“I’m Antonella and with my husband Bernard, I am the happy co-owner and manager of Podere Trafonti, an organic agricultural estate and guesthouse nestled in the hills, olive groves, vineyards and forests of Southern Tuscany.

Bernard and I bought the decaying farm and 13.5 hectares of agricultural land and forest in 2015 and began to restore it. It took two years of arduous and passionate labor to resurrect it from its rubbles, but we always knew it would shine again with beauty.

We also planted 900 new olive trees to add to the 100 old ones on our property, as well as two dozen fruit trees. We set up a permaculture vegetable garden which produces an abundant crop of vegetables for our kitchen. And we started herbal and flower gardens around the domain’s buildings to attract insects and please the senses. In spring of 2019, we installed our first beehives which yielded a delicious honey harvest at the end of summer.

We opened the guesthouse in June 2018 and now host yoga retreats, organic culinary experiences, hiking weeks, honeybee safaris and other activities and events for groups and families.

Bringing Trafonti back to life for us meant to open it to welcome people who enjoy exploring nature and its wonders, as well as nourishing their minds and spirits with the wealth offered by the artistic, architectural and cultural treasures of the area.

Bernard and I deeply value the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and to share some time with them over breakfast or an evening glass of wine, slowly maturing the conversations, in the friendly abode of age-old, wise Trafonti, adding yet another layer of sense to our lives.”