Ospitality
Life at the Fontino starts every morning with the crowing of Alcione, our reigning rooster; and waking up after a long rejuvenating sleep is always welcome when you know this kind of breakfast awaits you – fresh bread, steaming coffee and tea, home baked cakes, handmade jams, cheese and other fresh local produce, most of them coming directly from the property like eggs and cured meats. Breakfast is usually served in the main hall but you are more than welcome to enjoy it in the garden and listen to the morning songs of native birds.
There are many activities to choose from for the rest of the morning – you could relax by the pool, go for a run or a bike ride among the fields, join a Tai-chi class or simply go for a stroll down by the lake. The little timber peer stretches out towards the middle of the lake and is the perfect place for sunbaking, reading a book or to follow the activities of our waterbirds.
And why not take the opportunity to learn some Italian with Donella, who offers tuitions for all levels.
While our restaurant is closed for lunch, we are more than happy to prepare a cold meal for you using the best local produce such as buffalo mozzarella and our own prosciutto, should you wish to stay at the Tenuta.
There’s plenty to do in the afternoon in and around the property from relaxing massage sessions by the lake with Natalie to more energetic activities such as horse riding. Whether you are learning and taking lessons or looking for an adventurous excursion through the Mediterranean bush you’ll find the experience and enjoyment you’re after. Organised guided tours on foot or on mountain bike are also a possibility, including private guided tours of our farm that end in the cellar with a degustation of our wines and produces after taking you through vineyards, farm machinery, chickens, turkeys, goats and pigs.
And for a quick escape, the beach is only an easy 15 km drive away, with its choice of sand, rocks or pebbles and Blue Flag winning pristine waters.
If you find yourself walking around or near the Villa in the middle of the afternoon you’ll be intrigued by the delicate aroma coming from the kitchen where our cook, Eleonora, is busy preparing for dinner. Smells and flavours are an important part of this place and of the environment that surrounds us. We like to enrich the experience of peacefulness and wellbeing of our guests with the pleasure of simple food, prepared following old traditional Tuscan recipes – soups, pasta, dumplings, meat, game, seafood, and delicious cakes.
At the end of the day, the nearby Massa Marittima showcases one of the best piazzas of Tuscany, not to be missed for an evening aperitivo or a gelato.
history
Lake Accesa is a small, round blue jewel set in the green of the Maremma countryside mostly known for its Etruscan settlement still visible today. The natural underground water system that provides the lake with constant warm waters, also feeds a most precious and best kept secret treasure: our private lake. A peaceful oasis protected by the forest and by the unspoken rules of the estate, which invite guests to respect the rhythms of nature, its sounds and its silence.
The estate with its Villa dating back to the 1800s was bought by the actual owner Mrs Heidi Puntscher in the early 90s who saw in the pristine landscape, the mild climate and the proximity to the sea and other places of interest the possibility to turn this almost abandoned property into the renowned holiday destination that it is now.
Heidi has brought to the Fontino years of family experience in the hospitality industry while keeping a practical, down-to-earth approach in preserving all the beauties and benefits that the place naturally offered.
The Villa, which is also the main building, was the first to be restored together with the adjacent buildings where it is still easy to identify the original layout of this noble holiday home, with decorated high ceiling rooms and halls, the private chapel and the servants’ quarters.
A separate building within the property has been restored in recent years to give room to six holiday apartments where the simplicity of Tuscan country life is enhanced by refined artistic elegance.
In addition to accommodation and recreational facilities, the property which now covers an area of approximately 700 hectares, is home to vineyards, orchards, vegetable patches, manicured gardens and thousands of olive trees.
Improvements are always on the agenda at the Tenuta, where we are striving to give our guests some extra comfort, and one more reason to return.
