📍 Mugello Forest, Tuscany, Italy
Review of a Tuscany Coliving from Someone Who Stayed for a Month
A month at Tertulia, a coliving in Tuscany's Mugello forest: the sunsets, the shared car, and everything in between.
When We Stayed: July 2026
Sunsets overlooking the valley, afternoon aperitifs with new friends, and a peace you can’t find in the cities. The photos don’t do it justice, and even with that, there were a few surprises that caught me off guard. I stayed for a whole month, and I didn’t know how much it would change me. If you are considering staying in a coliving in Italy and are curious about Tertulia, I’m going to go through everything in this article.
Tertulia Quick Facts
- Location: about 1 hour outside Florence. The closest town, Vicchio, is about 15 minutes away via a dirt road.
- Monthly price range: €627–€1,215
- Closest grocery store: 10 minutes by car
- Open season: March 1 to December 13
- Best for: people who want a relaxing and peaceful environment with a shared community
- Not great if: you want convenience and city vibes with lots of activities
- Rating: 4.5 stars. Incredible, with a few minor drawbacks, but absolutely worth it.
Where Tertulia Is Located (and Why That Actually Matters)
Tertulia sits in the midst of ancient woodlands, where all you see are thousands of chestnut trees that have been around longer than your grandfather. The canopies provide a stunning view of the valley and some much-needed shade in the hotter months. The chestnuts that Tertulia produces used to be one of the main food sources for the area, hundreds of years ago.
Proximity to Civilization
Tertulia is located in the heart of the Mugello forest, about an hour outside of Florence by train. The closest town is Vicchio, which has a population of 8,000 and is a 15-minute ride down a sort of bumpy dirt road. The next biggest town is Borgo San Lorenzo, another 10 minutes down the main road, with a population of 18,000 and many restaurants, cafes, and “The Big Coop.”
The beautiful thing about Borgo San Lorenzo is that it has a train station connecting you to many main cities nearby. Borgo is also home to a community farmers market that happens every Thursday, where you can buy goods from all kinds of artisanal makers, including organic beer and wine, cheese, focaccia, and homemade soaps.
Day Trip Possibilities from Borgo San Lorenzo Train Station
- Florence: 45 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes
- Bologna: 1 hour 20 minutes (requires transfer)
- Pisa: 1 hour 45 minutes (requires transfer)
- Lucca: 2 hours 15 minutes (requires transfer)
- Siena: 2 hours 30 minutes (requires transfer)
This map uses Stay22. To view it, update your cookie preferences to allow marketing cookies.
The Reality of Forest Coliving
If you don’t have a car, you will be relying on the shared car to run your errands, like getting groceries. It’s an adjustment, but soon you’ll settle into the slow living of the Tuscan countryside. There is no “let’s walk to the cafe to get a pastry real quick.” However, you will hear “meet me at the hammocks to watch the sunset” or “let’s go to the barn to do yoga.”
You are trading convenience for a beautiful and peaceful way of living. There was a moment during our stay when the shared car broke down and no other guests had their own car, so we had to make do with what we had for a couple of days. We made our own fun games and shared our food to make meals. An honestly frustrating moment turned out to be one of the most memorable.
What I Expected vs. What We Got
Truly, overall it was better than what I expected, but there are a few things worth mentioning.
Swipe horizontally to compare.
| Expectations | Reality | |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi | Spotty at best | Mostly reliable, but spotty in some parts of the farm |
| Weather | Hot. We booked in July, with no AC. | Europe went through a massive heatwave, and some days were miserable. Evenings were lovely. Luckily, they gave us a fan to use, which helped a lot. |
| Community | Some shared dinners, group hikes, dining out | Every dinner is shared, with 1–2 people cooking each night. We sat by the trees with a sunset view and shared food, laughs, and wine: one of the highlights for me. Francesco is the owner and really cared about everyone’s experience, sharing a lot of his life and the farm with us. We even got involved with the farming during the farm’s morning activation activities. |
| Working space | A desk provided in the room, plus a coworking space | The desk in the room was nice and had a few chairs to use. The call room in the farmhouse was incredible for getting focused work done. The shared coworking space was a little smaller than expected, but still really nice. |
| Access to groceries | 10-minute drive to Vicchio | As expected, but I thought there would be more opportunities to go. We went when almost nobody had a car, so it took a lot more coordination ahead of time. |
| Communal spaces | Shared kitchen, living room, and barn | The barn was a nice space: you could use it to watch movies, do yoga, hold a breathwork session, or just relax. There’s also so much outdoor space that it’s unlikely you’ll ever feel crowded. |
| Room setup | We booked a premium room with an ensuite bathroom. | We loved our room and bathroom setup. It was spacious, cute, and had plenty of storage for our clothes. Very comfortable for a long-term stay. |
The Good, Amazing, and Unforgettable
It’s hard to describe how much this time at the farm changed me as a person, so this list of good is quite long. After traveling for months in busy cities, my nervous system really needed a quiet, peaceful space in nature. You can’t get these views and this much outdoor space at many colivings. This is what we signed up for and what we were looking for when we booked this experience.
