Manor Castle Hotels

  • LISTINGS BY COUNTRY
    • Austria
    • Britain
      • England
      • Scotland
      • Wales
    • Czech Republic
    • France
      • Loire Valley
      • South of France
    • Germany
    • Ireland
    • Italy
      • Tuscany
    • Portugal
    • Spain
    • Switzerland
  • BY CATEGORY
    • 5 Star Castle Hotels
    • B&B Castle Hotels
    • Castles to Rent
    • Dog/Pet Friendly Castle Stays
    • Family Friendly Castle Stays
    • Michelin Star Restaurants
    • Self Catering Castle Stays
    • Spa Facilities
  • ALL LISTINGS: MAP SEARCH
  • ABOUT US & CONTACT

Castello di Montegufoni

January 13, 2019 By Manor Castles

  • 136311598

    136311598

  • dsc-9316-easyhdr-vivid-colors

    dsc-9316-easyhdr-vivid-colors

  • 5729643

    5729643

  • 1721830

    1721830

  • 136870201

    136870201

  • castello-di-montefugoni-252

    castello-di-montefugoni-252

  • castello-di-montefugoni-136

    castello-di-montefugoni-136

  • 7954034

    7954034

  • 8453771

    8453771

  • 48676040

    48676040

  • 87452091

    87452091

  • 87452139

    87452139

  • 1969130

    1969130

  • castello-di-montegufoni-511

    castello-di-montegufoni-511

  • 48282593

    48282593

  • 8229607

    8229607

  • 136870205

    136870205

  • 136870212

    136870212

  • tb_fotogallery_25_foto

    tb_fotogallery_25_foto

  • 138535594

    138535594

  • 87452125

    87452125

  • tb_file_321_file

    tb_file_321_file

  • tb_fotogallery_38_foto

    tb_fotogallery_38_foto

  • tb_fotogallery_24_foto

    tb_fotogallery_24_foto

  • 141811951

    141811951

  • 142158164

    142158164

  • 142928892

    142928892

  • 142928901

    142928901

  • 48430788

    48430788

  • 142928921

    142928921

  • 142928929

    142928929

  • 142928932

    142928932

  • 144291769

    144291769

  • 154587361

    154587361

  • 154587378

    154587378

  • castello-di-montegufoni-750

    castello-di-montegufoni-750

  • r294r-dsc-3969-easyhdr

    r294r-dsc-3969-easyhdr

  • tb_fotogallery_41_foto

    tb_fotogallery_41_foto

  • tb_fotogallery_47_foto

    tb_fotogallery_47_foto

  • tb_fotogallery_48_foto

    tb_fotogallery_48_foto

Castle Categories: Family Friendly Castle Stays and Self Catering Castle StaysCastle Tags: Best Castle Stays near Florence in 2023 and Castle Hotels Italy

Profile
Photos
Map
Address
Availability & Prices
  • Most Famous Guest: Cosimo de’ Medici.

    Castello di Montegufoni near Monttagnana Val di Pesa, Chianti, is just 20 km south west of Florence and 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.

    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 and, though with some very fine results, many people still come to the castle, scan the ceilings and are suddenly enormously curious as to what Picasso might have done with them instead.

    THE ACCOMMODATION:

    The accommodation is all self catering, which contributes to the castle stay experience, and there is a great array of choice (check the booking page here); from double studio rooms and an enormous, 310 square meter, five bedroom split level apartment in the castle itself, to two and four bedroom classic Tuscan villas with private garden 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 size, 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 menus 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; classic pastel shaded Tuscan hills lined with cypress trees and with glimpses of far away villages and the towers of other ancient castles.

    PRICES:

    Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos – on the booking page here.

    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 a 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 a half an hour too.

    SOME 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 though the rapidly developing local banking industry.

    These riches would lead them over time to extend and upgrade the castle and estate substantially to suit their new found status, with seven separate building being constructed around the main building.

    Niccolò Acciaiuoli, born at Montegufoni in 1310, went on to gain the rather clunky title of Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples and became a close confidant to the King of Naples, Luigi Taranto. King Luigi, in fear of an attack on his kingdom by Louis the Great of Hungary in 1348 took sanctuary in Montegufoni, and in general, under Niccolò Acciaiuoli, the castle would become a place for many important political and religious figures of the time to meet and network.

    Niccolò’s son, Donato Acciaioli would maintain the political importance of Monetgufoni and held a host of titles including Roman Senator, Duke of Athens and, another clunky one; Gonfaloniere of the Republic of Florence. It was he, in 1386, who built the impressive tower that still dominates the castle today.

    His sons too would hold titles and be very well politically connected, and, despite the odd falling out with the powers of Florence, Montegufoni went into the 15th century under the moniker the ‘court of dukes’.

