Agriturismo Ristoro del Cavaliere

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about Agriturismo Ristoro del Cavaliere? The silence. I mean, you’re up in these rolling hills around Piazza al Serchio – honestly, most people zoom right past this area heading to the Cinque Terre – but you pull into Località Cortia Nicciano and it’s like the world just… stops. The gravel crunches under your tires, there’s this massive stone farmhouse ahead of you, and you can actually hear birds. When’s the last time you could hear birds at a hotel?

The whole place feels like someone’s nonna decided to open her family estate to guests, which is sort of what happened here. They’ve got this gorgeous restored building that must be centuries old – thick stone walls, wooden beams that creak just enough to remind you where you are – but they’ve done the renovations right. The rooms are comfortable without being fancy, and honestly, the beds are better than most four-star places I’ve stayed. What I loved was how they kept the character intact. My room had this tiny window that looked out over olive groves, and in the morning you’d catch the mist rolling through the valley below. The bathroom was modern enough (good water pressure, thank god), but they used local stone that made it feel like it belonged.

The restaurant is where this place really shines, though. They grow most of their own vegetables, and I watched the chef – turns out he’s the owner’s son – picking herbs from the garden before dinner service. The pasta is handmade, obviously, and their ragu… well, let’s just say I’m still thinking about it months later. They do this thing with wild boar that’s apparently a regional specialty, and the wine list is heavy on local bottles you’d never find back home. Breakfast happens on this terrace overlooking the valley, and if you time it right – I’m talking 7:30 AM in summer – you’ll have the whole view to yourself while the fog lifts off the mountains.

Practically speaking, you’ll want a car to get here (parking’s not a problem, just pull up wherever), and GPS gets a little confused with the address, but once you’re in Piazza al Serchio, just follow the signs toward Nicciano. It’s about twenty minutes from the main road, winding through these tiny villages that haven’t changed much in decades. The staff speaks decent English, check-in was refreshingly casual, and they’re genuinely excited to share recommendations for hiking trails or day trips to Lucca.

Look, this isn’t the kind of place where you’ll find a spa or room service or any of that typical hotel stuff. But if you want to actually experience this part of Tuscany – the part that feels real, where you can walk medieval streets without crowds and eat dinner made from ingredients grown fifty feet away – this is it. That 9.3 rating makes sense when you realize what they’re actually offering: a chance to slow down somewhere beautiful and remember why you started traveling in the first place.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $114. Holiday Home with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $114. One-Bedroom House with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $114. One-Bedroom House with 1 single bed and 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $143. Two-Bedroom House with 2 × 1 single bed and 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $157. Two-Bedroom House with 1 double bed, 1 single bed and 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 4
• Estimated price from: $157. Two-Bedroom House with 1 double bed and 2 single beds for Max persons: 4
• Estimated price from: $257. Two-Bedroom House with 2 × 1 double bed and 2 × 1 bunk bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Superb – Tosca-louise from United Kingdom – 21 August 2024 (9/10)

  Stunning location, off the beaten path…a real community. Despite the rain, we were close to nature and able to really relax. Highly recommend eating at the restaurant, the food was freshly prepared and delicious! Rosita was extremely helpful, and great at communicating. A little gem!
  
  What could be improved: That we couldn't stay longer…

• Exceptional – Maija from Finland – 4 May 2024 (10/10)

  The hoast Rosita is awsome!
  
  What could be improved: Bugs

• Beautiful agriturismo – Camilla from Norway – 11 August 2023 (10/10)

  The agriturismo is beautifully located in the hills above Piazza al Serchio. The apartments/rooms are spread over a number of buildings in the small village of Cortia.
  You really need a car to stay here, but you can do hiking/biking straight from the door.
  The pool is lovely and everything is very clean.
  Roberto and his family and staff are very warm and inviting and we felt truly welcome.
  
  What could be improved: There was only a thin layer of planks between the loft where the two single beds were, and the main bedroom, meaning that you could hear EVERYTHING. No big problem but worth being aware of. Also, the stairs to the upstairs mezzanine/loft were very steep and might cause issues for some people (it didn't for us).

• Exceptional – Cesar from France – 11 August 2023 (10/10)

  Rosita and the rest of the team has been really great !
  
  What could be improved: Everything was great.

• Superb!! – Clelia from Italy – 3 August 2023 (9/10)

  The host family is very friendly and welcoming and the location is an ancient village in the middle of the mountains full of charm and tranquility. Here you have everything you need: a beautiful swimming pool, a large barbecue, a local restaurant with typical cuisine and a self-service vegetable garden! Perfect for relaxing!! Not far away are thermal baths, lakes and fresh waterfalls.
  
  What could be improved: N.A.

• We had a wonderful vacation. – Mette from Denmark – 24 July 2024 (10/10)

  Rosita, the owner, was extraordinary – very friendly, service-minded and efficient. The surroundings were fantastic – very beautiful in the middle of the mountains. A great place to relax (in the pool). Rosita and her mum's cooking was excellent – very tasty.

• Lovely view. Great for a 3 night stay with a pool. Need a car to get to this location. – Brian from United Kingdom – 2 August 2023 (7/10)

  Lovely views. Great for a 3 night stay with a pool.

• Fine settimana bellissimo – Lisa from Italy – 6 July 2025 (10/10)

  Secondo anno che passo un fine settimana qui ed è tutto veramente bellissimo tranquillo …io qui ritrovo la.mia pace la.mia tranquillità tutto bello pulito accogliente e Rosita una persona troppo gentile ed efficiente

• Esperienza indimenticabile. Grazie di cuore a Rosita – Camilla from Italy – 5 July 2025 (10/10)

  Abbiamo trascorso un soggiorno meraviglioso in questo agriturismo, immerso nella quiete della natura e circondato da paesaggi mozzafiato. Ma ciò che ha davvero reso speciale la nostra esperienza è stata Rosita, una persona eccezionale per professionalità, gentilezza e calore umano.
  
  Rosita ci ha accolti con un sorriso sincero e ci ha fatto sentire come a casa fin dal primo istante. Sempre disponibile, attenta a ogni dettaglio, con una parola gentile per tutti e una passione autentica per il suo lavoro che si percepisce in ogni gesto. Grazie a lei il soggiorno ha avuto un’anima: ogni consiglio, ogni attenzione hanno contribuito a creare un clima familiare e rilassato.
  
  Un altro aspetto che abbiamo apprezzato moltissimo è stata l’accoglienza riservata al nostro cane. È stato accolto con affetto e naturalezza, ha potuto godersi gli spazi aperti in tutta tranquillità e libertà, senza restrizioni inutili ma sempre nel rispetto del luogo. È bello trovare strutture dove anche gli animali vengono considerati parte della famiglia!
  
  La piscina è un vero gioiello: pulitissima, circondata dal verde e perfettamente integrata nel contesto naturale. Ideale per rilassarsi dopo una giornata di escursioni o semplicemente per godersi il silenzio e il sole. I lettini comodi, la vista aperta sulla montagna e la tranquillità dell’ambiente la rendono un angolo di puro benessere.
  
  La struttura è curata, pulita, autentica: un vero agriturismo dove si respira la tradizione e l’amore per la terra. L’appartamento in cui abbiamo soggiornato era ben tenuto, funzionale e arredato con gusto semplice ma accogliente.
  
  
  Consigliatissimo sotto ogni punto di vista. E ancora grazie, Rosita: persone come te fanno la differenza ❤️

• Superb – Lucia from Italy – 23 June 2025 (9/10)

  Posizione stupenda, clima ideale, personale riservato ma molto disponibile, struttura incantevole.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities