Castello di Gargonza
CASTELLO DI GARGONZA is a thirteenth-century fortified Tuscan village that has been renovated into a spectacular holiday escape. Nestled in the heart of Tuscany between Siena and Arezzo along the rolling hills that border the Crete Senesi, Chianti Classico wine region, and Val di Chiana, this was also the spot where, in 1303, Dante Alighieri spent a few days of his exile. A warm welcome awaits you upon check-in at the reception office in front of the medieval tower inside the village. The guest rooms—which include twenty-five comfort, classic, and superior rooms plus eight apartments—are located throughout thirteen of the buildings. Thanks to careful restoration, they maintain their authentic architecture and original atmosphere while offering the utmost in modern comforts. Beautiful and tranquil, the village and its natural surroundings make for an ideal retreat.
Enjoy quiet time in the lovely gardens or common living area, take in the fresh air and spectacular views from the pool, enjoy a snack inside the lemon tree garden, have a drink at the bar with its views of the medieval tower and woods, or tour the village’s ancient olive press and cellar. The hotel is within easy access to a number of wineries and oleotecas, as well as ancient Etruscan and Roman sites and the medieval villages of Arezzo, Monterchi, and Sansepolcro, which house many works by Renaissance master Piero della Francesca. Dinner at the property’s La Torre di Gargonza Restaurant, located in an ancient tractor shed with a spacious patio, is not to be missed. Family owned and managed by Neri Guicciardini and chef Susi Brogi, it offers authentic Tuscan dishes crafted from simple, regional ingredients at the peak of their seasonal freshness—many of them from local producers and the hotel’s own gardens. Specialties like Tuscan vegetable soup, pici pasta in wild boar sauce, Chianina steak in rosemary sauce, and torta della nonna (granny’s cake) are accompanied by a wine list of over sixty regional varieties.