Until our trip, I thought the images you see on Google searches for Tuscany promised too much. Cypress trees lining the roads, a hilly landscape in dozens of shades of green, world-famous wineries, and gorgeous medieval towns in prime locations – maybe that’s how it looks in a few selected places. I was wrong: Tuscany is exactly as you imagine it. No, wrong. Better. Tuscany is the quintessence of Italy.

The essence of Tuscany can be experienced perfectly at COMO Castello del Nero. The beautiful property is located between Florence and Siena in the world-famous Chianti region. This location offers countless opportunities for day trips, and the hotel’s „Experience“ menu offers a rich selection: Guests have the chance to immerse themselves in the local culture of wine and olive oil, truffle hunts and cooking lessons, rent a Vespa and a Fiat, take part in yoga classes and gelato courses, or greet the Tuscan sun from a hot air balloon. We take it easy and devote our full attention to relaxation and culinary delights. During the warm welcome, a glass of champagne on the express train puts us into relaxation mode, and we receive the keys. Whenever I enter a hotel room, I am magically drawn to the window and want to get an impression of the view. This is also the case when we move into one of the 50 rooms, and a Tuscan dream comes true: a postcard of two cypress trees in front of a green, misty landscape, framed by white shutters and curtains.

The COMO Castello Del Nero, nestled on the historic Del Nero family estate dating back to the 12th century, effortlessly combines the grandeur of a 5-star hotel with an authentic local charm. What defines the character of this hotel is, at its core, a quintessence of Italy: simplicity. It takes only a few ingredients to create the best pasta, the best pizza – little is needed for elegance.

Paola Navona, the Milan-based designer who reimagined the property in 2019, understands this well. If you delve into her work, you quickly grasp her approach, as she has a remarkable talent for reinventing historical design, making it shine anew in a contemporary context. The restrained design, rendered in white and gray tones, does not compete with the landscape but rather pays homage to this simplicity.

As soon as we arrive, we make our way to the pool, which I suspect will become my favorite spot in the hotel. It is here that the Castello del Nero truly reveals its splendor. The friendly barman, Miro, serves Negronis with a mastery that can only be described as world-class. He reminisces about his days as the owner of an Italian restaurant in Germany, enthusiastically discussing the „nectar of the gods,“ as my companion likes to refer to the drink in his hand.

Next on the program is Wine Tasting: DOCG Chianti Classico Story.
Together with 4 other guests, we gain a detailed insight into fantastic Chianti wines.
The expert presentation engages all participants, the delicious aperitif encourages conversation and the wine does the rest.
We maintain the convivial atmosphere by taking the remaining bottles of the sun-dripping wine into the garden and rounding off the early evening there.

We continue on to dinner at the hotel’s own Michelin-starred restaurant, La Torre. They say that years later, you no longer remember what someone said, what clothes they wore, or what job they did. What lingers is the feeling a person has triggered in us. I can no longer recount the number of courses or their exact contents from that evening (I remind readers of the earlier wine tasting) – but weeks later, I can still vividly recall how I felt: pure happiness.

It was a tribute to Tuscan cuisine – crafted with the finest ingredients, sourced from local farmers or directly from the estate’s organic garden.