Rising among the Chianti hills, surrounded by olives, vines and ancient woodland, is the thirteenth century Castello di Cafaggio.
It is just 12km from Florence yet in a world of its own. Here Giacomo Puccini, a close friend of its aristocratic owners, used to hunt in the extensive woodlands.
The Agriturismo is in a farmhouse next to the Castle. Its four apartments, the double bedroom and the detached cottage retain all the appeal of an old country house. As a guest, your day may start with breakfast in the elegant Liberty-style dining room in the Castle. Later, in the Castle's kitchen garden, amongst lemon and almond trees and sweet smelling herbs, you can enjoy the large swimming pool which looks out over a breathtaking view. Sometimes there are activities organised in the Castle, such as oil tastings in the old olive press, cookery and decoration courses, as well as receptions and concerts.
At the end of the day you may admire one of the stunning sunsets that are often to be seen from the agriturismo's courtyard. Here a barbecue is available so guests can cook outside and get to taste the Estate's own products, amongst which is the award winning Cafaggio extra virgin olive.

The History of Cafaggio
Every corner of the Castle and the surrounding landscape is rich with history and memories. We have the same hopes and dreams as previous generations who lived and worked to nurture this ancient setting.
It is our pleasure to pass on these same emotions to our guests, sharing the experience of rural Tuscan living, as it was in the past and as it is today, and savouring the fruits of this precious landscape.

Hospitality
Following the avenue of lime trees that run from the Castle to the woods, and just beyond the family Chapel, you will find the courtyard of the solid, stone built farmhouse. From here your gaze will travel out across the olive groves to the distant outlines of old hill towns, and at sunset the stone walls behind you will glow red and the perfume of lavender, rosemary and lemon trees will envelop you.
The farm house has been restored and transformed into and an Agriturismo (or farm guesthouse) with careful attention to traditional building techniques and the original structure.
The 4 apartments, the double bedroom and the detached cottage are furnished with old family furniture (some hand-decorated by the owner). From the terracotta flooring to the wooden beams and the antique cypress wood doors, these rooms maintain all the appeal of an old fashioned country house. Each has its own television, and independently controlled heating and ventilation system.

Services
Swimming pool, laundry, room cleaning, baby sitting, barbecue, trekking.
Services included in the price
Water, gas, electricity, heating, taxes. Weekly change of bed/bath/kitchen linens.
Midweek change of bathroom linens.
Services not included in the price
Cleaning on departure €15 per person. On request, cleaning during stay, €13 per hour. Use of washing machine, €6 per wash including detergent and ironing facilities. Cot and child-bed, free of charge.
Breakfast Available on Request
On request (from monday to saturday) € 15 /person/day (Melograno €10)

We give priority to weekly rents (Saturday to Saturday) in the May to October period.
All the apartments are furnished with antique, rustic-style furniture, and all are equipped with a television and an independent heating and ventilation system. Our Agriturismo is open throughout the year.
We live in the Castle throughout the year and are always available to guests for assistance and information.
On arrival we like to welcome you with the gift of some of our own products, as well as maps and information on Florence, the surrounding area, and all the events, markets, restaurants and traditional workshops that you may want to visit. Much as we would like to, we regret that we cannot accommodate animals.

Activities
With the aim of generating increased understanding of local artistic and rustic traditions, we organise cookery and decoration courses, tastings and visits to the old olive press and cellars of the Castle, as well as concerts, exhibitions, conferences and seminars.

We will be pleased to host your wedding in the courtyard, Italian garden, Castle reception rooms and of course in the Castle's private Chapel.

Cookery Courses
The cookery course, for a minimum of 2 and maximum of 8 people, consists in practical and theoretical lessons which Gabriella Benci holds in the Castle kitchen. She teaches the preparation of traditional Tuscan dishes as well as recipes from other Italian regions which particularly complement Tuscan cuisine. She has also revived some delicious local recipes found in old Castle documents. Some had long been forgotten, but are always well received by our modern day students.
The course, in Italian, French or English runs from 9.30 to 13.30 or from 15.30 to 19.30.
Where possible, the dishes are prepared with our own organic produce such as oil, vinegar, onions, garlic, eggs, lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage and herbs which, depending on the time of year, we gather in the kitchen garden before starting the class.
The lesson is rounded off by tasting all the dishes we have prepared, accompanied by our own wine, in the elegant Liberty dining room in the Castle with the large dining table fully laid up in formal style.
All course participants receive copies of the recipes and an apron with the family crest on it.

