La Darbia in Chianti

Among centuries-old olive trees, vineyards and lavender-covered hills near Panzano, La Darbia in Chianti gives new life to an ancient Tuscan hamlet. Seventeen suites unfold through three historic farmhouses, where old stone, timber and traditional materials meet understated contemporary design, while olive oil, honey and seasonal Tuscan cooking keep daily life closely connected to the surrounding land.

Story

Long before it became a hotel, La Darbia was a small hilltop hamlet in the Chianti countryside, its cluster of stone farmhouses shaped by the agricultural life that has defined these hills for centuries. The site is reported to date back to the 11th century, with its historic buildings surviving within a landscape of olive groves, woodland and farmland.

Its latest chapter began with Italian architect brothers Gian Carlo and Matteo Primatesta, the owners and creators of the original La Darbia on Lake Orta. Raised in rural Italy, the brothers approached the Tuscan property with the same belief that architecture should emerge from its landscape rather than compete with it. Over several years, they restored the hamlet using local materials, traditional craftsmanship and local artisans, deliberately allowing its old stone and original structures to remain visible.

Opening in 2026, the restored hamlet now holds just 17 suites across three historic farmhouses, surrounded by Mediterranean gardens, centuries-old olive trees and a three-hectare lavender field — preserving the intimacy and agricultural character of the original settlement.

Why we selected La Darbia Chianti

Tuscan ingredients stay at the heart of the table

The restaurant's cooking follows the seasons of the surrounding countryside and is explicitly centred around Tuscan ingredients, connecting what guests eat with the region they have come to experience.

The land remains productive

This is more than landscaped countryside: olive trees produce the estate's extra-virgin olive oil, while 40 beehives among some 40,000 lavender plants produce honey and help sustain the natural balance of the estate.

An ancient hamlet genuinely preserved

Rather than replacing the existing settlement, the Primatesta brothers restored its historic stone buildings with local materials and traditional craftsmanship, allowing centuries of history to remain visible.

Created by architects with a personal connection to rural Italy

Gian Carlo and Matteo Primatesta grew up surrounded by the Italian countryside, bringing an understanding of rural architecture and landscape to a project they both designed and own.

Local life & traditions

Life in Chianti has been shaped for centuries by the rhythms of wine, olives and the agricultural year. Around Panzano and Greve, vineyards and olive groves still climb the hills between stone farmhouses, parish churches and tiny fortified villages, while harvests such as the vendemmia and autumn olive picking continue to mark the seasons.

Wine is inseparable from local identity. This is the heartland of Chianti Classico, where generations of families have cultivated Sangiovese and where historic estates and smaller growers continue the region's winemaking traditions. Nearby, Impruneta is renowned for its centuries-old tradition of handmade terracotta, while villages such as Montefioralle and Volpaia preserve the medieval fabric of rural Tuscany.

La Darbia places guests within this living landscape. Its own olive oil and honey are produced from the estate, while the restaurant follows the Tuscan seasons — connecting the experience to the farming, food and craftsmanship that still give Chianti its distinctive character.

Authentic experiences in the area

Walk between ancient Tuscan villages

Explore Panzano and the Romanesque Pieve di San Leolino before venturing to medieval Montefioralle and Volpaia — experiencing the churches, piazzas and stone settlements that have characterised Chianti for centuries.

Taste the estate's own harvest

Discover La Darbia’s olive oil and honey, produced among its centuries-old olive trees, lavender fields and 40 resident beehives.

Meet the winemakers of Chianti Classico

Visit family-run vineyards around Panzano and Greve to understand Sangiovese, the vendemmia and the centuries of winemaking that have shaped these hills.

Discover traditional Tuscan terracotta

Visit the historic workshops of nearby Impruneta, where artisans continue to work the region’s distinctive clay using techniques passed through generations.

Protecting culture & land

Preservation at La Darbia began with the hamlet itself. Instead of clearing the site for a new resort, Gian Carlo and Matteo Primatesta restored its historic farmhouses using local materials, traditional craftsmanship and regional artisans, allowing the architecture's age and imperfections to remain visible.

The landscape remains productive too. Centuries-old olive trees provide extra-virgin olive oil, while around 40,000 lavender plants and 40 beehives form part of an agricultural project designed around the relationship between cultivation and pollinators.

That same philosophy reaches the kitchen, where the menu follows the seasons and uses Tuscan ingredients — keeping agriculture, local food and the historic landscape connected rather than treating them simply as scenery.

Location & surroundings

La Darbia lies in the hills between Greve and Panzano in Chianti, surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, woodland and historic villages in the heart of Chianti Classico country.

Panzano is around ten minutes away by car, while medieval Montefioralle, Volpaia and some of the region’s most respected wine estates are all nearby. Florence, Siena and San Gimignano can each be reached in roughly an hour, making the estate exceptionally well placed for exploring rural Tuscany.

Key details

Address

Via Case Sparse 16
50022 Greve in Chianti (FI)
Italy

Getting here

By car: Approximately 45–60 minutes from central Florence.

By plane: Florence Airport is the closest airport.

From Greve in Chianti: Around 1.5 km beyond Greve towards Panzano, before turning onto the estate's country road.

Facilities

Two panoramic saltwater infinity pools

Private wellness facilities in selected suites

Private gardens & pergolas in selected suites

Restaurant & outdoor terrace

Three-hectare lavender field & 40 beehives

Restaurant & outdoor terrace

More

17 individually designed suites across three historic farmhouses

Olive groves & estate-produced olive oil

Words from Gian Carlo Primatesta, Co-owner & Architect, La Darbia

“Those who are curious. Who want to experience and perceive our place in all its moods and nuances.”

Every stay booked direct keeps value with the people of this place, so they can reinvest in culture, community and land

We believe travel should give back more than it takes; that it can protect cultures, not erode them.

That is why we connect you directly with each hotel’s own website. By booking direct, value remains in the hands of those who shape these places, enabling reinvestment into local culture, community, and land.