I could have spent the entire holiday ambling from pool to villa, intermittently snacking on the wonderful Tuscan delights picked up from the village shop every morning.

The setting was simply magnificent. The villa, in a tiny hamlet of stone farm building, sat perched half way a hill, surrounded by oak woods and olive groves. From the poolside, there were spectacular views of the valley below and the wooded hills that encircle it.

It was enchantingly peaceful and who would not want to idle away the hours under the warm Tuscan sun?

But it would be something approaching sacrilege not to explore some of the stunning towns and countryside within a short drive.

On our second day we headed to Arezzo. It is often overlooked by visitors in favour of its more famous neighbours Florence and Siena.

Immortalised on the silver screen in Life is Beautiful, Arezzo is one of Tuscany's most charming towns.

There are Roman ruins, medieval and neoclassical architecture at every turn.

The Piazza Grande, a magnificent mediaeval square, is bordered on one side by the beautiful 13th century Episcopal Palace, and close by is the Palace of the Lay Fraternity, a 15th century palace with a quattrocentro floor designed by Bernardo Rossellino.

There are fewer more beautiful settings in which to sit, enjoy a gelato, and watch the stylish Italian world go by.

This ancient city was conquered by the Romans and prior to that it was one of the twelve most important cities of the Etruscan civilisation. Home to many famous artists over the centuries it is packed with a seemingly endless array of cultural delights. And that could sum up Tuscany in its entirety. Even the drive home was interspersed with villages seemingly untouched by the hand of an architect for centuries.

On day four, after another day of poolside relaxation and walking in the surrounding countryside, we headed to Siena–a city to make the spirits soar. At its heart is its central piazza, Il Campo, known for the famous Palio, a horse race run around the piazza twice each summer.

The Campo is dominated by the Palazzo Pubblico palace whose internal courtyard has entrances to the Torre del Mangia and to the Civic Museum. A climb up 500-plus steps will reward you with a wonderful view of the city.

Siena’s Duomo, a great Gothic cathedral, is filled with treasures by Pisano, Donatello and Michelangelo as well as frescoes by Pinturicchio.

The cathedral is a work of art in itself. The exterior and interiors are decorated in white and greenish-black marble in alternating stripes.

We ate at a quiet restaurant tucked away in the backstreets. Although the food may often look simple, it is bursting with in flavour, hearty and filling.

One of its most famous dishes is bistecca alla fiorentina, a Tuscan steak, served very are alongside roasted potatoes and beans. Tuscany is also known for its wild game such as wild boar, hares and pheasants. The cold meats and cheeses served with the local unsalted bread are a great way to start a meal.

We split mealtimes between incredible al fresco spreads on the patio of our villa, lazy lunches during out away days and a couple of sumptuous evening meals in the village at the bottom of the hill, Pieve a Presciano.

Thankfully long walks in the wooded surroundings and many lengths of the pool helped burn off the calories.

We had previously visited Florence so decided to give it a miss on this occasion to explore new towns and villages.

However, if you have never been it should be the top of your to-do list. It is a vibrant city, a living museum, dedicated to the glories of the Renaissance. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli all lived and worked here and their works feature in the palaces, museums and galleries.

It is impossible to list its myriad attractions here (the same applies to all the towns of Tuscany) but To Tuscany, the company we travelled with, has an outstanding travel guide on its website which was invaluable as we put together each day’s itinerary.

I decided to invest in a travel journal for this trip, the aptly named Chianti, with its stone marbled edge pages printed by hand, which is filling up with precious memories.

As we were flying home late on Saturday evening we had time to head to San Gimignano. Its stunning hilltop skyline of towers, built by feuding families of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, evokes the appearance of medieval Tuscany more than any other sight.

It has wonderful squares, lovely old churches and museums to explore. It can get busy during the summer months so we arrived early to beat the crowds and managed to see many of its treasures in a few hours-though I would recommend a full day to savour this one-off historic wonder.

And so to home. As we drove towards Pisa airport there was still much to enjoy as we passed through the quintessential Tuscan landscape familiar from a thousand Renaissance paintings, with its backdrop of hill-towns, rows of cypresses, vineyards and olive groves, and charming farms and villas.

Our one regret? We should have stayed for another week.

Factfile

Diarmuid Macdonagh stayed at Il Fienile at Le Logge with To Tuscany (0121-286 7782; www.to-tuscany.com).

The three-bedroom villa near Arezzo, which has access to a shared pool, costs from £668 to £1,218 per week.

To Tuscany’s 10 Chianti Classics www.to-tuscany.com/travel-guide/things-to-do/10-chianti-classics/.

Car Hire in Italy HolidayExtras.com offers car hire at thousands of destinations, as well as a wide choice of UK airport travel extras.

Price example: £88.74 for a Lancia Ypsilon or similar for one week’s car hire in Tuscany based on five passengers with two suitcases.

Price searched on 11/07/2016 for pick up on September 3 at Pisa Airport. To book, visit www.holidayextras.com or call 0800 1313 777.

For a collection of luxury Wanderlust travel journals visit www.penheaven.co.uk