Castellaccio 8

A classic Chianti villa with pool and tennis court

Nice little touches

  • Tasty light fare at the restaurant at the top of the road is in walking distance
  • Great spots for meals al fresco - on the dining terrace overlooking the pool and sheltered under the pines near the BBQ
  • Beautifully landscaped gardens lend a touch of color in all seasons

Good to know

  • The last part of the approach road is steep! Best taken in low gear, slow and steady, both heading down and back up.
  • Mobile phone coverage is better outside from some points in the garden, hence the availability of an in-house phone for local calls.

A classic Chianti villa, Castellaccio is nestled in one of nature's amphitheatres, surrounded by gently rising hills of green and the occasional distant villa. Inspired perhaps by the lay of the land and certainly assisted by gifted gardeners, its owners have created a property that stretches languidly over many levels and invites free flowing movement from one to another. With accommodation in the main house and a spacious barn, this is an excellent place for a group of friends or a multi-generational family to find space for joyous gathering or tranquil retreat.

From the entrance to the fenced property, wide banks of rosemary and lavender and tall flowering shrubs draw you along the path to an umbrella-shaded panoramic terrace whose tables are a natural venue for al fresco meals. Wide staircases flanking the terrace lead up to a larger flagstone terrace between the barn and the house, the stone facade of which is softened and shaded by the wooden pergola draped with roses and white wisteria and furnished with wicker sofas.

Accommodation

As is natural in this part of the world, entry into a house through its kitchen, and Castellaccio's has long marble counters, built-in appliances, a handy breakfast table and a wood stove. Doors from the kitchen lead to an attractive dining room with a table for 10, off of which is a small office with a single bed and access to the inner courtyard.

Off the dining room, a corridor, brightened by the arched glass doors from the court, provides access to the upper floor bedrooms, a colorful tiled shower room and the large living room. With an ancient pietra serena fireplace, deep sofas covered in warm russet fabrics and painted wooden furniture, this is a room to retire to at the end of the day and relive the day's adventures.

The furnished inner courtyard, partially open to the sun but closed off by a huge wooden door, is another great place for dinner as it is steps away from the pizza oven. Also off the courtyard is the laundry and an external staircase to a loggia with bistro table and chairs which in turn accesses the upper floor bedrooms. There is a beautiful double bedroom with fireplace, which shares a large bathroom with the smaller adjoining twin/double bedroom, as well as another bathroom and a third bedroom under strong chestnut eaves, which can be a double or twin as desired. Both bathrooms have clawed tubs and roomy showers, and all bedrooms are nicely furnished with country antiques and attractive spreads.

Across the terrace from the house are arched doors to the stone barn whose wide entryway features an Arabian-style double bed behind drapes to one side and a large shower room behind an antique turquoise door to the other. A few steps lead down to an enormous sitting room with a tall stone fireplace and generous sofas that invite lounging. There is a handy kitchenette in the corner and wide French doors out to a patio whose travertine table, nearby barbecue and hammock strung in the shade of tall trees all suggest an ideal place for a summer meal.

Steps away is a gate to one of the hidden joys of the property, a long arboured walkway whose sides and hanging vines spill over with seasonal colour and perfume, and at the end of which is another surprise, a regulation tennis court. Steps from the limonaia lead down to the long pool with a furnished pergola at one end and a living area under the trees at the other.

Features

Villa Details

  • Private pool
  • Fireplace
  • Central heating (extra)

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

  • 1 double bedroom on the 1st floor of the main house with ensuite bathroom with separate shower
  • 2 twin/double bedrooms on the 1st floor of the main house with shared bathroom with separate shower
  • 1 single bed in the ground floor study, utilized on request
  • 1 shower room on the ground floor of the main house
  • 1 double bed and shower room in the barn annex
  • Insect screens on some bedroom windows and mosquito nets
  • Portable fan in each bedroom
  • 2 hair dryers available

Kitchen equipment

  • Oven
  • Italian coffee maker
  • Dishwasher
  • Kettle
  • Toaster

Amenities

  • 1 baby bed and 1 high chair available on request
  • Dvd player
  • Fireplaces
  • Wifi internet
  • Telephone for local calls
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Cd player/radio
  • Tv with satellite
  • Washing machine

