Hotel La Chiusa in Montefollonico becomes a magnet

The ristorante and hotel, La Chiusa, located in Montefollonico, Tuscany, is situated in the hills southeast of Siena. It is an old farmhouse converted into fifteen unique rooms with the fantastic bonus of operating one of the best restaurants in Italy. The owners, Dania Masotti and Umberto Lucherini, are two of the friendliest and most charming personalities you will come across and Dania is also an excellent chef. She also offers cooking classes and has written a cookbook based on her culinary skills and knowledge.

On our first visit to Italy over twenty years ago, we stayed at this hotel which was and still is recommended by “Karen Brown Travel Adventures”. Our room and view were perfect and it had a large bathtub which is an unusual feature. The people, the atmosphere, the room, the views and above all the gastronomic experience have left an indelible mark on us after all these years.

The second visit to La Chiusa was not a planned return and only happened because when we arrived at our hotel, Residenza d’Arte in Torrita di Siena during riposo (siesta time) we found that everything was closed for the afternoon. We were hungry after a long journey so we set out to find the suggested alternatives and somehow our “Travel Angels” guided us back and forth until we literally stumbled upon the family owned La Chiusa farm.

We approached the gentlemen who were sitting at a table doing errands and said “we stayed here eight years ago. Is it possible to get some bread, cheese and maybe a glass of wine at this time of day?”

Umberto looked up, smiled and said “I remember you!” We were skeptical, to say the least, but it turns out he has a weird memory and he wasn’t kidding. “Please sit at the table under the chestnut tree and we’ll bring you something to eat.”

The view from under the chestnut tree led to an orchard of olive trees and rolling hills topped by a medieval castle in the distance. Umberto’s spontaneous lunch began with excellent Friulian wine and continued with warm baked bread and handmade regional delicacies representing some of the specialties of Tuscany.

Finally we raised our hands and said “enough” (enough) we can’t eat anymore…

The experience was magical, the food was “simple” and spectacular. The way we were treated was the epitome of Italian warmth. They endeared us to them. We promised to come back one day and added it to our wish list.

Returning to Tuscany with two bucket list items in our sights

Establishment of a base camp in Spoleto

Two of the main benefits of using a vacation rental over a hotel are cost savings and more spacious rooms. Since the unit cost per night is more reasonable, you can make an overnight trip to another town by simply packing a small bag, leaving most of your luggage in a locked apartment and ready to go. We opted to return to La Chiusa.

Bucket List Item #1 – Rent a Vintage Car to Tour Tuscany, Italy

We searched the Internet and found that “zephyrus-classic-car-rental.com” had the best selections, reasonable prices, and was the best answer to our many questions. We selected his Duetto Osso di Seppia, which is a 1966 Alfa Romeo (no… not the one of “The Graduate” fame because it was already reserved). The company also offers travel tours and other organized events, but being the independent guys, we opted for a solo rental plan.

Booking the car was a challenge and also a leap of faith. We had to prepay the rental fee with a credit card (which added some level of security) and we kept an open line of communication with the Zephyrus team. They were very responsive, but you never know until you get there and see the car. “Meet us in the town of ‘Chiusi Chianciano Terme’ at the train station and look for a red Alfa”… another leap of faith. Will they be there?

We exited the Autostrada at Chiusi and started checking our GPS and road signs for railway markers, but it wasn’t necessary as Matteo anticipated our possible confusion and met us on the exit ramp. We followed him to the parking lot where we would leave our Hertz rental. We signed some papers and he gave us a few mechanical instructions and “Oh yeah, your GPS will work…the lighter is right there.” And he left with a cheerful “CIAO”.

And there we sit, in this old car whose exterior was certainly cherry, but whose interior left a lot to be desired… we’re talking original 1966. OK, so we’re familiar with the clutch, brakes, mirrors, and we’re ready to dive right in. in the Tuscan countryside… connected to the GPS, but, sorry, the cigarette lighter doesn’t work. Well, we have a map and we know where we are going.

Driving a classic Italian car has its moments, to say the least. The gears were “grinding”, the clutch is hydraulic and very stiff, smelly exhaust fumes waft into the car and you start to think… what the hell are we doing?

The Why – Drive a classic car in Tuscany

Cruising down century old country roads and gazing out over the Tuscan hillside in a red 1966 Alfa is simply so much fun that any car enthusiast has to experience it for themselves. This Alfa had a 1570cc variation of the Alfa Romeo four-cylinder, twin-overhead-cam engine, coupled with dual side-draft Weber two-barrel carburetors that, all said and done, produced 109 horsepower at 6000 rpm, packaged in a body of 2183 pounds. When you added the five-speed manual transmission, disc brakes, and an independent front suspension, you got a classic look and a pretty cool ride. It drew so many people that they waved at us and other cars gave us the right of way…apparently Italians still love this car.

Getting lost in a foreign country, with just a map and a smile, adds a little excitement to your day. As a possible solution, we fired up the iPhone and Google Maps to find our way to La Chiusa and discovered the stark reality that cellular coverage is spotty… joyless and with no lasting signal. Let’s go back to asking locals for directions using the car as a conversation magnet.

The “driver” specifically asked the “navigator” not to go into a big city and to avoid traffic at all costs. So naturally we ended up in Montepulciano at its busiest traffic junction and at the busiest time of day! Driving a vintage car in the country is so much more fun than sitting in traffic on an uphill incline, and the reflection of the front end of a tour bus right on its bumper in the rear view mirror put an interesting spin on the day. va bene (so be it)!

Bucket List Item #2 – Return to La Chiusa in Style

We have all heard the expression “third time lucky” and so it was in La Chiusa.

We arrive at La Chiusa at the end of the afternoon, park the Alfa and look for a glass of wine to celebrate the survival of this part of the adventure. We enjoyed a spacious room, with a fabulous view and a deep soaking tub! We then proceeded to have a gourmet Tuscan meal prepared by Dania and hosted by Umberto.

Our gracious hosts helped us celebrate our wedding anniversary by making a “special” cake for dessert. Together with fine drinks after dinner and singing Italian songs until late at night… we really had a unique celebration.

Owners Dania Masotti and Umberto Lucherini represent the essence of Italian warmth and hospitality.

After all, what’s the rush… get inspired.

© Inspired Travel Itineraries with Bob and Janice Kollar