When Christian Scali and Stephen Lewis first set foot in Chianti, Tuscany, you could say it was love at first sight. Villa Ardore – which draws its name from both the Italian word for passion and the tiny Calabrian town Scali’s grandparents’ family came from – is the former 16th-century farmhouse that the couple have lovingly renovated to become a site of contemporary luxury and rustic Tuscan culture, and a place where immersion in and preservation of the local landscape is an enduring priority.
WHERE LUXURY MEETS TUSCAN AUTHENTICITY
Halfway between Florence and Siena and only a short distance from each, Villa Ardore is a private escape in the heart of the Tuscan countryside.
Set within the Chianti Classico zone and perched atop the highest hill in the area, the property is surrounded on three sides by deep, verdant forest, complemented by an unobstructed view to the south over miles of rolling hills covered by vineyards, framing distant mountains.
“Even after several years, the view continues to take our breath away,” introduces Christian Scali, co-Founder of the villa with partner, Stephen Lewis.
“Honestly, it’s hard to put into words what made us fall in love with the Tuscan countryside. Obviously, the outstanding natural beauty was a big part of it – everywhere one looks there’s a scene that could be a postcard or painting,” Lewis adds.
A fundamentally rural place, with artisanal agriculture – such as wineries, olive groves, and sheep farms for pecorino cheese – being central to daily life, Chianti is a region close to the Earth, with the rhythm of one’s days dictated by the seasons.
“There’s something about the pace of life here that immediately made us want to stay – it’s a place that puts us in touch with our humanity and what’s really important in life,” Scali reflects.
A welcome change from the couple’s busy, always-on-the-go life in Los Angeles, they decided to set up shop in a place where tranquillity meets rustic, natural beauty.
“There’s something about the pace of life here that immediately made us want to stay – it’s a place that puts us in touch with our humanity and what’s really important in life”
Christian Scali, co-Founder, Villa Ardore
RUSTIC AUTHENCICITY MEETS MODERNITY
Setting itself apart from other luxury vacation villas in the region, Villa Ardore marries an unmistakably Tuscan 500-year-old farmhouse with the highest modern standards of comfort.
“It’s very easy to find authentic, characteristic villas throughout Tuscany – but given their age, they may have uncomfortable chairs, squeaky beds, inadequate heating, limited internet access, or lack air conditioning during the hot summer months,” Lewis sets out.
“One can also find more luxe, comfortable accommodation – but with little to no local Tuscan character,” Scali adds.
In this way, Villa Ardore’s plethora of modern amenities – such as underfloor heating, air conditioning, bedside USB ports, custom-made, ultra-comfortable mattresses and bed linens, high-speed internet, a private on-site spa, and a heated infinity-edge swimming pool – in a deeply authentic Tuscan setting truly differentiates the property.
It also provides a daily breakfast and chef service, with Breakfast Manager Salvatore hailing from the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence to bring a 5-star level of service to the Tuscan countryside along with his own personal touch.
Furthermore, chef Roberto Miceli, who prepares lunches and dinners, is amongst the best in the region and also teaches at the Florence Culinary Arts School where he is training the next generation of chefs to follow in his footsteps.
“Roberto’s deep grounding in traditional Tuscan and Neapolitan cuisine and his own personal mark of creativity set his dishes apart,” Scali prides.
Further distinguishing Villa Ardore is its commitment to environmental sustainability, which has grown from both Founders’ true appreciation of the beauty of the surrounding countryside, making it a place where the preservation of the local landscape is an enduring priority.
“We’ve already eliminated single-use plastics and are now turning our attention to bigger-ticket items,” Scali insights.
For example, this winter, a solar electricity system is being installed that will fully power the villa even during the peak summer season.
A water-capture system is also on the cards, capturing roof run-off water for irrigating the landscape to save a substantial amount of water each year.
LIVE LIKE A LOCAL
Offering a wild foraging experience for its guests each autumn, Villa Ardore seeks to blend five-star comfort with Earth-connected, hands-on authenticity.
“Autum is a magical season in Tuscany and whilst it’s not the only season when wonderful foods grow wild all around the villa, we think it’s the best,” Lewis smiles.
As the surrounding forest becomes filled with porcini mushrooms and beautiful, subtly flavoured corbezzolo fruit – which makes excellent jam – the local landscape is transformed.
Whilst not exclusively in the realm of foraging, chestnuts and figs are also locally abundant in autumn, with the latter appearing at the beginning of the season, and chestnuts closer to the end.
“And then, of course, there is the truffle – probably the most prized reward of the forager,” he excites.
During the foraging experience, maintaining authenticity is a concept that is extremely important.
“When we’re talking about mushrooms, wild fruits, or chestnuts, we’re gathering them, but when we’re talking about truffles, we’re hunting them; it’s an important distinction,” Scali outlines.
