FAQs about Castello di Gargonza and practical information for your holiday in Tuscany

Gargonza is located 540 meters above sea level on a hill overlooking the Val di Chiana, between Arezzo and Siena. It is surrounded by 600 hectares of forest but is situated 11 km from the Monte San Savino exit on the A1 motorway. It is 28 km from Arezzo and 35 km from Siena. It is located 1 hour south of Florence and 2 hours north of Rome. Nearby airports are Florence at 105 km, Perugia at 90 km, Pisa at 175 km, and Rome Fiumicino at 215 km. The best-served railway station is Arezzo.

The Castello di Gargonza is in the province of Arezzo but not far from the province of Siena. From Gargonza, it is possible to visit the cities of art of Siena and Arezzo, Cortona, and Montepulciano, but also more intimate cities of art such as Monte San Savino, Lucignano, and Castiglion Fiorentino; all within about a 30-minute drive. From Gargonza, we are not far from Umbria with Perugia and Assisi, easily reachable with the motorway just a few km away. Starting from Gargonza, it is possible to discover the renowned wine lands of Montalcino and Montepulciano or of Chianti Classico and the Syrah of Cortona.

Despite all the internal spaces and gardens being private, Gargonza is still a village accessible to the public up to the square and the panoramic viewpoint (belvedere), located inside the village. We have a Bar inside the Bottega di Gargonza and a restaurant located outside the village walls which is also open to those not staying inside the village. For groups of people (minimum 6 people), we organize a tour of the village with the narration of its history and its restoration. Access is provided to the ancient olive press, the Parish Church (Pieve), and the recently restored Tower. The visit is by reservation and is combined with a lunch at our restaurant.

Dante Alighieri spent the first days of his exile here in 1303 and already in the 15th century, under the Government of Florence, Gargonza, in 1300, was a fortified village in the hands of the Ghibellines and from 1444 became for 300 years an agricultural community dedicated to the woods and “governed” by wise civic statutes that regulated the life of this small agricultural community. It passed from the hands of the Ubertini Counts of Arezzo to the Republic of Siena in 1381 for 4,000 florins. The Sienese built a fortification with a closed arch and a tower to prepare defenses toward the Florentine Republic. Siena held Gargonza for only 4 years and in 1385 it passed to the Florentines who, however, kept the village independent. In fact, Gargonza was a “Comunello” that had its own regulations and statutes that governed the life of the inhabitants who were under the jurisdiction of the Parish Church of SS. Tiburzio and Susanna. Independence held until 1433 when the Florentine Republic imposed the “Catasto” (land registry) on agricultural products. After various clashes, the Florentines prevailed and entirely destroyed the village, leaving however the Tower and the entrance arch intact. In 1458 Gargonza was assigned to the Marchesi Lotteringhi della Stufa and the village slowly moved toward a more regular life, given that the disputes over the borders between the provinces of Siena, Florence, and Arezzo had ended. It thus became the center of a farm from the end of the 1600s until the Second World War. It is for this reason that the houses inside the village were inhabited by the families who worked directly for the farm. With the rural exodus from the countryside, Gargonza also became depopulated and so Count Roberto Guicciardini Corsi Salviati, starting from the 1970s, began the restoration of the houses in the village. As a sign of continuity toward the community that had reluctantly left the village, he decided to give the name or the nickname of the people who lived in the house. This is why we have the Casa della Niccolina in memory of the village seamstress, or the Casa della Nerina who was the village teacher and who had the school in those rooms today called Casa Nerina. With them are other wonderful characters such as Boccio, Palle, and Canapino who make their stories live again today.

At Gargonza we can organize wine tastings with our sommelier who will guide you toward the discovery of the main great Tuscan wines, many of which come from estates near Gargonza. It is also possible to have cheese tastings paired with wines or snacks. We organize cooking classes for groups and by reservation, or truffle hunts together with wonderful Lagotto dogs.

Gargonza offers a network of trails marked and tracked on GPS that allows for beautiful walks, especially in the periods of spring and early summer and then again from September until late autumn when the colors of the woods are tinged with colors that make everything more magical. It is also possible to organize picnics in the woods, both alone and in groups. For groups, we then organize a barbecue and a richer menu to live a unique experience in contact with nature.

We offer a cuisine with products made in our laboratory, gluten-free for celiacs. We have fresh gluten-free pasta as well as gluten-free appetizers and main courses. For breakfast, we have homemade gluten-free cakes and we are a facility reported by AIC (Italian Celiac Association). We are also prepared for other intolerances or allergies and also for various dietary needs.

From Gargonza it is possible to do winery tours with a private van that will take you to get to know small companies within the reference DOCGs located around Gargonza such as Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Chianti Classico. It is also possible to go horse riding at the nearby Fogliarina stables.

The municipal road of Gargonza is paved up to the immediate vicinity of the village. There are about 500 meters of municipal white road (unpaved) to reach the entrance of the village and even sports cars can reach the entrance of the village. Gran Turismo coaches can reach the foot of the village and easily maneuver within the large parking lot located right in front of the Castle restaurant.

Yes, we have a parking lot which, however, is not guarded.

Gargonza, being in Val di Chiana halfway between the areas of Chianti Classico and Montalcino or Montepulciano, offers various options. There are closer companies in Val di Chiana such as Tenuta di Frassineto, a historic company of the valley’s reclamation and today a producer of traditional and also international grape varieties or, companies dedicated to research on the oldest traditional clones such as Fattoria Santa Vittoria. Also noteworthy is the San Luciano company, a historic presence in Val di Chiana with highly refined wines or the Villa Ripa company located in the northern area of the Arezzo valley at the beginning of the Casentino which gives its wines the typical elegance of the territory. Visits to the renowned Syrah companies of Cortona such as La Braccesca or the Chianti Classico companies such as Felsina or Castello di Bossi are also a must.