Products
The Estate farm, which is in the process of achieving full organic status, lies at 300 metres above sea level. It consists in 100 hectares of ancient woodland, 25 hectares of olive groves with 5000 Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino olive trees, and 1 hectare of vineyard with the typical Chianti grape varieties of San Giovese, Trebbiano and Malvasia. A specialist vineyard of 2 hectares has also recently been planted with San Giovese, Cabernet and Merlot grape varieties.
Through exacting professional standards in the harvesting of the olives and the production of the oil Enrico and Valentina Benci, with the assistance of major experts in the field, have achieved a significant improvements in the quality of Cafaggio oil. The result is that in recent years Cafaggio has won various important national prizes. In 2002 it was just one of only 5 Tuscan oils to win '3 Olives' from Slow Food, and it also won First Prize in the "fruttato intenso" Category at Festambiente. In 2003 the Chamber of Commerce in Florence selected it as among the 3 best Tuscan oils for the Ercole Olivario final.
Our oil is our key product but we dedicate similar passion to the production of our Chianti wine, vinegar, vinsanto, and honey.

All our products can be bought on the Estate.

ACCOMMODATIONS IN APARTMENTS:
Apartment Ulivo
Three rooms for 4/6 people on two floors.
On the ground floor: living room with sofa bed for two people, large kitchen with dishwasher, bathroom with shower.
On the first floor: one double bedroom, one twin bedroom, a bathroom with shower.

Apartment Rose
Bilocale per 2/4 persone, al primo piano.
Soggiorno con divano letto per due persone, una camera matrimoniale, una piccola cucina, un bagno con doccia.

Apartment Uva
Two rooms for 2/3 people, on the ground floor.
One double bedroom with discreet cooking corner, one single bedroom, a bathroom with shower.

Apartment Limoni
Studio for 2 people, on first floor.
One twin or double bedroom with discreet cooking corner, a bathroom with shower.

Apartment Melograno
Double bedroom on the ground floor.
One double bedroom with bathroom with shower.

Casetta : Detached cottage
Mini apartment for two (30sq metres) with fully equipped kitchen area, bathroom with shower, air conditioning and private garden.
Detached cottage, 100 metres from the Castle, set in olive groves and vineyards, with views to the Castle and the surrounding hills.

Accommodations available:

Apartments: 6 -

Services Available:

Activities:

Location : Via del Ferrone, 58, - Impruneta (Florence)
Satellite coordinates: Lat. 43.677991 - Lon.43.677991

Reaching Castello di Cafaggio

How to Reach Us:

From North and South Italy
" Autostrada A1, exit Firenze-Certosa
" Turn right following blue signs for Impruneta (6 km)
" After about 1 km, take the first left turn
" Having passed through the town of Tavarnuzze, follow signs for Impruneta, heading left (the road begins to climb)
" After 5 km you will reach Impruneta
" Pass through the main church square and head for the next square (Piazza Accursio da Bagnolo, a large car park). Turn right immediately following signs for Ferrone, then turn right again at the top of the square to enter Street del Ferrone.
" After 800 metres, on the right beside an orange sign showing School Crossing, enter at number 58 and follow the un-metalled road for 500 metres to the Castle.

From Florence Airport (24 km)
i. By Car
" Take the A11 Autostrada in the direction of Prato-Pisa-Livorno
" Then take the A1 Autostrada in the direction of Roma
" Exit at Firenze-Certosa
" Turn right following blue signs for Impruneta (6 km)
" After about 1 km, take the first left turn
" Having passed through the town of Tavarnuzze, follow signs for Impruneta, heading left (the road begins to climb)
" After 5 km you will reach Impruneta
" Pass through the main church square and head for the next square (Piazza Accursio da Bagnolo, a large car park). Turn right immediately following signs for Ferrone, then turn right again at the top of the square to enter Street del Ferrone.
" After 800 metres, on the right beside an orange sign showing School Crossing, enter at number 58 and follow the un-metalled road for 500 metres to the Castle.

ii. By Taxi (approximate cost 40 Euro)

iii. By Bus
" Take the shuttle bus to Florence Station Santa Maria Novella (12 km)
" Follow the indications below

From the Florence Train Station Santa Maria Novella (12 km)
i. By Taxi (approximate cost 30 Euro)

ii. By bus
" Exit the station on the left-hand side (with your back to the railway lines) and go past the Pharmacy (Farmacia)
" Cross at the traffic lights and turn right
" Turn into the first road on the left (Largo Alinari)
" You will find the ZIP code bus stops on the left-hand side (these buses are blue or white). Chose a bus with Impruneta (via Bagnolo or via Pozzolatico) as the destination. They run approximately every half hour.
" Buses run Monday to Saturday from 6.30 to 20.30. On Sundays there are 8 buses between 7.20 and 20.30.
" Purchase tickets and consult timetables in the office alongside the bus stop " After about 30 minutes get off in the second square at Impruneta, where there is a large car park (after the main Church square).

