The "Azienda Agrituristica" Lucignanello Bandini is situated in the southernmost tip of Tuscany, in the tiny village of Lucignano d'Asso, an half hour's drive from Siena.

The hamlet consists of two stony roads, two churches, a castle, a quaint little store and a number of smaller houses that look out across rolling fields and patches of woodland towards the reassuring outline of Mount Amiata, a visual point of reference for many miles around. The muted pinks, beiges and pale ochers of Lucignano's ancient walls perfectly harmonize with the palette of the "Crete Senesi", the Sienese Claylands whose rich, pliant soil forms the body of those warm-hued terracotta pots and urns that are a feature of the area.

Under the skillful guidance of Paolo Alberto Rossi, one of Italy's foremost experts in architectural restoration, the five houses: Casa Maria, Casa Severino, Casa Clementina, Casa Amedeo, Casa Remo within the hamlet and the independent villa, Casale Sarageto, all show how interior space, the building materials that contain it and the landscape outside can be reconciled in a constant interplay of light, color and form. Even the swimming pools blend in with their surroundings.

With finest furnishings, each home offers a beautifully balanced mixture of texture and tone: the pale-beige of local travertine, the warm hues of terracotta, seasoned wood, trompe-l'oeil motifs, unusual hand-painted ceramics, hessian, canvans, pale jacquard textiles and bright printed cottons.

While other parts of Tuscany have developed industries that have done much the economy but little for the landscape, the area of the "Crete Senesi" and the neighboring Val d'Orcia have largely remained true to their early agricultural vocation. Today this means local products of outstanding quality, made with traditional methods and skills that are handed down from father to son.

The best-known of these are doubtless Montalcino's distinguished Brunello red wine and the Vino Nobile of Montepulciano, both of which accompany to perfection dishes based on the game that is so abundandt in the area: pheasant, quail, hare, wild boar... not to mention the trouffles and wild mushrooms.

Likewise, the Pecorino cheeses made with ewe's milk from the Pienza pastures are now in demand among gourmets at home and abroad.

More recently, discerning palates have come to take a particular interest in the exceptionally fine olive oil pressed from olives grown on the hillsides between Lucignano, Montisi, Trequanda and Castelmuzio, where the quality of the soil, the dry air and light breeze ensure that no chemical treatments are required to obtain an optimal crop of fruit.

The "Azienda Lucignanello Bandini" is rightly proud of the award-winning cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil obtained from olives grown on the family property at Lucignano d'Asso.

Frantoio or Correggiolo, Leccino, Moraiolo and Pendolino are the olives produced by the olive-grove of Lucignano d'Asso. Our extra virgin olive oil come from those qualities of olives.

During all working stages we wanted to respect the tradition to safeguard each natural qualities of the product.