NATURE IS CALLING
Stylist contributor Poppy Malby finds serenity at an eco lodge in rural Italy
While I had been to the Tuscan capital of Florence on a girls’ holiday, I’d never got to explore what the region is really famous for: the rolling hills and vineyards, delicately crumbling villas. As someone who adores animals and Italian cuisine, I had high hopes for a rural escape to the Oasi Dynamo estate, which promised a focus on nature and fresh food from the surrounding farms and woodlands. The Oasyhotel at the heart of the estate is quite literally an oasis, perched high up in the Apennine mountains. Affiliated with WWF, it’s a hospitality project that specialises in conserving the local biodiversity through agriculture and scientific research, and a holiday here genuinely feels like you’re giving something back – or, at the very least, not taking anything away. A picturesque one-hour drive from Florence Airport, be warned that your ears will pop as you climb the winding track up the mountain to 1,200 metres above sea level. Pulling up in the Oasi Dynamo minibus, the first thing you see is the beautiful Scandi-style lodge of the main hotel. The views here are spectacular: you can see the clouds touching the tops of the surrounding hills, and there’s no noise apart from the wildlife and the weather. It really feels like you’re in another world.
