You can hardly describe the Fattoria San Martino – you just have to experience it. Here one encounters spirituality, creativity, sensuality and meaningfulness, warmth, nature, creativity and lots of inspiration. It hit us right in our hearts. With the camera we have tried to capture the mood, but what we have smelled, tasted and heard, we can not really put in words.
Owners and hosts Karin and Antonio have designed and built this particular B & B themselves. Both of them left Milano and their classic professions many years ago to create something sustainable – and they mastered it wonderfully!
Slow down and listen
The Fattoria San Martino decelerates and lets you arrive in the moment, experiencing and feeling nature. It is an inspiring, harmonious place that encourages self reflection and philosophizing. It is a special blend of luxury and sustainability far from mass tourism. An eye-opener and truly magic …
The old villa was renovated very gently, using only natural materials. Karin has artistically designed each room with incredible love and details. As a designer, she has put a lot of emphasis on a harmonious appearance and the specially designed artworks make you feel like being in a magical place full of positive energy. We can hardly get enough of it. Again and again our eyes fall on handmade objects that spread good mood. A framed “feeling in the 7th heaven”, inviting armchairs with the letters “good mood”, cushions with the inscription “today is a good day” …
Even the destination chargers of the Fattoria San Martino are wonderfully integrated in the garden under the olive trees and the energy for our Tesla is supplied by the intense Tuscan sun. Exactly the sustainability we were looking for! We enjoy that our car has a break in the countryside. Ourselves fill up with energy in the house, in the garden and in Montepulciano, which is only a 10 minutes walk away.
The garden by the way: bewitched, winding and right in the middle there is also a bio pool. Everywhere wonderful corners invite you to relax and to soak up the sun. Trees, herbs, lilacs and flowers let us relax naturally.
Learn and find your own way of teaching
Karin and Antonio are incredibly interesting people. They give the house a soul, they radiate vitality and lead the B & B with their very personal, unique signature. Karin cares wonderfully about her guests and is always making sure that no one is missing anything. Antonio manages the property with lots of energy, tackles everywhere, renovates and expands and with his impressive knowledge he gives us unique food for thought that we will never forget.
Do you know the feeling when a place tells you that you are at the right spot? That’s what happened to us already at breakfast which is served on the romantic terrace under the shady pergola. We enjoy a clear view of the typical Tuscan hills and see far into the distance, reverent and fascinated as we sip at the freshly made cappuccino. The phone becomes a minor matter, the food tastes more intense and we smell the spring. Homemade, local and fresh food is served. Kiwi with red pepper, homemade bread and yoghurt … everything lovingly presented. Gorgeous! Here we could sit forever …
About two or three times a week Karin cooks a three-course dinner for her guests. Also the restaurant is full of restored antiques and we are convinced: It must have been Karin who invented Shabby Chic! Here we are again delighted and enriched. For her dishes Karin even uses the flowers of their own garden. Did you know that you can eat daisies (and that they even taste great)? A really special treat! Karin loves to experiment and so delicious vegetarian compositions are served in a wonderful ambiance.
We also learned once more how delightful it is to eat with all senses, to focus on quality and the human beings around you instead of your own ego …
But the most notable thing and a real life lesson is the door to our room. It was taken over by another old house and since it did only fit in upside down, it was simply turned around at its new location so that the door lock now opens in the “wrong” direction.
Every time we entered the room, we stopped for a moment and were thinking about the simple, yet seldom used principle that Karin and Antonio taught us: Turn things upside down every day or just do it the other way round, and your life will become much richer!
Thank you for this wonderful lesson Karin and Antonio! We will take it to heart! The spirit of the Fattoria San Martino has touched our soul and so we continue our journey in a different way from when we did arrive.
Yours
Mr & Mrs T
1. A place to slow down and listen
2. A place to discover nature and “wild elephants”
3. Where the soul finds a home …
4. … and small things become big
5. Where the sun wakes you up in the morning …
6. … and the garden invites you to rest
7. Where chairs have a message to tell …
8. … and doors show off artworks
9. Where Shabby Chic may have been invented …
10. … and smiling faces watch over you
11. Where you learn what it means to enjoy …
12. … and to eat with all senses
13. Where you are so close to Montepulciano
14. Discovering that this town has more to offer than wine (1/2)
15. Discovering that this town has more to offer than wine (2/2)
16. Where the world around you makes you feel small …
17. … and big at the same time
18. Where you meet people who care …
19. … and act ….
20. … in any way you can imagine
21. This is Fattoria San Martino 🙂