What's included

  • Pool towels provided
  • Mid-week cleaning
  • Final cleaning included

Extras on request

  • Arrival groceries available on request
  • Catering available on request
  • Cooking lessons available on request
  • Extra cleaning and linen change available
  • Babysitting occasionally available

Outdoors

  • Swimming pool (5 x 15 m; depth 1-1.5 m)
  • Barbecue
  • Pizza oven
  • Furnished gardens and terraces

Nearby

  • Swimming pool with step entry set below the level of the house with living areas at opposite ends of the pool
  • Tennis court on site, with a few so-so rackets available

Photos

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Reviews

“ Words (Or Photos) Don’t Do It Justice ”

If you’re looking for the ultimate immersive Tuscan experience, this is your villa. The photos on the webpage pale in comparison to seeing it up close and personal. From the rustic stone, to the various seating areas all with a beautiful view of the countryside, dreamy bedrooms, and piece de resistance salt water pool, absolute perfection. The house had a certain sweet rose scent. Let’s talk about the plum trees as you park and grapes hanging from the wood column walkway. Herb garden? A short drive from a lovely alfresco eatery and neighboring San Donato. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION! I can not wait to come back and book THIS villa again.

Sarah and Rocky from USA staying in Castellaccio . Aug 2022

“ A really enjoyable stay ”

A really enjoyable stay La Piazza Restaurant was better than ever. Also the Trattoria at the top of the lane takes some beating.

Sarah R-S and family staying in Castelllaccio . Feb 2019

“ It was everything and more than we could have hoped for ”

We had a lovely vacation at the villa. It was everything and more than we could have hoped for. Our only regret was that we were not able to stay longer to explore all of the property and to enjoy every sitting area multiple times.

As interior designers, we really appreciated the collected feeling of the home; a place where years of love and travel have layered the rooms. The photos did not do the villa justice! The bedrooms in the main house are comfortable and cozy. Our kids loved having their special twin bedrooms in which they could plot their pirates or gladiators fantasies underneath the ethereal netting. Many hours of imagination play or scavenger hunts were enjoyed. And when we were too hot, being able to jump into the magical pool made the day complete. The outside building was a bonus place to hangout, play charades or just lazily read.

Castellaccio is a magical place where we promptly boasted about to all our friends, though have fiercely guarded its location for fear that this 'secret' will be found out. Sicelle is the perfect size as home base and the surrounding towns were great to explore whenever we felt like venturing out. Not surprisingly, the local restaurants were incredible and delicious. The market at Panzano was a great surprise and the roasted chicken truck was an eating experience we still reminisce about.

There are not enough words to describe what a great stay we had at your villa. We hope to return again someday. If there was one critique it would be that it is too special for the masses looking for a packaged vacation in the Chianti region. This is not a villa for the bus-tour set but I suspect you are not disappointed to read this. The 'imperfections' and Italian ruggedness of this villa is not for everyone. However for the many who appreciate these characteristics will love it as we did.

dreaming of a return visit,

M.N. from NY, USA staying in Castellaccio . Feb 2018

“ Lived up to our expectations completely ”

We stayed at Castellaccio in September. The villa was beautiful, lived up to our expectations completely. It was great to be allowed to treat it as a home for the week. The tennis court and swimming pool were both put to good use. My son and I did a reasonable amount of cooking too - with a little one its much more relaxing to eat at home after she's in bed. The beds were all comfortable - I think we used all of them in the end. The restaurant at the end of the road, at the crossroads - looked really good but the night we wanted to eat there we weren't organised enough to book. I liked shopping in the little shops in Greve for the groceries as well as getting basics from the excellent new coop in San Donato. The villa was convenient for both Siena and Florence. One thing that's not made clear on the website is how lovely and private the whole place is. I would have no hesitation in recommending it fully.

Mrs. P.C. and family, UK staying in Castellaccio . Apr 2015

“ Overall our stay at Castellaccio can be rated as very good ”

Even if the weather was not friendly this summer Castellaccio was a nice place to stay and it perfectly matched our requirements: secluded, calm, charming in a terrific environment and a die-for pool. As a plant lover I could appreciate its Mediterranean garden with a wide variety of well-managed plants. The house, even if rustic, offers a good taste of authenticity. The staff was correct. Overall our stay at Castellaccio can be rated as very good. Just a little thing, you should probably warn people renting Castellaccio that, due to the hard steeply track, a four wheel drive vehicle is a better option which should become mandatory in case of heavy rain or in winter. As repeaters with your agency, I should add we've never been facing a problem with the houses you offer to rent and will surely be back in a future summer.

