Agriturismo Da Paola

We felt completely at home and looked after by Paola and her family, who were so warm, kind, and friendly. The farmhouse has a beautiful view, and both the indoor and outdoor spaces are kept spotless and in excellent shape. Breakfast was excellent, with fresh, quality ingredients, and dinner was even better, with generous portions and delicious food.

I picked this place because it was on the list of stays included in the gift box I was given. As we all know, it can be hard to be accepted when booking with a gift box, so I went along with the owner’s suggestion to add a night and use the box. I don’t think that’s fair, but apparently that’s how it works. Once that’s out of the way, we were greeted warmly and everyone was kind throughout. It was a good stay, with modest rooms and decent cleanliness. Dinner was the one downside. The cooking itself was flawless, but the cost hurt my wallet. There wasn’t a menu, at least not on paper, so it was hard to know what to expect. I try to be open to conversation, but then it’s hard for me to believe in flying donkeys. Anyway, we’ll leave it at that.

We spent five days at this countryside agriturismo, about 30 minutes from Feniglia beach and set back from the road. The antique furniture was fairly clean, but our room had no window. We had to sleep with the door open the whole time, with no privacy. I have a phobia of mosquitoes, so luckily we’d brought a mosquito net from home. It kept out the insects, especially the flies from being so close to the animal barn. Breakfast was meager, just three pieces of bread and a small slice of cake. The restaurant wasn’t always open. When we asked for dinner, we were served pici with cacio e pepe that was a complete letdown, just butter and pepper. We pointed out that there was no pecorino at all, but she still charged full price. The owner said it was in line with other restaurants, which is absolutely false. For us, this was a terrible choice: inconvenient and far from everything, with plenty of other places at the same price. I don’t recommend it.

We were looking for somewhere reasonably priced and not too far from Porto Santo Stefano for a weekend with friends, and Agriturismo da Paola matched what we wanted. It’s peaceful, the staff are friendly and hospitable, and it seems best suited to couples who aren’t after luxury, groups of young people, or families watching their budget. If you have a car, it’s a good base. Staying in Porto Santo Stefano would cost a lot more, while a 20-30 minute drive gets you to some of the loveliest coast and local biscuits. The property is tucked into the Maremma countryside, among hills and cultivated fields. If you don’t have allergies or a fear of insects, it’s very enjoyable, with bucolic views and plenty of quiet. The starry sky at night is especially lovely. From the garden around the three front rooms, numbers 4, 5, and 6, we even caught a glimpse of the Milky Way, something you’d never see in the city through all the light pollution. The rooms aren’t luxurious, and the furnishings are quite simple, but they’re less bare than you might expect from a farmhouse. We stayed in room number 5, with a mosquito net on the window, essential for somewhere like this. It had a large bathroom with a walk-in shower, a very comfortable double bed, a double-door wardrobe with drawers, and a charming little corner with a table, lamp, and huge wall mirror, perfect for women! The only small issues were the dim lighting even with the lights on, and no air conditioning. Only the most pampered would mind, though, since summer evenings are pleasant and we slept cool. We didn’t eat at the property apart from breakfast, since we spent our time exploring the area. Breakfast both mornings was lovely: crostini with butter and traditional jams, tasty local cured meats, homemade juices, and desserts. The agriturismo also has an agreement with a nearby restaurant, La Terrazza, which I highly recommend. We had typical Maremma dishes there on our first evening and loved it. Everything from starters to dessert was top-notch, and the price was very reasonable. Paola is definitely the place’s strongest point. She’s delightful, sociable, and well-mannered, and was always available, whether it was something small like putting two bottles of water in the freezer for our coolers or giving us a bottle of sparkling wine as a farewell on our last day. She made us feel at home without being intrusive or annoying. I highly recommend staying here, and if we plan another weekend in Monte Argentario, we’ll definitely come back.