From Spotlight to Front Door: Nine Months of Growth at Lo Scalandrino

Wayne Xuereb • 19 August 2025

Tracing our journey from a MaremmaOggi article to welcoming the very first guests

On November 10, 2024, MaremmaOggi ran an article celebrating the post-pandemic revival of rural Tuscany and spotlighting a couple of hopeful agricultural and agritourism projects—including ours. At the time, it felt like an early whisper of possibility, a nudge to turn dreams of olive groves and sunlit green spaces into reality.


In the weeks that followed, we rolled up our sleeves. Tired stone walls were gently repointed in fresh Mediterranean hues, water pipes relaid, fences rebuilt and gates fixed to swing in effortless welcome. We measured out terraces, and wrestled with layout plans that would welcome guests without ever losing the Lo Scalandrino’s simple charm.


By spring, hundreds of olive trees had been pruned and coaxed back to lush vitality. We re-seeded the vegetable garden, and replaced every bathroom in the guest quarters, each renovation a quiet promise of comfort.


Early summer arrived with soft, earthy paint on freshly furnished guest rooms—muted terracotta, pale sage, warm cream and light shades of blue—colours chosen to mirror the landscape beyond each glass pane. Every brushstroke and piece of new furniture felt like a pledge that this place would grow alongside its owners and visitors.


Then came August 9, 2025—almost exactly nine months after that MaremmaOggi story was published—and we opened our doors. The sound of suitcases clatter on the gravel drive, the ripple of laughter drifting from the grounds: it was that moment when a single seed finally breaks through the soil—fragile, miraculous, alive.


Our first guests woke to the fresh Maremma air—a gentle chorus of sparrows, the scent of dew on olive leaves, and a sunrise that bathed rolling hills and neighbouring vineyards in warm light. They lingered on the terrace over a sumptuous breakfast of creamy ricotta, honey-drizzled yogurt, warm home-made bakes, and a rich espresso or herb tea, each bite savoured as they soaked in the simple beauty of their surroundings.


In the months ahead, we’ll introduce intimate outdoor dinners by the stone oven, guided wine trails through nearby estates, and hands-on cooking workshops in our country kitchen. Each new experience will be another chapter in a story that began with a single article and grew into something far more enduring.


We’re honoured to share our home and this land with you. If you’re ready to step into Maremma’s quiet rebirth, join us—and become part of a tale that’s only just beginning.





Agritourism in Maremma, Slow travel Italian countryside, Sunlit countryside, Tuscan countryside lifestyle

Creamy porcini risotto with diced veggies and rosemary on a white plate with a blue rim
by Ljuana Xuereb 24 September 2025
Creamy wild porcini risotto with freshly foraged mushrooms. Step-by-step guide to achieve silky texture and woodsy aroma—perfect autumn comfort
Stone hilltop village perched on rocky cliff with bell tower, tiled roofs and olive groves
by Wayne Xuereb 15 September 2025
Skyward Maremma: Best Hill Towns to Explore from Agriturismo Lo Scalandrino
Historic town square in Italy at dusk with lit castle-style building and Italian flag lights
by Wayne Xuereb 11 September 2025
Unearthing Grosseto: A journey through history and the authentic soul of the Maremma
Four toasted crostini topped with a vegetable tapenade of aubergines, garnished with fresh basil
by Ljuana Xuereb 6 September 2025
Tuscan-style Crostini with Melanzane Caponata
Rolling field with scattered trees, forested hills, and a lone ridge tower at golden hour
by Wayne Xuereb 1 September 2025
Beyond the Hills: A Nature Lover's Guide to Unique Excursions around the Tuscan Maremma. Welcome to the heart of Tuscany
scalandrino
by Wayne Xuereb 23 July 2025
Lo Scalandrino: The Name and Its Story, a Journey of Reinvention
View of one of the olive groves at Lo Scalandrino
by Wayne Xuereb 27 November 2024
From Urban Hustle to a Tuscan Dream: Our Journey to Olive Farming and Agritourism