Truffles are rare, hence their high price, and exceedingly difficult to find, and one can expect to be looking for hours and not find anything on a given day.
“It is sadly common for many who offer truffle hunting experiences to bury a truffle and lead a tourist directly to it. Whilst providing the satisfaction of seeming to have ‘found something’, this is not an authentic experience and the ‘satisfaction’ comes only from having been deceived,” he warns.
Both Lewis and Scali respect their guests too much to do such a thing; at Villa Ardore, when one finds a truffle, it is due to their own abilities, making it the experience not of a tourist, but a traveller living like a local.
Of course, when returning home to the villa with fresh mushrooms, fruits, or chestnuts – with or without a truffle – one finds all the creature comforts Villa Ardore has become known for.
EDUCATION, ECOLOGY, AND ENCHANTMENT
Led by guida ambientale escursionistica (GAE) – local certified environmental hiking guides – Villa Ardore’s foraging tours combine education, ecology, and enchantment.
“The guides we work with are storytellers of the land, trained in ecology and environmental preservation, whilst our chef translates their knowledge into flavour,” Lewis tells us.
Each foraging experience blends learning with discovery, sharing with guests a deep knowledge about local ecosystems, soil health, and seasonality in a hands-on way.
Every session is conducted with the utmost respect for nature’s rhythms, taking only what’s abundant and following regional guidelines to ensure that what is gathered and how remains consistent with the health of the local landscape and wildlife.
“We adhere to these principles even beyond the foraging experience – values of respect for the land and how it sustains us are evident in the work that our Groundskeeper, Riccardo Vigni, does daily,” he emphasises.
Vigni preserves the property’s flora to the highest aesthetic standards whilst also ensuring that the entire property stays in constant harmony with nature.
At the end of a day of foraging, guests are invited to engage in an al fresco fire dining experience that enables them to not only admire the local landscape but taste it.
“Whether enjoyed al fresco, sheltered under our pergola, or from the warmth of the villa, the experience completes the circle – guests cook and savour what they have gathered with their own hands. It doesn’t get more seasonal, or more local, than that,” Scali details.
Freshly prepared olive oil, artisanal cheeses, and selected cuts from the trusted local butcher accompany dishes that capture the essence of Tuscan autumn – a true taste of the season in every sense.
“It’s hard to express how much we love Villa Ardore. Our priority this coming year, as always, is maintaining the eternal life of the villa so others can fall in love with it too”
Stephen Lewis, co-Founder, Villa Ardore
THE ETHICS OF SUSTAINABILITY
In terms of its farm-to fork and eco-conscious outlook, Villa Ardore is currently undertaking important renovations to save water and operate as much as possible on exclusively renewable energy that it produces on-site through solar power.
The villa is also replacing gas-powered boilers with electric-powered heat pumps that will not only preserve energy but provide more instantaneous hot water, further reducing water usage.
“We have never and will never use chemical pesticides on the property, which means that all fruit, vegetables, and herbs grown here are immediately consumable,” Lewis highlights.
As the property’s owners, a commitment to the environment is as important to both Lewis and Scali as it is to all staff.
“For example, Riccardo would be aghast at the idea of using chemical pesticides, even if we didn’t share his commitment to the environment, which of course we do,” Scali adds.
Roberto, meanwhile, exclusively uses fresh, local, seasonal, and organic ingredients in his cooking, and the same is true of Villa Ardore’s resident Pizzaiolo, Gianluca Bartolotta.
The property also bears the cultural environment in mind when choosing its suppliers, partnering with artisanal, family-owned wineries that follow sustainable farming practices whilst still producing wines of award-winning quality.
“This ethic of sustainability runs through everything we do,” Scali boldly states.
A HOME-FROM-HOME
Looking ahead, environmental improvements are at the top of the Founders’ priorities.
The couple are also creating a news fitness facility on the property, which will include treadmills, a stair climber, and a variety of both free weights and exercise machines.
“Even whilst making these improvements, we are concentrating on ensuring that Villa Ardore maintains its character as a home,” Lewis reflects.
Both he and Scali are keen to point out that the property is by no means a hotel or resort, and they don’t want it to feel like one – despite their ability to provide a level of service that perhaps surpasses that of many 5-star establishments.
“The Villa Ardore property is only offered in its entirety to one family or group of friends at a time, and it is our goal to ensure each individual that stays here feels they are in their own private sanctuary – their own Tuscan home,” Scali underscores.
In 2026, both Founders eagerly anticipate welcoming families who have already made Villa Ardore their home-away-from-home and are returning for a second or third time – as well as those coming for their first visit.
“It’s hard to express how much we love Villa Ardore. Our priority this coming year, as always, is maintaining the eternal life of the villa so others can fall in love with it too,” Lewis passionately concludes.