CASTELLO DI VICARELLO
Chic and intimate castle hangout in the Maremma
FAR AWAY FROM THE WELL-TRODDEN CHIANTISHIRE TRAIL in Tuscany's Maremma coastal strip stands Castello di Vicarello – a fabulously romantic 12th century castle set among olive groves and vineyards. Aurora and Carlo Baccheschi have transformed this once-abandoned ruin into a
brilliantly chic hideaway.
Italian and oriental styles have been skillfully mixed here, with Indonesian furniture and exotic antiques counterpointed by bright splashes of modern art. Castello di Vicarello's four suites and a villa are beautifully finished and each has its own highly individual and atmospheric appeal. Colour-washed walls are offset by rustic stone, gleaming stripped wooden floors, venetian blinds and mellowed flagstones.
Tactile leather, rustic rattan, intricately carved wooden bedheads, real working fireplaces and big bathrooms make this a castle dedicated to indulgence. Sip a glass or two of chilled vino bianco as you float lazily in the
infinity pool carved from travertine rock, where lofty cypress trees stand sentinel. With two pools here and just a handful of rooms, you could have a skinny-dipping zone to yourselves.
Hit the Spot
On a Tuscan hilltop with wide-open vistas.
Bedtime
The Sassi suite is a window on nature, while the Giardino Segreto has a deliciously private garden.
Be Savvy
Opt for contemporary chic in the garden rooms, or feudal authenticity in the castle itself.
Be Smitten
The best of Tuscany – inside your door and out.
Vineyards and orchards
Guests dine al fresco in Castello di Vicarello's cobbled courtyard on summer evenings. What's on the menu? Wait and see. Be assured it's garden-fresh and season's best. Uncork a bottle from the castle's well stocked cellars to accompany terrific home cooking.
The estate's 60 acres contain a vineyard and over a thousand olive trees, not to mention fruit orchards ripening under the Tuscan sun. Roses, rosemary and mulberry trees run riot here and lunch is sometimes served on the lush lawns. See the Maremma coast glinting in the distance from your glorious Tuscan hilltop.
Castello di Vicarello was reviewed for Room for Romance by
Claudia Vicenzi
Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dining in
The menu changes daily and features
simple yet flavoursome local dishes: perhaps game, veal or tuna. Much of the produce comes from the castle's own estate and Aurora does some of the cooking herself. You'll have the chance to meet your fellow guests around a long oak table by the fire on cool nights, while summer evenings means blissful courtyard dining beneath the stars, on little tables lit by candles and oil lamps. While dinner isn't necessarily cheap, the food is delicious.
Dining out
If you’re out for lunch, head to La Pineta in Marina di Bibbona, Boccon di Vino in Montalcino or Trattoria Verdiana in Montemerano. As Castello di Vicarello is in a very rural spot, you'll probably want to eat in at night.
Where?
Castello di Vicarello
What’s cooking?
Delicious regional dishes using flavoursome ingredients from the garden.
Dress the part
Hilltop evenings can be breezy – pack a pashmina
Top table?
Out in the courtyard in summer, fireside in winter.
See & Do
There's plenty to see and do hereabouts. Visit olive presses, wineries or thermal baths, or head for the Tuscan islands of Elba and Giglio. You can go horse riding, biking and walking, or join a cookery lesson in the hotel’s kitchen. Shooting parties stay here in the autumn, so you could have the chance to bag a wild boar.
Spa
Bliss out with an Ayurvedic, Shiatsu or Swedish massage using rosemary, sage or lavender essential oils, or a session of reflexology. Alternatively relax in the castle’s two outdoor solar-heated pools, hot tub, steam room or sauna. There's also a yoga zone.
Shop
You’re within reach of Siena’s top shops, not to mention numerous vineyards for buying up Tuscan wines.
After dark
Eat, drink and star-gaze.
Dates
July and August
Be a spectator at Siena’s famous Palio horse races, when steeds go thundering through the streets – a mix of entertainment and nail-biting contest.
GETTING THERE
Location
58044, Poggi del Sasso,Cinigiano
Parking
There is free guest parking
Trains
Civitella-Paganico station – 15 km
Taxis
EUR 300 from the airport. Private transfers can be arranged.
Airport
Florence – 110 km
Rooms and suites
One room and five suites.
Special features
Rooms in the castle itself are the most atmospheric, and Sassi, Sprone and Vicario boast fireplaces. Those in the gardens are lighter, brighter and have a more contemporary feel. All have wi-fi.
Also…
The hotel has two outdoor pools and will soon offer a fully-fledged spa.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Rates guide
EUR 350 – 1,100
Open/closed
Closed for Christmas and New Year
Check-in
2pm
Check-out
12 noon
Minimum night stay?
No.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served until 11am. You’ll find home made jams, cakes, bread and yoghurt plus eggs from the hotel’s farm.
Room service
Available morning and evening
Children
No restrictions
Pets
Not allowed
Air conditioning
No.
Languages
French, English, Italian and a little Spanish
Wedding license?
Yes – based on exclusive hire of the property. Receptions can cater for up to 120 guests.
Eco conscience
Castello di Vicarello uses solar panels to heat hot water, separates its rubbish, is careful to save energy and recycles.
Your contact
Aurora Baccheschi – owner