Taking in the Val d'Orcia with Monteverdi's Michael Cioffi

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It is easy to fall in love with natural beauty, especially when it is Tuscany. Michael Cioffi, an American lawyer, visited the Val d’Orcia, a moody and very beautiful valley southeast of Siena and did just that. Cioffi fell head-over-heels for the hamlet Castiglioncello del Trinoro. A somewhat rundown medieval village, there were few inhabitants and Cioffi was able to acquire several of the empty and almost abandoned properties. What start it out as a labour of love became an adventure in design, archaeology and humanism To create luxury retreats, Monteverdi Tuscany, Cioffi teamed up with interior designer Ilaria Miani.

“It’s a peak human experience”

Cioffi aimed to craate more than a location, he wanted to create an environment using “psycho geography”, explains Cioffi, describing the use of landscapes to create a deeper awareness of the beauty of life so it can be experienced more richly and happily. Humanism is the driving force behind all of Cioffi’s passion projects of which Monteverdi Tuscany is the fulcrum. The luxury retreat hosts concert series, art openings, performances, readings and more. He’s brought piazza life to a town that was on the verge of extinction.