Christmas in Chianti, by the fire in your own villa

In winter Chianti goes quiet. The vines are bare, smoke rises from farmhouse chimneys, and on clear days the hills stand out sharply against a pale sky. Christmas here is a family affair centred on the table: crostini, pasta in broth, a roast, and panforte with vin santo, followed at New Year by cotechino and lentils, eaten for prosperity in the months ahead.

Florence and Siena, both within reach, are at their most local in December. Among the 94 villas below, three restored houses on a hillside below Panzano include two with heated indoor pools, so a winter swim is possible; near Greve, one of four stone houses in oak woods has a grand piano beside an open fire; and a 16th century ducal estate above Figline Valdarno looks across to the Apennines, sometimes dusted with snow.

At a glance

• 94 private villas
• From 2 to 20 bedrooms
• Up to 41 guests in one villa
• 92 with a private pool
• 32 with a cook or staff
• Availability and price on request, reply within one working day