The hammocks under the shade with a slight breeze were the perfect place to rest. The patio right outside the kitchen was perfect for sitting in the mornings to eat my yogurt or get some work done during the cool parts of the day. The kitchen was the heartbeat of the entire place. One I would die to experience during the colder months so I could actually use that huge fireplace. We played music, cooked together, and ended the night with a glass of wine or a card game.
As someone who loves to cook for others, I had a built-in group who were at the mercy of my shared brunches, BBQ, and even a pizza night. They all seemed to enjoy it, and on the other nights I was so appreciative of not having to think about or prepare dinner.
Oh yeah, did I mention they have a wood-fired pizza oven you can use? That was the best pizza I had in my two months in Italy.
We watched Cape Verde tragically lose their knockout game in the World Cup against Argentina in the barn at 2:30 in the morning, shouting as they went into overtime. The night before, the boys organized a ping pong tournament, and the girls made shared sandwiches with homemade sourdough focaccia.
I could keep going on and on, but it’s really something I think you need to experience for yourself. Anyone want to join me for a cozy season to make soups and enjoy the fire?
The Trade-offs
You are getting quite a bit by staying at Tertulia, but there are a few things you are giving up to enjoy the peace and nature of the countryside.
Lack of convenience saved me quite a bit of money, which I could add to the list of positives. However, there were some moments I wished I could just “hop” over to the store or a cafe without coordinating or asking a group to go with me. The shared car is a manual, and this American doesn’t know how to drive a manual car.
My friends and I shared a car rental for 2 weeks, which cost a total of about $600, and when we returned it, there were no other cars available for the rest of our stay. That meant we were at the mercy of the shared car and the few people who could drive manual. By coincidence, nobody else rented a car during the rest of our stay, meaning we had 10 to 12 people sharing one car that had 5 seats. That also meant we had to go out in shifts and take turns, instead of everyone being able to go out and enjoy the waterfalls and other excursions.
Next time, I would be prepared to have a car the entire time, for my own sanity and convenience.
Not having AC is something I was fully aware of when we booked. I also knew it would be hot in the middle of summer. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite that hot, with some days getting up to 100°F. I would avoid the hot months for my next booking, and I know I’d be quite fine.
Honestly, the AC and the lack of car access were the two big trade-offs I could think of. Everything else was a perk for me.
Who Is Tertulia Actually For?
If you enjoy quiet and peaceful mornings with a visit from Daddy (the farm dog, yes, his name is actually Daddy), slow days to get your work done and focus on what’s important, and not having to prepare dinner for yourself every single night of the week, in favor of a group of people who enjoy the same things you do, this is the perfect space for you.
The Verdict
A thousand times over, I would book this again, just not in the dead heat of summer, and I would come prepared with my own car and budget accordingly. If I had more Schengen days, I would already be back, but alas, I must wait for the clock to start over, and I will be planning my trip back again.
The Practicals
FAQ: Staying at Tertulia
About this FAQ
These answers are based on our personal experience during our stay at Tertulia in July 2026. We do not represent the coliving, and details such as prices, amenities, policies, and schedules may change. Visit Tertulia's current listing on Nomadico for the most current information.
Do I need a car to book a stay?
Technically, you don't. There is a shared manual car that's available, but if you don't want to rely on the availability schedule of that car, I would highly encourage you to rent your own.
Is Tertulia good for solo travelers?
Yes, you can meet other digital nomads and join in the shared activities.
How rural are we talking about?
It's a 15-minute drive from the closest bus station and grocery store. We went during the hot summer months, and there were tons of mosquitoes and bugs, so stock up on bug spray. The next neighbor isn't visible, but isn't too far off either. You're surrounded by an acre of chestnut trees, olive groves, and fir trees for miles and miles.
Do I have to share a room?
No, there are private rooms available. However, if you're on more of a budget, a shared room may be the perfect spot for you.
What if I can't cook but still want to participate in shared meals?
You should check with the community manager first, but Jackie was able to help with prep or cleaning up the dishes.
I have dietary restrictions. Can I still participate in shared meals?
Check with the community manager, but at one point during our stay we had a vegan, a celiac, someone lactose intolerant, someone fructose intolerant, and a peanut allergy, all in the same house, and we made it work. The goal is to make the meals as inclusive as they can be. Be sure to let the community manager know so they can plan for it.
How often are the shared dinners?
Nearly every single night, a shared dinner was organized. Because the grocery store isn't as accessible, it made sense to coordinate together.
Who is Daddy?
Daddy is the farm dog, actually the neighbor's dog, who hangs out at Tertulia all day, every day. You can count on him to join you on hikes, bark at the wild boars, and sit with you at sunset.
How will I get groceries?
The closest Coop market is in Vicchio and has everything you could need. The group usually organized grocery runs with the shared car, or others offered to grab things for those who couldn't make the grocery run if they didn't have a car.