Dogs are allowed and their owners must comply with the usual rules of respect and good neighborliness. It is requested that the dog is not left alone in the room and in fact, the dog is allowed in all common areas, both internal and external. In the gardens and in the swimming pool or in the breakfast room and at the restaurant, it must be kept on a leash.

Gargonza is ideal by its nature for family holidays. Furthermore, there are no cars circulating inside the village and therefore children can run free. We have a swimming pool located outside the village with large gardens. There are no specific play areas with swings. The restaurant offers typical and informal cuisine and therefore there are always things to eat suitable for children.

Another very beautiful experience is the e-bike itineraries which can also be organized starting from Gargonza; professional guides will show you itineraries, all on secondary roads, to reach the castles and historic villages rich in history and traditions, located in the vicinity of Gargonza. The itinerary also includes a break at local wineries.

The nearest station is 6 km from Gargonza, in Monte San Savino, in the area outside the town next to the post office. Alternatively, there are superchargers at Valdichiana Village, the outlet in Foiano della Chiana which is 25 km from Gargonza.

Gargonza is a village in the countryside, immersed in nature, within a wooded estate of 600 hectares. Certainly, having your own car is necessary to visit the art cities, the wineries… for those who wish we can organize transfers from Gargonza but they are in any case with a cost to be quoted separately. The nearest train station is in Arezzo which is 28 km from Gargonza.

At Castello di Gargonza we have a bar open inside our bottega within the village square and then we also have a snack and drink point during the day at the pool. Our drink that you cannot miss is the “Gargonza spritz” or the “tower spritz”. The first is softer thanks to a small part of strawberry syrup and Select. The second is bolder and broader with vermouth and a drop of balsamic.

Without inventing anything, the cuisine of Ristorante la Torre di Gargonza offers the typical dishes of that healthy and straightforward Tuscan cuisine where flavor and balance are at the base. All fresh pasta is homemade in our laboratory. Our traditional dishes are the Tuscan chicken liver crostino, the Ribollita, pappardelle with wild boar sauce, pici with aglione from Val di Chiana, peposo of Chianina beef, Tortello filled with pears and pecorino with butter and sage, and grilled sliced beef with mushrooms.

The village of Castello di Gargonza offers junior suites with 2/3 beds or romantic suites which were originally the homes of the peasants who worked for the farm. These also have a double bed, a living room with a fireplace, and a kitchenette and are always for 2/3 people. We also have family suites which generally have 2, 3, or 4 bedrooms with a private en suite bathroom in each room and a shared living room. This last solution is ideal for families.

The Romantic Suites of Castello di Gargonza are enclosed in ancient houses, once inhabited by peasant families. The dwellings reflect the genuineness of the people who lived there, linking their names to them; the suites have the imprint of rural life that prudent restorations have preserved. The suites all have a fireplace in the living room or in the bedroom and are all different from each other.

At Castello di Gargonza you can live a unique experience which is that of staying in the medieval tower and thus living an experience back in time. In fact, it is possible to book the entire tower with an entrance and living room on the first floor, a living room and kitchenette on the second floor, the bedroom with the bathroom and with 4 windows from where you can admire the most beautiful views of both the village and the surrounding woods or the valley. On the top floor, a terrace from where you can enjoy a priceless view over the entire Val di Chiana, the Val d’Orcia, and Monte Amiata and the Apennines, from Romagna until reaching with the eye those further south in Umbria and Abruzzo.

It is difficult to make a ranking. The houses of Gargonza are all different in size but they all have the same characteristic which is that of their uniqueness and authenticity that prudent restorations have been able to guarantee.

To allow for the cleaning of the pool and the garden, the pool is open every day from 8 am to 8 pm. It is for the exclusive access of people staying in the village and is not guarded. Minors must be accompanied and their guardians are responsible for them.

A Bottega is open in Gargonza, located in the main square of the Castle under the medieval Tower, which offers wines and typical local products as well as aperitifs and small snacks.

The Castle can be reached from the A1 Milan-Naples exit no. 27 of Monte San Savino. Once you exit, turn left onto the SS73 until the town of Monte San Savino and then in the direction of Siena. The castle is 11 km from the motorway exit.

From Gargonza it is possible to take an itinerary in the direction of Siena with a visit to Monte Oliveto Maggiore, a 14th-century Abbey where the Benedictine monastic congregation is present. A very interesting place to see where mass is celebrated with Gregorian chants and where there is a farm with monastic products and a liqueur shop. You can then continue toward one of the Chianti Classico wineries which is a few km from Monte Oliveto. It is also possible to continue and visit Siena with the works of Duccio di Buoninsegna and Pinturicchio in the Duomo and the frescoes by Simone Martini at the Palazzo Pubblico in the Campo. If you prefer to visit the part toward Arezzo, a visit to Cortona with Piazza Signorelli, the Museum of Etruscan Art, and the Cells of San Francesco is a must, as is Arezzo with the legend of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca, Piazza Grande, and the Church of San Domenico with the crucifix by Cimabue. Do not miss the antiques market every first weekend of the month.

Among the most important cultural events, we mention the Savinese Music Festival during the summer in Monte San Savino, as well as the Porchetta festival during the second week of September. Also noteworthy is the Night of Count Baldovino, the last Saturday of June where the town reenacts the passage of Monte San Savino from the administrative jurisdiction of the Florentine Republic to that of a territory subject to the government of the County of Baldovino di Monte which occurred in 1550 on the occasion of the election as Pope Julius III of Giovanni Maria di Monte, a member of the family of Count Baldovino.