It can be a daunting task, restoring an old or ruined country house to its former glory. Years of work may be required, along with considerable investment, particularly if the goal is to have an operative farm along with it. But for Maurizio Scapaticci, José Marie Gianna, Renzo Tomi, and Elvezia Corti, their Agriturismo La Banditaccia has been worth all of the effort. La Banditaccia enjoys a beautifully tranquil setting amidst the hills and olive groves below Monte Amiata and the villages of Monticello, Castel Piano and Arcidosso. The ideal spot for a remote getaway, the agriturismo is also quite centrally located for those who wish to explore the region. It is only a half-hour drive from the town of Pienza and the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, forty-five minutes to the hot springs of Saturnia, and one hour to the sea at the Parco Naturale della Uccellina.

After five years of rebuilding the house and transforming abandoned land into a fertile farm, the four friends, two husband-and-wife teams, were able to open their doors to the public at the beginning of 2000. Their labor of love is clearly reflected inside and out. While some agriturismi have turned into more typical restaurant-hotels, La Banditaccia retains the agricultural charm of the original house and its residents. Tied to the land they worked every day, the farmers of old at least had mealtimes to discourse with their family and friends. Thus, as José explains: "Instead of a separate dining room for our guests, we dine together at a long table as would have been done in ages past. We want to get to know our company; we'll invite you to our drawing room for an after-dinner grappa."

The agriturismo has a stable of horses and two professional riding guides, offering guests the opportunity to ride directly from the agriturismo. "There are over 500 kilometers of interconnected riding paths in the Maremma." A guide explains, "From our front porch, we can ride all the way to the sea at the Uccellina, a fantastic loop of several days. Or we can have a beautiful afternoon ride along the trails near the agriturismo. The opportunities are endless." One can also hike or mountain-bike on the riding trails - and yet it might also be tempting just to kick back and enjoy the serenity of agriturismo. Here, the owners say, one can do everything or one can do nothing. There is no agenda; one may do as they wish.

The chef, Elvezia, does a masterful job, but it may be tempting to believe that all those fresh ingredients from the farm could turn anyone into a great chef. As an agriturismo biologico, La Banditaccia uses no pesticides or other chemicals to grow their products, one of the reasons everything tastes so good. Some of the house specialties include sorbo dell'uccellatore, a rare cherry-like fruit of the Maremma, made into a wonderful marmalade, peperoni ripieni, spicy peppers stuffed with capers, honey, olive oil (extravirgin cold-pressed), agnello or lamb, from their herd of Apennine sheep, and prosciutto, capicolo and other meat from their pigs. While La Banditaccia does not yet produce its own wine (the vineyard was recently planted), they share crops with neighboring farms. So in exchange for grain (which the agriturismo grows) or lamb/pork they receive wine from the farm next door. This wine is superb, not a surprise considering the agriturismo's proximity to the Brunello vineyards.

José summarizes La Banditaccia's philosophy: "We know it is not easy for people to escape their work or their hectic lives, but our goal is to help people enjoy the simple pleasures of life." Should be easy at a place where such pleasures are in abundance. For more information and reservations at La Banditaccia please see the website www.labanditaccia.com or write them at info@labanditaccia.com

To see real live butteri, one need only go about an hour's drive away from La Banditaccia to Podere Dicioccatone (0564-885614, 0039-564885614 from outside Italy), near the Uccellina Park. Ernesto Buratta and his family have been driving cattle for generations - call ahead to view the butteri in action. Note that the men and horses take a siesta of several hours in the early afternoon - however this would be prime time to sample the cuisine of Ernesto's wife Adriana as well as some of the Podere's excellent home-grown wine.
Also check out Albarese's rodeo in August and Siena's Palio on July 2 & August 16.

* Reprinted with permission by Yes Please Magazine ©, www.yesplease.it.