This Castle Hotel’s Highlights:
- Historic castle – Dates back to the 12th century, with ties to the Medici family and Dante’s Divine Comedy.
- Authentic stay – Self-catering accommodation ranges from cozy studios to grand castle apartments & classic Tuscan villas.
- Art & charm – Antique furniture, wood-beamed ceilings, frescoes, and open fireplaces give a true old-world feel throughout.
- Tuscan cuisine – On-site restaurant serves traditional, locally sourced dishes paired with Chianti wines.
- Facilities & views – Outdoor swimming pool, small children’s playground, and panoramic views over Chianti hills.
- Location – 20 km from Florence, ideal for exploring Chianti, Pisa, San Gimignano, and other Tuscan gems; Florence airport under 30 minutes.
- Historical highlights – Once home to the Acciaioli family and Sir George Sitwell, with WWII-protected artworks and impressive frescoed ceilings.
- Most Notable Former Guests: Cosimo de’ Medici.
Castello di Montegufoni in Chianti, just 20 km southwest of Florence, boasts an extremely illustrious history going all the way back to the 12th century (though the present castle structure mainly dates to the mid-17th).
It has connections to Dante’s Divine Comedy and the infamous Medici dynasty of Florence for example, and has been steeped in art and politics since its very beginnings.
It is thus a very interesting place, with such a noble history granting it a special atmosphere. It is also quite a quirky place to stay, one which seems to deliberately avoid creating a hotel-like vibe.
This may not be to the liking of some, as there is less in the way of services and facilities but others will revel in the feeling of living in a castle as opposed to staying in a (castle) hotel.
Plus we found its pricing to be extremely reasonable compared to other similar properties in Tuscany.
Of note in historical and artistic trivia; the owner of Montegufoni, Sir George Sitwell, in 1922 reneged on an arrangement made with Picasso for him to come and paint the frescoes at Montegufoni.
The Italian futurist painter Gino Severini was chosen instead, with some very fine results, though many people still come to the castle, scan the ceilings, and become enormously curious as to what Picasso might have done with them instead.
The Accommodation:
The accommodation is all self-catering, and pretty homely at that, which contributes to the Italian castle stay experience.
Choose from double studio rooms, an enormous, 310 square meter, five-bedroom split-level apartment in the castle itself, plus two and four bedroom classic Tuscan villas with private gardens in the castle grounds.
The interior design ranges from cosy and rustic to grand and palatial, even room to room in the same apartment.
Most ceilings at the property are of the classic sloping wood-beamed variety but others also display some very impressive brightly painted frescos.
Antique furniture abounds throughout the property with very few modern pieces to distract, and all have classic open fireplaces which add to the rustic ambience.
All in all every space has a distinct old-world charm, and though you will have high standards of comfort, a stay here is very much an enchanting step back in time.
The kitchens may disappoint some; though well equipped they tend to be on the small side, more kitchenette than kitchen in some cases.
The larger the unit/the greater the number of guests, the more this might become noticeable.
Though the accommodation is self-catering there is a restaurant at the castle too. It serves up classic Tuscan food and local Chianti wines, and you can enjoy some lavish multi-course evening meals here.
Ingredients are locally sourced and organic as much as possible, and they also have a special menu for children too. Breakfast too (not included in the room rate) is served in the dining room every morning.
There is an outdoor swimming pool in the gardens and a small children’s playground too, and the views all around are wonderful.
Enjoy the classic pastel-shaded Tuscan hills lined with cypress trees and with glimpses of faraway villages and the towers of other ancient castles.
Prices:
Check out all the details – prices, reviews, and more photos – on the booking page here.
Note: there is a minimum stay of 3 nights.
The Location:
Just a short distance from Florence city centre, and just at the edge of the Chianti region, the castle is a good location for exploring much of what Tuscany, both rural and urban, has to offer.
Florence airport is less than half an hour away by car while Pisa is less than an hour, and you can be in such places as Arezzo, Lucca, San Gimignano, and Greve in Chianti in not much more than half an hour either.
A Little History:
The original owners of the Montegufoni Estate and the builders of the original Montegufoni Castle in the early 12th century were the Ormanni family, one of the most powerful local clans of the time.
Their power was already somewhat in decline at that stage and would never recover as can be judged by their mention in Dante’s 14th-century Divine Comedy; ”I saw the Ughi, saw the Catellini, Filippi, Greci, Ormanni, and Alberichi, even in their fall illustrious citizens…”
Not long after the castle was built the Florentines would successfully attack it and it was left in ruins until the 13th century when a man by the name of Gugliarello Acciaioli took it over and made it a home for himself and his family.
This family, the Accaiolis, would, over the next few hundred years, also make a name for themselves as one of the richest and most powerful in Tuscany mainly through the rapidly developing local banking industry.
Some Guest Reviews:
“Loved staying in the Castle! Fabulous setting. Very comfortable room with a superb balcony overlooking the hills of Tuscany. Great restaurant with reasonable prices. Convenient to Florence and other cities in the region…”
“Right in the middle of Chianti, wonderful surrounding, minutes to wineries, 20-30 minutes to Florence. The apartments are huge and tidy. The castle itself is really spectacular, worth a visit even if you’re not staying…”
