Italian villas, apartments and bed and breakfast accommodation - Il Paradiso di Frassina, Tuscany

Il Paradiso di Frassina is a traditional country estate only 5km from the famous wine-town of Montalcino, south of Siena. At the heart of the estate is the old stone farmhouse, its cellars, storerooms and outbuildings, all carefully refurbished and offering a variety of vacation accommodation. The villa itself sleeps up to ten guests, but there are also two self-catering apartments (sleeping 2 and 4 respectively) and bed and breakfast accommodation.

The farmhouse lies in a natural amphitheatre of vineyards, and has splendid views of the Sienese landscape, the charming hill town of Montalcino and gentle rolling hills of golden corn and sunflowers. The farm and buildings have been restored by Diana Grandi and the well-known winemaker Carlo Cignozzi, and have been returned to their original purpose: the production and storage of fine wines. Indeed, the vacation accommodation and services are geared towards those who want to discover the rich culinary and vinous delights of this part of Tuscany.

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Your stay at Paradiso offers an opportunity to understand the lifecycle of wine: from vine to bottle, with visits to top vineyards and wineries, wine tastings, and gourmet meals. Visits to sites of artistic and historical importance will lend an insight into the ancient culture of Siena and Tuscany, while cooking lessons will let you take away more than a memory of the area's rich cuisine.

This is a lovely, scenic part of Tuscany, with a gentle landscape of rolling hills, golden fields, olive groves and vineyards. It is notable for several wines, especially the marvellous reds of Montalcino and Montepulciano. To the north, within easy daytripping distance, lies the ancient city of Siena (Sienna) and the wineries of Chianti - Italy's most famous wine region.

Southern Siena is a tranquil land dotted with ancient churches and little villages, and is within reasonable driving distance of the vast nature reserves of Grosseto and the Maremma to the west, and the birdlife and water sports of Lake Trasimeno (Umbria) to the east.