Castello Vicchiomaggio

Stopped for a wine tasting and stayed for the tour and lunch. The meal was fantastic, probably one of the best during our trip to Italy. The grounds are beautiful and we had a fantastic guide, Inness. Highly recommend and would love to return for a stay.

Castello Vicchiomaggio is incredible. It’s drenched in history… parts of it date back to the fifth century. The castle turret is from the 12^th century. During the middle ages, it served as a fortress for Florence when they were feuding with Sienna. Leonardo da Vinci stayed here, and likely worked on the Mona Lisa during his stays.
Rooms run € 120 – 180 per night, and that seems like a super reasonable price to stay right in the middle of exactly what you imagine when you think of Tuscany. Located about 40 minutes from Florence and 60 minutes from Sienna, the castle itself is absolutely beautiful, and the setting is spectacular – from up on the hill, there are amazing views of the Italian countryside.
We stayed in the La Canonica building, which is the only building where the rooms don’t have kitchens. There’s a nice common area with seating, coffee, and tea. The rooms are nice-​sized, comfortable, and decorated beautifully, and there’s a large complimentary bottle of water in each. We were in the Donatello room, and it was perfect.
Breakfast is provided; there’s a nice buffet in the main building, and the restaurant offers lunch and dinner as well.
If you’re there in the warmer months, don’t miss the pool. We spent an entire afternoon at this modern infinity pool that overlooks an absolutely amazing view.
They make award-​winning wine there; visit the wine shop for a wine tasting during your visit.