Visit to a 14th-century Tuscan farmhouse is a feast for the senses

We checked into Cretaiole for eight days with no itinerary other than to get in our rental car every day and explore the countless medieval villages that dot the region. Just a few kilometers away were Montepulciano, known for its ruby red Vino Nobile, and Montalcino, with its famed Brunello wine. Siena is just a 45-minute drive to the north. We envisioned a slow week of mouthwatering cuisine, breathtaking scenery, and sweet, welcoming people. We were not disappointed. Tuscany in the early autumn casts a spell similar to Martha's Vineyard, Napa Valley, or southern France. After a day or two, you are immersed and enthralled and cannot imagine ever leaving.

We didn't have to travel far to reap the best moments of the trip. The Moricciani family are farmers who live in Pienza and decided to renovate one of the myriad ancient sandstone farmhouses that are perched on nearly every hilltop. The agriturismo, or country farmhouse, has become a popular lodging alternative for Americans as well as European travelers over the past decade.

Cretaiole was the first agriturismo in the area, and it is divided into six apartments, which can each accommodate up to six people. Though completely redone with modern plumbing, kitchenettes, and amenities, the farmhouse retains its rustic beauty and unique architectural features from the 1300s. It also has the added mystique of sitting on land once inhabited by the Etruscans, the admired but enigmatic ancients who populated this part of Italy before the Romans.