Alastair Sawday, of Sawday's guides, picks 15 places to stay where the food is as wonderful as the surroundingsTry talking to a group of Italian foodies about French food, and you quickly unearth enough tension to create an international incident. There is little love lost, which is strange and sad, for each country has vast culinary strengths, enough for the rest of us to stand in awe.I am one of the lucky ones who has been to Terra Madre (terramadre.org), the giant Italian Slow Food festival in Turin, and can vouch for the astonishing vitality in the world of artisanal food. The Slow Food movement began in Italy and has been responsible for rescuing threatened foods ? such as Ligurian honey and Dominici apples ? and beaten the drum for local and small-scale production.Slow Food apart, why is Italian food so special? I am no expert, but perhaps part of the secret is a genius for simplicity ? for which French food is not known. A glass of friuli and a plate of pasta, in the right setting, can make the heart race. I have eaten such meals a hundred times in the courtyards, kitchens and gardens of Italian B&Bs and small hotels, and have rarely been disappointed. Or is it also Italy's genius for adding vitality to everyday experiences? A pasta that comes with both pesto and panache, as well as the inevitable pepper, has added appeal.Pasta is rarely expensive ? a brilliant device for feeding the poor at low cost, it is now good enough for the rich too. Cheeses, salamis, meats, olives ? they can be expensive, I know, especially in the hands of experts. But used sparingly, with salads, fresh fruits and good wine, they add joy to a good Italian meal. In Casa Isabella (near Vaglio Serra, Piedmont), for example, you can settle into an idyll of homemade breads and pasta, with local wines. It is a delightful and simple place, a village farmhouse with glorious vineyard views. L'Orto di Lucania (Montescaglioso, in Basilicata)is another place where you can enjoy food grown on the spot and as honestly as is possible ? organic too, the final arbiter of high quality. And what value!B&Bs AND HOTELSPodere La Casellina Agriturismo, Figline Valdarno, TuscanyLearn to prune vines and pick olives on the farm; gather chestnuts and wild mushrooms in the woods. Go riding or biking, then return to Grandma's recipes ? the grape flan is scrumptious and there's passionfruit for breakfast. This is a taste of country life (vita del contadino) at its simple, Go Slow best. Spotless bedrooms in the old hayloft and stables. Exquisite surroundings: chestnut woods to one side; oaks, cypresses and olives to the other. Host Michelangelo speaks brilliant English and will fill you with great food and che gioia vivere (the joy of living).? tinyurl.com/lacasellina, B&B doubles from ?70, minimum stay two nights, dinner ?21ppLocanda Senio, Palazzuolo sul Senio, TuscanyFood is king here: genuine home cooking with homegrown fruit and veg from Roberta and, in the restaurant, much gastronomic lore from Ercole, who's passionate about wild herbs and "forgotten" fruits. Take a cookery course (included if you stay three nights). The prosciutto from rare-breed maiale medievale is delicious. Breakfast is a feast of homemade delights, dinner a leisurely treat served in the cosy little log-fired restaurant. Roberta and Ercole are very proud of their wellbeing centre, too, with jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath. ? tinyurl.com/locandasenio, B&B doubles from ?115, dinner ?35pp Alberghetto La Marianna, Cadenabbia di Griante Como, LombardyIf breakfast on the banks of Lake Como isn't wonderful enough, Paola's homemade bread, cakes, savouries and jams deliver a slice of heaven, while husband Ty prepares a different menu of wholesome food every day. You can eat inside and admire the local artwork lining the walls, or outside on the terrace that juts over the water. Some bedrooms have balconies ? one has its own terrace. Paola treats guests as friends, advising on visits to gardens and villas, boat tours to Isola Comacina, and day trips to St Moritz. ? tinyurl.com/alberghettolam, B&B doubles from ?85, dinner ?30ppCasa Bellavista, Cortona, TuscanyIf you've ever wondered what a tomato really tastes like, this is the place to find out. Grown in the garden, together with figs, the tomatoes are just one unforgettable feature of the four-course meals served by arrangement to lucky guests. Pretty, airy bedrooms are furnished with family antiques and interesting textiles ? two share a balcony with views on to the garden. Simonetta's kitchen has a huge marble table top for kneading bread, and she cooks delightful farmhouse food. Breakfasts are lavish, cookery lessons a treat (from ?100 for a three-hour lesson, preparing at least four dishes). ? tinyurl.com/casabellavista, B&B doubles from ?100, dinner from ?35ppNacalino Agriturismo, Modica, SicilyAn exceptional four-course Sicilian meal is a treat made rarer by Concetta and Filippo's enthusiasm for their agriturismo. Almost everything on the table is from their farm ? if they don't produce it themselves, they're on first-name terms with the person who does. Everything is done with Sicilian energy, humour and flair. Simple bedrooms in the old stables border a grassy square where you can sit in the sun, while the rooms above the restaurant are polished and elegant. Little English is spoken here but you'll forge new friendships with ease.? tinyurl.com/nacalinoagri, B&B doubles from ?80, dinner ?35Li Licci, Palau, SardiniaEnglish-born Jane is an inspired cook of Sardinian food and has created a delightful restaurant, now under an excellent Moroccan chef who uses homegrown, organic produce ? pecorino, ricotta, salamis, hams, preserves, liqueurs ? to prepare traditional and local food. The bedrooms are immaculate, simple, and white-painted, each with a shower. Li Licci has its own well, and a 2,000-year-old olive tree. ? tinyurl.com/lilicci, B&B doubles from ?100, dinner with wine from ?30ppLa Chiusa delle More, Peschici, PugliaItalians flock to the Gargano peninsula in August but few others have discovered it, so