    The centre piece to the castle, the aforementioned tower, got a stylistic upgrade in 1546 when another Donato Acciaioli renovated it to resemble the Arnolfo tower of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, while also building the great hall known today as the ‘Gallery’ and in those days as the ‘Armory’. Important figures continued to pass though Montegufoni with Cosimo de’ Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany and member of the infamous banking family, being a guest in 1612.

    The next major change to the castle was in 1650 when the seven separate buildings were combined into one and the entire property was restored in grand fashion.

    This was probably the height of the Acciaioli family’s power but by the 18th century their fortunes had dwindled and the estate as sold to the Baracchi family. By that stage too the castle’s reputation as a meeting place for the rich and powerful had declined and the Baracchis lived there in relatively unassuming fashion until 1909 when the famously eccentric English aristocrat, politician and writer Sir George Sitwell bought it from them.

    He was an avid fan of classic art and the castle would become home to many important works. It would become famous too as a sanctuary of art during the Second World War when more than two hundred priceless works from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence were hidden there for fear of looting. Examples include Ghirlandaio’s Adoration of the Magi, Botticello’s Primavera and Giotti’s Madonna of Ogni Santo.

    Sir George survived the war only for a year, passing away in 1946,  but not before treating the property to some tasteful design and decoration work both inside and out. He was a particularly keen gardener (he wrote a book on the subject; ‘On the Making of Gardens’ which can still be bought), and it was he who designed the castle gardens that we see today.

    He made one possibly great error though, when in 1922 he turned down an arrangement made his son Sacheverell for Picasso to come and paint the frescoes at Montegufoni. He chose the Italian futurist painter Gino Severini for the job instead and with, it must be said, some very fine results.

    The Sitwells would, for much of the first half of the 20th century make the place a hub of artistic activity and a meeting place for many foreign artists. In their heyday George’s three children Osbert, Edith and Sacheverell were heavily involved in art and literature, as authors, influencers, collectors and researchers, but as the century wore on the Sitwell’s finances began to dwindle and Sacheverell’s son, Reresby, would become the last of the Sitwells at Montegufoni when he sold the estate to Sergio Posarelli in 1972.

    WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY:

    “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…”

    >> CLICK HERE TO READ MORE REVIEWS & TO CHOOSE YOUR ACCOMMODATION AT CASTELLO DI MONTEGUFONI:


     

    Location Category:

    Castle Hotels Italy

    Castle Hotels Tuscany

    Castle Hotels near Florence

    • 136311598
    • dsc-9316-easyhdr-vivid-colors
    • 5729643
    • 1721830
    • 136870201
    • castello-di-montefugoni-252
    • castello-di-montefugoni-136
    • 7954034
    • 8453771
    • 48676040
    • 87452091
    • 87452139
    • 1969130
    • castello-di-montegufoni-511
    • 48282593
    • 8229607
    • 136870205
    • 136870212
    • tb_fotogallery_25_foto
    • 138535594
    • 87452125
    • tb_file_321_file
    • tb_fotogallery_38_foto
    • tb_fotogallery_24_foto
    • 141811951
    • 142158164
    • 142928892
    • 142928901
    • 48430788
    • 142928921
    • 142928929
    • 142928932
    • 144291769
    • 154587361
    • 154587378
    • castello-di-montegufoni-750
    • r294r-dsc-3969-easyhdr
    • tb_fotogallery_41_foto
    • tb_fotogallery_47_foto
    • tb_fotogallery_48_foto
  • No Records Found

    Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.

    Google Map Not Loaded

    Sorry, unable to load Google Maps API.

  • Via Montegufoni, 18
    Montegufoni
    Tuscany
    50025
    Italy
  • Click here to enter dates & check prices.

Recently Viewed:

   

BOOK NOW 

THE LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEED FOR CASTELLO DI MONTEGUFONI:

Click here to reveal prices, availability & reviews at:

Castle Hotel at booking.com

Category: Family Friendly Castle Stays and Self Catering Castle Stays
Some Facilities:
  • Swimming Pool
  • Restaurant
  • WiFi
  • TV
Click here to enter dates & check prices.
Address: Via Montegufoni, 18
Montegufoni
Tuscany
50025
Italy

No Records Found

Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.

Google Map Not Loaded

Sorry, unable to load Google Maps API.

