La dolce vita (at a snip)
Food-focussed Italian escapes that won’t break the budget
Tuscany
Calling Locanda al Colle a bed and breakfast is an understatement. This 12-room guesthouse has many of the perks of a five-star hotel, with its antiques and art, salt-water pool and immaculate gardens. Adding to the exclusive feel is its tranquil location, on a pine and olive tree-dotted hill outside Camaiore (also easily reached from seaside resorts including Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi and the pretty town of Pietrasanta). The overall vibe is informal but impeccable, and the same can be said of the food: everything is made fresh daily, from the sourdough bread and granola at breakfast to the cakes for afternoon tea. Resident chef Gianluca also conducts cookery lessons in the kitchen and, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, hosts sociable dinners featuring homemade ravioli on the candlelit terrace (on Monday evenings simple suppers of Tuscan soup and bruschetta are also available). Doubles from 165, b&b; locandaalcolle.com
Sicily
It’s a family affair at the Masseria Susafa, a sprawling estate that has been owned by members of the Saeli-Rizzuto family for five generations – brothers Manfredi and Tommaso are at the helm now. The fortified farmhouse at its heart sits at the foot of the Madonie mountains, near Polizzi Generosa, and is the focal point for overnight guests. There are 18 simple but stylish guestrooms in and around the farmhouse. Between terracotta floors and exposed beams are ricotta-coloured walls and the odd pop of olive green or tomato red from a headboard or throw. A restaurant is housed in the old granary and flavours here take inspiration from the traditional Sicilian table. Vegetables, herbs, fruit and organic olive oil all come straight from the farm and the menu is elegantly rustic (think tomato salads, caponata and creamy risottos). Join a cookery lesson if you can drag yourself away from the pool. Doubles from 115, b&b; sawdays.co.uk
Sardinia
A 19th-century farmhouse, with four guestrooms, in the rural heartland of Sardinia, near Gergei, Domu Antiga is surrounded by quiet plains and olive groves roamed more by sheep than people. The property’s owners are passionate about local traditions. Guests can jump in a cute Piaggio Ape van and tour the UNESCO World Heritage-listed archaeological site of Su Nuraxi at Barumini. Alternatively, join chef Maria Grazia’s bread- and cheese-making classes, or try your hand at making local pasta shapes, such as the island’s unique malloreddus gnocchi. Maria also oversees the guesthouse’s lavish breakfasts, and cooks dinner on request (expect grilled vegetables, local ravioli and Sardinian cheeses). There’s a pizzeria and a winery close by, too. Doubles from 125, b&b; domuantiga.it