Many tourists visit Tuscany by basing themselves in its capital, Florence. But the April-September crush of tourists can become wearying. Instead, we decided to stay in the Chianti countryside, the area between Florence and Siena, where we could make day trips in a rental car. Lodgings in the countryside can be quite affordable, and are far more charming than the hotels in Florence.

We were briefly tempted to stay at Villa Vicchiomaggio, the spectacular estate where Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh frolicked in the film Much Ado About Nothing. In the end, however, we chose an agriturismo, a general term that means "farmhouse holiday." Essentially, these types of establishments are bed-and-breakfasts on farms or vineyards. The cost and quality of agriturismo accommodations range widely; some offer amenities such as swimming pools and wine cellars while others include just a room or two on a simple working farm.

After a drive through the beautiful countryside, we arrived at our agriturismo gem, Podere Collelungo, 31 miles (50 km) south of Florence. Collelungo boasts a set of sixteenth-century stone buildings that glow ochre in the sunlight. Each of Collelungo's apartments features a kitchenette, terrace, and views of the farm's revitalized vineyards. The property is remarkable for the loving care with which it has been restored, and its live-in owners proved to be the most gracious of hosts.

Collelungo's vines had begun to grow by the time of our visit in late April, and during the day, a work crew busily prepared a new field for planting. Just as the term "champagne" is reserved for the sparkling wines created in the Champagne area of France, only qualified wineries in Chianti (including Collelungo) are allowed to produce Chianti Classico, the dry, red wine for which the region is famous. Late September brings a flurry of activity to Collelungo and surrounding farms, as the grapes are harvested and the vintners begin to work their magic.

Visible from our window was the village of Castellina in Chianti, sitting atop a ridge in the distance. Following markers helpfully placed by our innkeeper, we walked the trail through the woods, following a gurgling stream and stirring up whirring coveys of pheasants along the way. Castellina was once Siena's northern outpost in its long conflict with Florence. The village's little medieval castle has come under attack many times, the last when the Allies drove the Germans out of it in 1944. Today, it's open for tours and doubles as the city hall.

Castellina's flagstone streets are immaculate, and on this day, flowers bloomed in every window box. Boys kicked soccer balls against the wall of the church while their parents picked out fresh vegetables, and tourists sampled local vintages in a local dealer's large storeroom. We picked up pasta, pesto, and green beans for dinner, and discovered a ceramics shop where we purchased lovely hand-painted pitchers and coffee mugs. Back at our apartment, we sipped Collelungo's excellent Classico and watched the sun set over Castellina's turret.

The next day we returned to the village. Four blocks away from the town center is a conical hilltop. Four slits, one at each compass point, lead into the darkness inside the hill. We flicked on the light switch in a box by the gate and plunged in. After a few steps, we found ourselves in a series of rectangular chambers, lined with flat stones that formed arched roofs a few feet above our heads. These were tombs built by the Etruscans, the ancient people who lived in Tuscany before being absorbed into the ascendant Roman culture. The floors of the tombs were muddy from the recent rains, strangely there were no signs posted anywhere--even though this is one of the most important Etruscan archaeological sites in the country. The tombs are a testament to a vanished race: mute, mysterious, and unspoiled.

From Collelungo, we made forays to neighboring towns. Set atop a series of hills that display its bell towers and rooftops to full advantage, Siena remains much as it was in the 1400s. The town's life centers around the fan-shaped piazza in front of the Gothic city hall, while the cobblestone medieval streets radiate outward from it like ripples. On one steep street we came upon a restaurant that offered ingenious outside dining. The owner had built the tables with the downhill set of legs much longer than the uphill set, thereby making the surface of the table level. Patrons can only sit on the uphill sides of the tables, on benches set on wooden wedges. As we ate, we looked down over the heads of the two retired priests at the table below us. They were enjoying pici, a spaghetti with strands almost as thick as a pencil. On another hill was Siena's Duomo, an extraordinarily beautiful landmark with unique inlaid floors and amazingly preserved frescoes.

Situated just a few miles from Siena and Castellina are a number of other remarkable small towns that require only a few hours to see, including San Gimignano and Monteriggione, its medieval wall sitting atop a hill like a stone crown. Tuscany is so rich that we could only sample a few of its pleasures. So we let ourselves settle into its gentle rhythms, promising each other that we'd simply have to return someday. •