Mr. J-M.F. and family, France staying in Castellaccio . Jul 2014

“ We all felt very privileged to be there ”

Even if the weather was not friendly this summer Castellaccio was a nice place to stay and it perfectly matched our requirements: secluded, calm, charming in a terrific environment and a die-for pool. As a plant lover I could appreciate its Mediterranean garden with a wide variety of well-managed plants. The house, even if rustic, offers a good taste of authenticity. The staff was correct. Overall our stay at Castellaccio can be rated as very good. Just a little thing, you should probably warn people renting Castellaccio that, due to the hard steeply track, a four wheel drive vehicle is a better option which should become mandatory in case of heavy rain or in winter. As repeaters with your agency, I should add we've never been facing a problem with the houses you offer to rent and will surely be back in a future summer.

Mrs. P.S. and friends, USA staying in Castellaccio . Feb 2014

“ We found the house and grounds truly enchanting ”

What a lovely villa! Six of us stayed at Castellaccio for a week in September, and found the house and grounds truly enchanting. The kitchen was well-used, and allowed us to practice our Italian cooking. Lovely views from the pool. Warning: on arriving, when you are facing the Borgo at Sicelle, turn left and then take the next left turn, then right at the fork further on. We had a harrowing experience at dusk with a mistaken turn and a road we couldn't get back up without the aid of a fireman we happened across who managed to drive our two vehicles up the damp, pebbly road backwards at about 50 MPH. An amazing encounter we could have lived without. I recommend having dinner one evening at the bar/restaurant across from the Borgo. The food was superb, and the service personal and warm. The spaghetti with butter, pecorino cheese and black pepper was ridiculously delicious. We did have a great time. Everyone loved the villa. We also would like you to thank Joanne for us, for setting up the catered dinner. it was delicious (wild boar! yay!), and made for a lovely evening.

Mrs. S.W. and friends, USA staying in Castellaccio . Jul 2012

Where is Castellaccio ?

Getting here

  • Florence airport: 40 mins
  • Pisa airport: 1 hr 20 mins
  • Rome airport: 3 hrs 15 mins

Around Castellaccio

In walking distance, albeit uphill, from the house there is a bar/enoteca at the crossroads of Sicelle, but when energy and an adventuring spirit draw visitors further afield, know that there is a short-cut drive to the famous Chiantigiana, the scenic road leading through the most well-known Chianti villages.

Wine tasting, lively village markets and summer concerts and exhibitions are easily within reach. And tucked away in the hills as it may seem, Castellaccio is actually not far from the highway that puts you equidistant to medieval Siena or Renaissance Florence. Step out to savour culture-rich history and still make it home for a poolside sunset and a glass of red - that is a Tuscan holiday.

Nearby

  • Bar, restaurants, shopping San Donato in Poggio, 5km
  • Chianti villages Panzano 8km,
  • Radda in Chianti 20km
  • Greve in Chianti 15km
  • San Gimignano 32km
  • Florence 42km
  • Siena 50 km

Local Towns and Places to Visit

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Sleeps: 8
From € 595 per day

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How to book

Is Castellaccio perfect for you?

For availability and pricing see the calendar above. If you have any questions or would like help choosing, we visit our properties regularly and can help you choose and book the best villa for your holidays.

We can hold dates for you for 48 hours while you make sure everything lines up, then you simply pay the deposit (30% of total) to secure your booking. The balance will then be due 10 weeks before you travel. You can also add "Booking Protect" to your booking for a full refund if you can't travel.

For more details see our Booking Conditions and Booking Protect. You can add Booking Protect to your booking at any time until you have paid your balance, simply ask your agent.

Worth knowing

Many local administrations now charge a “Tourist Tax” for people staying in rented accommodation and these vary from town to town. The charges are generally per person per night with a maximum number of nights, usually around 5 but sometimes 7, beyond which they will not charge. The charges range between 50 cents to 3 euro. Children are sometimes included, sometimes not and these charges should be collected by the property owners.

Not sure?

It can often be faster to contact us to ask for advice - we visit all the houses so can give you first hand advice based on your wishlist. Once you find a villa you like we can hold dates for you for up to 48 hours while you check flights or make sure everybody is on board.

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