.

    The room includes an iPhone/iPod Dock Station, multiple pillows, a large raindance shower, hair dryer, Ortigia Toiletries, Coffee/Tea make and free water / soft drinks.

  • Rosso Tramonto for 2 people / 27 m²
    335 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Shower room (ensuite)
    • 1 Baby cot (on req.)
    • Air conditioning

    The smallest of the suites at Follonico, but perhaps the most endearing. Certainly the most surprising. The concept that was developed is that of a loft - a single environment, without barriers or doors (with queen-size bed and bathroom with shower). Three large windows and a door provide natural light from sunrise to sunset. In the latter stage of the day this suite takes the colours that the sun gives before it disappears over the horizon. From these windows, most likely, you can see groups of deer grazing before sunset and immediately after dawn.

    The room includes an iPhone/iPod Dock Station, multiple pillows, a large raindance shower, hair dryer, Ortigia Toiletries, Coffee/Tea make and free water / soft drinks.

  • Montepulciano for 2 people / 26 m²
    275 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Shower room (ensuite)
    • Terrace
    • Air conditioning

    Located in the outbuilding adjacent to the farmhouse at Follonico, an independent cozy bedroom with the best views: original farmer's style beds, 100% pure linen bed sheets, antique doors, floor lighting and natural lime stone powder painting. In addition a 20 m2 private terrace with the best views where you can relax sipping a wine or enjoy a hot tub which is at the exclusive disposal of the White Essential’s guests.

    The room includes an iPhone/iPod Dock Station, multiple pillows, a large raindance shower, hair dryer, Ortigia Toiletries, Coffee/Tea make and free water / soft drinks.

  • Montefollonico for 2 people / 26 m²
    275 / night
    • 1 Double bedroom
    • 1 Bathroom (ensuite)
    • 1 Shower room (ensuite)
    • Terrace
    • Air conditioning

    Located in the outbuilding adjacent to the farmhouse at Follonico, an independent cozy bedroom with the best views: original farmer's style beds, 100% pure linen bed sheets, antique doors, floor lighting and natural lime stone powder painting. In addition a 20 m2 private terrace with the best views where you can relax sipping a wine.

    The room includes an iPhone/iPod Dock Station, multiple pillows, a large raindance shower, hair dryer, Ortigia Toiletries, Coffee/Tea make and free water / soft drinks.

Included in the rates
Rates include a delicious breakfast, daily maid service, free WiFi, heating/air-conditioning, organic nickel free toiletries, free parking, use of the swimming pool and an insider tips eBook.
Children & Extra beds
Only children 12+ years old are welcome. An extra bed is available at EUR 65 per night.
Minimum stay
2 nights
Check in time
after 16:00
Check out time
before 11:00
Closed December 1 to February 28

Facilities & services

  • Maid service
  • Swimming pool
  • Concierge service
  • WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Not suitable for children
  • Honesty bar/Minibar
  • Whirlpool/Plunge pool
  • Central heating
  • Pets welcome
  • BBQ area
  • Safe box
  • Hair dryer

From May through September, 90-95% of the breakfast comes from our garden, most greens, tomatoes, herbs and those kinds of things. The rest is meat, cheese, milk and yogurt that we purchase locally.

At Follonico, we prepare our own marmalade and jam, as well as bread. I wake up every morning at six o’clock to bake my pastries and breads.

There’s a hot tub on the terrace that holiday guests can use. People can do wine or cheese tasting in the evening and we also offer cooking classes upon request. There are a lot of other things we do, like making pizza at night, but they come up spontaneously.

We also use a service that can deliver a Fiat 500 in the morning. It’s something fun for people who’ve never driven that car. It’s not so comfortable that you can drive for long distances, maybe 30 or 40 kilometers in a day, but the rooftop can be opened so it’s a great way to tour Tuscany.

Things to do in Tuscany & Montefollonico

  • Art / Culture
  • Wine tastings
  • Cooking classes
  • Hiking
  • Cycling

We recommend our guests to just go to the local, smaller villages that are off the tourist path. The cities are beautiful, but a church is a church, a square is a square. For example, yesterday we had a couple from Manhattan who ran away from Pienza because it was so crowded that you almost couldn’t walk. So we try to send them on the dirt paths to the local villages. Those aren’t famous for their monuments, but they’re real.

We also suggest to visit some of the local cheese makers— they raise the sheep on grass and produce the cheese on-site. And we know a guy who can be booked for truffle hunting. Mushroom hunting is more for October, while truffle hunting is more for November.

If guests have a week, we suggest also going to Sienna, but if they are only here for two or three days, we recommend they stick to the local Tuscan villages like Lucignano d’Asso and Chiusure. There are just four families living in Lucignano d’Asso and it’s still owned by just one family, so it hasn’t been developed. Chiusure is also extremely real and the views are amazing.

Follonico reviews

5 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
Everything was perfect!!! Fabio was an amazing host!
Jesus V. (Spain)
stayed at Follonico in April 2017
5 of 5 stars
Verfied Welcome Beyond stay
Very Good! Fabio and Suzanne extremely welcoming and excellent chefs.
Melissa L. (Hong Kong)
stayed at Follonico in March 2016

The location of Follonico

We chose this location because of the views over the Tuscan hills and how easy it is to get to restaurants and local towns. You have all the elements of the Tuscan landscape — the vineyards, olive groves, cypresses, little rivers, hilltops — and it’s all right in front of our door.

Follonico is six kilometers away from Montepulciano, less than an hour from Siena, 20 mins from Pienza, 40 mins from Montalcino, and 12 mins from the highway, so even if you’re in a beautiful environment, you’re close to the highway to travel wherever you need to go.

When is the best time to visit Tuscany?

The best time to come to Follonico is from mid April to the end of May when there are nice, dry days and lots of greenery. And then again from early September to early October when you have the green back after the summer. The light is beautiful then and you still have warm days, but it’s not too hot.