In the gardens of a 19th-century Tuscan villa, a group of artists are mingling with visitors over glasses of prosecco as the sun sets. There’s a languid, dreamy feel about it all – like a scene from Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty – as we head to dine al fresco at communal tables overlooking the rolling countryside.

Situated on a hilltop in 500 hectares of woodland, olive groves and vineyards less than an hour from Pisa, the neo-Renaissance Villa Lena is an unusual hybrid of artist residency and boho hotel. From April until November, artists – from painters to filmmakers and poets – come to work in studios in the grounds, while guests can join workshops or just kick back and relax.

“We wanted to create a place where nature, culture and community combine,” says co-founder Lena Evstafieva. The Russian art consultant opened Villa Lena three years ago with her French-German husband Jérôme Hadey, a music producer, and Lionel Bensemoun, a Parisian nightclub entrepreneur. “It’s somewhere for people to have space and time away from everything.”

Accommodation is scattered around the estate and designed to appeal to families, groups of friends or couples. There are 13 one- to three-bedroom apartments in two buildings, and a further two houses that can be rented whole or by the room. Our apartment, in what used to be the stables, has high, beamed ceilings, white walls and antique furnishings. It’s all simple, stylish and comfortable with artwork by previous residents dotted everywhere. There’s a main pool with bar, two further pools, games room, screening room, children’s playground and yoga deck with incredible views (the 8am class is a great way to start the day).

We gather on beanbags in the screening room for a talk by Shurooq Amin – a painter and multi-media artist whose work challenges hypocrisy in Middle Eastern society (she has had exhibitions shut down at home and was the first Kuwaiti to sell at Christie’s). The studios are open for guests to wander around and we later meet British textile designer Hazel Stark, who is running a dyeing workshop the next day. A film director, lighting designer, jewellery maker and songwriter are among others staying in June and July (a new group of artists arrives every two months), and international and interdisciplinary collaborations often result. The art foundation is not for profit: in exchange for lodging the artists give a workshop or a talk for guests, and they must also leave behind a piece of work, whether that’s a song or a sculpture.

The creative vibe continues in the kitchen, with resident international chefs throwing their talent into the mix and giving cooking classes, too. Organic and local produce – often from the gardens or foraged nearby – is the mainstay of the daily changing set menu, complemented by organic wines and olive oil made on the estate.

Plant and permaculture specialist Stéphane Meyer takes us foraging, and we haven’t gone far before we’re tasting poppy petals (pickling the buds makes a great alternative caper, apparently) and picking everything from wild rosemary to lime tree flowers for tea. Visit in the autumn for forest truffle hunting and menus designed around what you find.

Chef Margot Protzel from New York (formerly of Gramercy Tavern, Maysville and Franny’s) heads up the kitchen during our stay, conjuring colourful, healthy feasts: cucumber gazpacho with wildflowers, ratatouille on toast, black rice with mushrooms and greens, strawberries and mascarpone. It’s all delicious – and dining at long tables with guests and creative types feels a bit like being at a wedding, albeit an arty one. A potentially pretentious bunch, yes, but the atmosphere is laidback and friendly, with a sense of community.

While it’s all very sociable – particularly in the height of summer with weekly pool parties, Sunday brunches and lots of family fun – it’s easy to escape and do your own thing. There is great hiking through untouched countryside – we follow a path through the forest up to the ruins of a fort with stunning views. There are mountain bikes to borrow and we cycle to the romantic, abandoned village of Toiano Vecchio. Today, just two people live there, in a single, proudly maintained house amid crumbling buildings and wildflowers – the only sign of life a muffled cough behind closed doors.

Part of the beauty of Villa Lena is its isolation. Hilltop towns are seen in the distance, yet there’s nothing else for miles. It is deeply peaceful. For those with a car, it’s a great base for exploring countless Tuscan beauties, such as medieval San Gimignano and the walled town of Lucca.

But it would take a lot to lure anyone from the bubble of life at Vila Lena and its cast of colourful characters. On our last evening, we sit on the candlelit staircase for a hallway performance by Canadian folk-psych singer Ora Cogan. Her ethereal voice echoes around the room and afterwards people chat outside under the stars. That night, I sleep with the windows open, moonlight glinting on the wall, the sound of an owl breaking the silence.

• A minimum one-week stay at Villa Lena (villa-lena.it) in July or August costs from £100 per person per night, half-board in a one-bedroom apartment. Two nights minimum from April to June and September to November