OTHER LISTINGS NEARBY:

    • 17575399

    Four Seasons Palace Hotel, Florence

    18.47 km
    Category: 5 Star Castle Hotels, B&B Castle Hotels, Castle Spa Hotels, Family Friendly Castle Stays, Michelin Star Restaurants, and Dog/Pet Friendly Castle Stays
    Address: Borgo Pinti, 99
    Florence
    Tuscany
    50121
    Italy
    A strong candidate for Florence’s best hotel, the 5 star Four Seasons Gherardesca Palace Hotel is a veritable oasis in the heart of one of the world’s most visited cities. It has 11 acres of peaceful walled gardens to separate you from the tourist masses and, though the exteriors are relatively unassuming, the lavish interiors are an incredible, Renaissance era, feast for the eyes. Housed between the 15th century Palazzo della Gherardesca, which served as a private residence for Florentine nobility (including one Pope) and a 16th century convent across the gardens known as La Villa, it has a tremendous sense of history and is incredibly rich in historic features, right down to the smallest detail. Frescoes, stuccos, bas-reliefs and even old silk wallpapers have been carefully restored, magnificent pieces of classical art abound, and the whole hotel has the look and feel of a living museum. Facilities include a large outdoor pool nicely set in the gardens, perhaps Florence’s best spa facilities, and perhaps its best restaurant in the form of the Michelin starred Il Palagio. THE ACCOMMODATION: You can choose from 116 rooms and suites, from superior and deluxe double rooms all the way up to some tremendously READ MORE
                 
    • 257506195 768x724

    Castello di Tornano

    37.53 km
    Category: B&B Castle Hotels, Family Friendly Castle Stays, and Self Catering Castle Stays
    Address: Loc. Tornano
    Gaiole in Chianti
    Tuscany
    53013
    Italy
    Castello di Tornano is a rustic, and extremely charming, castle hotel in southern Chianti with a history going back over nine hundred years. It has a broad selection of accommodation ranging from relatively basic rooms up to luxury suites in the castle itself, and then some spacious self catering apartments in the adjacent restored farm buildings. Facilities include a swimming pool, out in the beautifully tended gardens and cleverly carved out of the castle moat, tennis courts and a very fine traditional Tuscan restaurant. The surroundings are classic Chianti countryside – vineyards, olive groves and woodland – and Castello di Tornano makes a nice base to explore some of the wonderful little villages that make Chianti so admired. Your hosts will be more than happy to offer recommendations and advice and can also arrange tours, excursions etc. REVIEWS: “The staff, especially Loredana was extremely helpful even before my arrival. Even though my home country was thousands of miles away, the moment I arrived at the property Loredana made me feel at home. The overall feel, ambience was one of warmth and coziness despite this being a thousand year old castle! A great deal of effort and care had been given READ MORE
                 
    • Screen Shot 2020 11 24 at 16.53.42 768x573

    Castello Delle Quattro Torra

    45.12 km
    Category: B&B Castle Hotels, Family Friendly Castle Stays, and Dog/Pet Friendly Castle Stays
    Address: Strada Di Pieve Al Bozzone 36
    Colonia Santa Regina
    Tuscany
    53100
    Italy
    Il Castello Delle Quattro Torra – the castle of the four towers – is an iconic sight on the outskirts of the walled city of Siena, Tuscany, and comes with tremendous views over the city on one side and the great plains of the Crete Senesi on the other. It dates all the way back to the 13th century and has been a Siena landmark ever since. Much may have changed since then but luckily, in its present incarnation as a B&B, the family owners decided not to modernize it too much. Inside and out it has a tangible historic feel, with the modern niceties you would expect in such a well regarded place not being allowed to intrude too much on the rustic, authentic atmosphere. Outside it is surrounded by beautifully tended Italianate gardens which are a pleasure to stroll around. You’ll find the owners warm and friendly, along with the B&B they also run an organic farm, vineyards and farm restaurant a few minutes’s down the road – be sure to sample some of their excellent food and wine there. READ MORE
                 
    • 123491626 768x524

    Castello Di Gargonza

    59.76 km
    Category: B&B Castle Hotels, Family Friendly Castle Stays, Dog/Pet Friendly Castle Stays, and Self Catering Castle Stays
    Address: Gargonza, Strada Statale 73 Senese Aretina, Gargonza, Monte San Savino
    Arezzo
    Tuscany
    52048
    Italy
    Castello di Gargonza is a very unique place – a mixture of medieval castle and (once abandoned) hamlet between Arezzo and Siena that is now exclusively available, in its entirety, for guest stays. It is a gorgeous sight – a classic Tuscan hilltop village, the castle tower which now serves as a reception area being its highest point. It has 1000 acres of peaceful forest surrounding it too and the views are breathtaking all around. The accommodation, a mixture of B&B rooms and self catering apartments is not in what is left of the castle itself but in the surrounding village houses – beautifully, carefully restored, they all feel tremendously historic and authentic but still contain plenty of subtle modern comforts (though no TVs are allowed – to keep the medieval magic alive somewhat). All guests have a swimming pool and a top class restaurant, La Torre di Gargonza, at their disposal as well as a rustic bar cafe and lots of place to roam around or lounge – shady lemon gardens, woodland walks and benches to stop and take in the views.     READ MORE
                 
View all

ABOUT US:

About Manor Castles

LEGAL STUFF:

Terms & Conditions-Privacy Policy

In Partnership With:

English Heritage & Manor Castles

Copyright © 2018-2023 manorcastles.com | All rights reserved

Change Location
Find awesome listings near you!