Bleary-eyed my husband and I drove 3 hours to Tuscany after an overnight flight to Rome. We turned our too small rental car off the highway and onto a gravel drive lined on both sides with cypress trees. Dating back more than 270 years, the hilltop Casetta Firenze sits on 100 acres of farmland in Scandicci, just 9 miles outside of Florence, making this a fine base for exploring the Tuscan countryside and its wine-rich hills.

Casetta offers travelers a little piece of their own Tuscan idyll. The 5 -room boutique country house is a charmer-and an ideal place to enjoy rural seclusion. Not quite a hotel and not quite a villa stay, Casetta is something delightfully in between.

Owner Xenia Lemos originally came to Italy to study. She inherited the property from her uncle and over many years transformed it from a working farm into a luxury agriturismo. The Casetta is a wonderful choice for a celebratory gathering with the family or to share with a group of friends. As everything at Casetta is top tier, it will not be difficult to convince anyone to join you.

The farm house retains is original, honey brick walls, terra cotta floors and wood beams. The rooms are airy and pared back and done up in an elegant Italian country style with tasteful antiques, colorful modern artwork, and just-cut flowers. Our bathroom was huge with a stand-alone marble bath tub and a perfectly framed vista of fields and forest. The grounds feature lots of alfresco corners to relax including a salt water infinity pool, a kitchen garden, a wood-fired pizza oven and a grove of 1000 olive trees to wander.

The highlight of our stay was a stunning sunset dinner made by the resident chef which we enjoyed while gazing at the umber horizon. The cooking at Casetta is seasonal and everything comes from small, local producers . Our rustic feast included a nectarine and burrata salad and a mint and basil pesto pasta, all crowned by a glorious wood grilled bistecca Fiorentina and grilled tomatoes- and a tasty bottle of Chianti.

What really makes Casetta exceptional is that every detail has been carefully considered by Xenia- she is passionate about sharing this corner of Tuscany with her guests and she has a network of local experts to recommend. On site, there is the option of taking part in pizza or pasta-making classes as well as a wine-tasting seminar. Xenia can also arrange biking, horseback riding, and truffle hunting excursions. Or spend the afternoons touring the local wineries- Xenia knows the very best ones and most importantly what is the best route to get there (cell phone service can be spotty here).

In the morning, my husband and I lingered over our breakfast on the terrace; an abundant spread of fresh baked local cakes, frittata, prosciutto and cheese, melons, homemade jam and strong Italian coffee. We were the the guests that did not want to leave, but in truth, our dreamy stay at Casetta Firenze lasted just 18 hours. There are worst ways to spend a first night in Italy.

Casetta Firenze; Via Roveta 12; San Vicenzo A Torri; 50018 Scandicci, Italy

*Sponsored stay, but as always all opinions are entirely my own.