Tiny Atlas Quarterly at Le Porciglia
Photographers Emily Nathan, Alexis Doyle and Raquel Guiu of Tiny Atlas Quarterly report back from a divinely peaceful weekend in the multi-hued Tuscan hills.
- Category
- First Person
- Written by
- Tiny Atlas Quarterly
- Published
- April 30, 2024
Tiny Atlas Quarterly here, sharing some images and impressions from an April retreat to Colle di Val d’Elsa, a hamlet about 30 minutes northwest of Siena, about an hour from Florence, or three hours from Rome. We stayed at Le Porciglia, a classic Tuscan villa set atop one of the area’s countless rolling hills.
Photo: Alexis Doyle @alexiskdoyle @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Alexis Doyle @alexiskdoyle @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Raquel Guiu @rachelweider @tinyatlasquarterly
You access the home via a winding dirt road. Make sure to slow down when approaching so not to miss it from the main roadway. Taking the turn, we were greeted with sweeping vistas of wildflowers and cypress-lined hills. About a five-minute drive off the main road, the villa is secluded in a world of its own.
Photo: Raquel Guiu @rachelweider @tinyatlasquarterly
Every view from the property is pristine. The showstopper is the infinity pool located on the property’s west end. The turquoise and stone pool glows in the midday sun especially and is set beside a dreamy pool house (as in house, with a full kitchen, dining room and loft suite) enclosed by trees.
Photo: Alexis Doyle @alexiskdoyle @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Alexis Doyle @alexiskdoyle @tinyatlasquarterly
The beauty of the surrounding nature was carried indoors with decor elements that had an organic feel, such as olive and cypress trees and traditional ceramic pine cones. Windows act as picture frames of the countryside buzzing directly outside the panes.
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Alexis Doyle @alexiskdoyle @tinyatlasquarterly
The grandest space in the villa undoubtedly is the double-height living room. The color palette of linen and stone is all soft neutrals, with surprising vintage textures and globally-inspired objects throughout.
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
We made the most of our time at Le Porciglia by waking up at sunrise to capture the romantic light sweeping across the hills and moving throughout the elegant space. The property looked different at each time of day, and the weather moved as fast as the light. From delicate morning fog snaking its way through the terrain to surprise spring showers creating patterns on the surface of the pool.
Photo: Raquel Guiu @rachelweider @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Alexis Doyle @alexiskdoyle @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
What left the strongest impression here was the absence of urban noise. We had the hills to ourselves save for the chirping of birds, the rustle of olive tree leaves, and the buzzing of bumblebees.
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
In the rustic kitchen, the classic tools transport you back in time, evoking a sense of tradition and authenticity. In our meals, we used olive oil pressed from the trees on the property.
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
On our second evening, we had pizzas made-to-order by Ilaria and a young pizzaiolo, Matteo. They lit a pile of wood in the garden stone oven in the afternoon, and we watched as it turned to coals and smoke as we shot through golden hour into sunset. Each pizza was fixed with homemade tomato sauce and all the toppings we could ask for, including fresh herbs from the garden. A sunset after a brief rainstorm made for the perfect backdrop to enjoy it.
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
As a group of photographers, we have a special appreciation for the often overlooked details—the play of shadows from the trees on the front facade of the house, the warm glow of sunlight filtering through the windows.
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
We arrived at Le Porciglia on a Friday, and on Saturday we made the trip into Siena to wander about for a bit and experience this gem of a city, as it was new to all of us. We were enthralled with its dramatic beauty—from the winding medieval streets to the magnificent Duomo. The central piazza buzzed with life as people sprawled about on its expanse and soaked up the mid-afternoon sun.
Photo: Raquel Guiu @rachelweider @tinyatlasquarterly
Photo: Emily Nathan @ernathan @tinyatlasquarterly
Our dinners were accompanied by the house 2009 Le Porciglia red, made from the grapes that grow in neat rows lining the property. Earthy and rich, the wine went well with the views of a tangerine-hued sunset over the hills.
STAY: Le Porciglia
FOLLOW: Tiny Atlas Quarterly