From Pisa Airport (90 km):
i. By car
" Turn right out of the airport car park onto the dual-carriageway Superstrada Fi-Pi-LI in the direction of Florence
" After approximately 50 minutes to one hour, exit when you see signs for the A1 Autostrada in the direction of Roma
" Take the A1, direction Roma, and after 10 minutes approximately, exit at Firenze-Certosa
" Turn right following blue signs for Impruneta (6 km)
" After about 1 km, take the first left turn
" Having passed through the town of Tavarnuzze, follow signs for Impruneta, heading left (the road begins to climb)
" After 5 km you will reach Impruneta
" Pass through the main church square and head for the next square (Piazza Accursio da Bagnolo, a large car park). Turn right immediately following signs for Ferrone, then turn right again at the top of the square to enter Street del Ferrone.
" After 800 metres, on the right beside an orange sign showing School Crossing, enter at number 58 and follow the un-metalled road for 500 metres to the Castle.

ii. By train
" From the airport take the train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (about one every hour: first train departs 10:44, arriving 12:02; last train departs 20:25, arriving 22:18)
" Take the bus for Impruneta (see above)

iii. By Taxi (approximate cost 140 Euro)

Castello di Cafaggio ON GOOGLE MAP

VIDEO:

GLOBE TREKKER TV SHOW

Prices for all the seasons:

Prices are per day, for a minimum stay of 2 nights, and are inclusive of bed/bath/kitchen linens and central heating.

Services
Swimming pool, laundry, room cleaning, baby sitting, barbecue, trekking.

Services included in the price
Water, gas, electricity, heating, taxes. Weekly change of bed/bath/kitchen linens.
Midweek change of bathroom linens.

Services not included in the price
Cleaning on departure €15 per person. On request, cleaning during stay, €13 per hour. Use of washing machine, €6 per wash including detergent and ironing facilities. Cot and child-bed, free of charge.

Breakfast Available on Request
May to October : breakfast is served in the Liberty-style dining room in the Castle, €15/person per/day (€10/person/day for guests in the Melograno room). The Melograno room (double room) is equipped with a mini fridge, kettle and crockery.
Mountain Bike Hire €10/day.

We give priority to weekly rents (Saturday to Saturday) in the May to October period.
All the apartments are furnished with antique, rustic-style furniture, and all are equipped with a television and an independent heating and ventilation system. Our Agriturismo is open throughout the year.
We live in the Castle throughout the year and are always available to guests for assistance and information.
On arrival we like to welcome you with the gift of some of our own products, as well as maps and information on Florence, the surrounding area, and all the events, markets, restaurants and traditional workshops that you may want to visit. Much as we would like to, we regret that we cannot accommodate animals.

Please contact Castello di Cafaggio for more information about availability and rates

Course on Tuscan Traditional Cuisine - Oil Tastings - Visit to the ancient press oil

Course on Tuscan Traditional Cuisine
Oil Tastings
Visit to the ancient press oil

With the aim of generating increased understanding of local artistic and rustic traditions, we organise cookery, oil tastings and visits to the old olive press and cellars of the Castle
Cooking courses consist of practical and theoretical lessons given in the kitchen of the Castle where the farm-house is located.
Traditional Tuscan dishes, some variations to include some of the most typical recipes from other regions in Italy and some revived delicious local recipes found in old Castle documents will be prepared
The meals will be prepared using the local products of the farm. The lessons will be followed by the tasting of the dishes prepared during the lesson and served with our wine in the dining-room of the Castle, a rare example of pure Liberty style decor.
Every participant will be provided with copies of the recipes of the dishes prepared and tasted during the cooking lessons and with the Castello di Cafaggio apron.

We propose the visit of the old press room museum (1800), located in the cave of the Castle, with detailed description of oil harvesting and and pressing in anciet times, then visit of the Castle.
Between November and December the Castle of Cafaggio offers their guests the possibility to follow the process and all the different production stages of extra virgin olive oil: we organize guided tours at the fields and at the modern oil mill where there will be tasting of the new pressed olive oil.
After the visit we can organize tasting or quick lunch at the Castle with fettunta, our Chianti wine and the products of our farm

Wedding in Florence - Banquets

WEDDINGS - BANQUETS
CONCERTS - SEMINARS


We organize wedding banquets in the castle.
The precious art nouveau dining room locate in the castle can sit up to 45 people.
Outdoors spaces and indoor spaces (blue music room, the castle courtyard and the Italian garden) can sit up to 120 people.
It is possible to celebrate weddings in our private chapel.

We also organize concerts in the Castle Courtyard and in the Blue Room, inside the Castle