Under a Tuscan sky

Ellen Tout cycles, cooks and recharges on a glorious agricultural estate in the sun-drenched Italian countryside

TIs Tuscany calling you?

oes hovering above the ground, I gingerly lift one foot and then the other onto the pedals of the e-bike. I haven’t been on a bicycle since childhood, but with the rolling Tuscan hills beckoning, here’s to hoping you really never do forget!

Formerly a medieval farming village, Toscana Resort Castelfalfi is an oasis of sustainably managed land in the heart of Tuscany. Gripping the handlebars, I meander along cobbled streets and through ancient olive groves and vineyards. As my confidence grows, I whizz down undulating hills, passing restored cottages and fields of yellow sunflowers, before taking a break to taste the sweet tomatoes and aromatic herbs grown in the estate’s organic gardens. That lunchtime, the head chef teaches me to prepare a traditional caponata – a sweet dish made with pine nuts and vegetables sourced that morning from the allotment. Under his tutelage, I carefully chop the produce and can’t help but blush when he exclaims that I have excellent knife skills.

La bella vita

From every point on the estate, its namesake castle is visible. Towering over the landscape, its atmospheric basement was used as the set of the 2002 Pinocchio film. Beautifully renovated, it now houses a restaurant and terrace where, that evening, I enjoy an aperitivo. Something of an art form to the locals, we start with olives, bread and oil, all produced onsite, followed by delicious little reimaginings of Italian dishes.

There is also an art to the hunt for truffles – the ‘white gold’ of the Italian mountains. The following day, I join truffle hunter Matteo Giuliani and his dog, Bianca. In the woods, she runs and plays, snuffling through leaves and mud as she goes. Abruptly, she stops and barks. We rush over and Matteo digs to find our first truffle.

After a yoga class, quiet walks and time spent reading in the sun, I head home from my short break feeling refreshed. What’s more, my confidence on two wheels is renewed and I am keen to get back on my bike.

a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts group, offers hotel stays, villas and apartments. Rates from £277 per room per night; castelfalfi.com. Always check government guidelines before travel

‘Psychologies’ readers

To order,