come to Peschici out of season, when the lovely beaches and fish restaurants are uncrowded. Five hectares of olive groves and a big kitchen garden supply the restaurant of this small hotel with the ingredients for typical Puglian dishes. Loungers flank a sparkling pool and the air is scented with citrus. Rooms are light, cool and simply furnished, with good little shower rooms. Family rooms have ladders up to children's mezzanines. ? tinyurl.com/lachiusadm, B&B doubles from ?160, dinner ?30Relais Divino, Monforte d'Alba, Piedmont The heavenly trio of good food, good wine and seclusion is the secret here. Thread through Piedmont's rolling landscapes, up to a working estate and you're greeted by the perfume of vines. Dinner is a four-course extravaganza of meat-stuffed pastas, savoury tarts and mouth-watering morsels paired with the estate's wines. Brick arches, candlelight and crisp linen create a magical atmosphere. Great care has been taken over the king-size bedrooms and mezzanine family rooms. Breakfast under the portico, as you survey hazelnut groves and gardens that are a child's delight. ? tinyurl.com/relaisdivino, B&B doubles from ?120, dinner ?35Casa Isabella, Vaglio Serra, PiedmontHomemade breads and pasta, with local wines, highlight the regional menu at this village farmhouse. Monica's food is irresistible, so it's just as well a sample of salami or a snack of crudit�s from the kitchen garden are yours whenever you like. Heavenly breakfasts are served fireside in winter or, in summer, in the shade of trees. Bedrooms are huge, and two have balconies. There are books by the score, a swimming pool, and a market town 15 minutes down the road.? tinyurl.com/casaisabella, B&B doubles from ?100, dinner ?30Relais del Colle, Ripatransone, Marche Blissful B&B on an eight-hectare biodynamic farm, where wines, wheat and vegetables are all homegrown. Not only is the food organic but the fluffy towels, bathrobes and bed linen are all organic cotton. Perfectionist Patrizia has thought of everything to keep you happy, including a romantic grotto with a huge hot tub, a massage room and a Turkish colour-therapy bath ? heated with solar energy, of course ? and an elegant dining room for the restaurant. Come for the inviting bedrooms, gorgeous setting, vineyard rambles, and leisurely meals. ? tinyurl.com/relaisdelcolle, B&B doubles from ?75, dinner ?30Relais de Charme, Passignano sul Trasimeno, Umbria Wonderful dining is woven into the fabric of this place; the light airy restaurant has a "living roof" topped with vegetation; simple food is lovingly made from local organic produce. It's rural and peaceful, but luxurious too, with an infinity pool by the olive grove, shiatsu massage in your bedroom and underfloor heating. Outside are jasmine, lavender, wisteria and bamboo. Inside, goosefeather pillows and mattresses. Breakfast is whenever and wherever you want it and you can book a cookery class or truffle hunt nearly all year round.? tinyurl.com/relaisdecharme, doubles from ?220, minimum stay two nights, dinner ?45SELF-CATERINGDune Agriturismo Relais, Eraclea Mare, Veneto If you have ever wished that your children had a better appreciation of great food, send them to watch the young chefs here cook pasta with passion. Then take them to the little shop selling homegrown produce that you can cook yourself, and who knows what wonders might result. The apartments are fabulously well equipped: stylish bedrooms in earthy tones, luxurious bathrooms and kitchens. The restaurant is inexpensive (ask about the half-board option) and a huge garden has barbecue and swimming pool. ? tinyurl.com/duneagriturismo, apartments for two from ?70 a night, closed mid-October to mid-April, dinner ?20ppL'Ariete, Montone Perugia, Umbria Well-travelled Martina and Andreas from Vienna are full of love for their new venture: a restaurant with apartments (and two rooms) in rural Umbria. The rustic restaurant in the old stables is the perfect setting for seasonal fare in Slow Food style, where ingredients are homegrown or from local farms, and dishes are deliciously Umbrian (warm apple strudel for pudding if you're lucky). Light-filled bathrooms range from small to vast: there's a fresh and beautiful simplicity to the rooms. A garden of sunflowers mown by sheep completes the picture.? tinyurl.com/lariete, apartments for two from ?400 a week, dinner from ?20L'Orto di Lucania, Montescaglioso, BasilicataRare red aubergines are a treat in store at this organic family farm. Fulvio Spada and his brother Beniamino grow produce using time-honoured methods and serve farm-fresh meals by the fire, or out among gnarled olive trees. Apartments have full kitchens, terrace doors and open fires. Opt for breakfast and it's a homemade, homegrown feast. Swim up an appetite in the large parasol-ringed pool, borrow a bike or arrange horse riding. This area of Basilicata, on the Puglian border, is an undiscovered delight with heaps to see and do.? tinyurl.com/lortodilucania, apartments for two from ?100 a night, dinner ?25Casa San Gabriel, Pierantonio, UmbriaEnjoy a glass of the estate's own wine on arrival, and pick produce from the vegetable gardens for your evening meal. B&B is available November to March, and self-catering during the summer, with supplies left for your first morning's breakfast. David cooks on Tuesdays, and Thursday is pizza night ? your chance to use a wood-fired oven. The little "houses", each with its own terrace, are suitable for singles, couples or families. The bathrooms are so lovely you could spend all day in them. Perugia is only a 20-minute drive away. Return to the pool with views as far as Assisi, and a bottle of chilled orvieto. ? tinyurl.com/casasangabriel, B&B doubles from ?85 (available November-March only), self-catering (villas sleep two, four or six) from ?400 a week, dinner ?25pp, pizza ?15ppBooking details at sawdays.co.ukItalyEuropeFood and drinkFood & drinkSelf-cateringHotelsBed and breakfastsItalian food and drinkguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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