Castello di Gabbiano

A fortunate position that of the Castle of Gabbiano, located a few miles from Florence and Siena, making it an ideal base for visits throughout Tuscany.

The story of Gabbiano begins in the eleventh century when it began the construction of a tower to defend one of the most important communication routes between Florence and Siena. At that time the land belonged to one of the most prominent families of bankers in the city of Florence, the Bardi, who in 1124 began the construction of the cellars and, a little more than a century later, the perimeter walls of the fortress. The Castle remained in the hands of the Bards until the early 1400s when it passed to the Soderini family, also politically influential in Florence. It was for their will that the turreted manor house turned into a farm, adding to it over the years, other buildings and a private fort with four turrets placed at the corners.

Also during the possession of the Soderini the Castle begins to assume the most similar forms to those of today, with the construction of round towers at the four corners of the structure. After a period of semi abandonment suffered in the seventeenth century, the Castle knew several owners and starting from the nineteenth century the families who succeeded intervened with various restorations, while maintaining intact the original architectural features.

Among the many curiosities related to the history of the manor one can remember how Amerigo Vespucci had addressed to Pier Soderini, to the Castello di Gabbiano, his first missive on the return of the trip to the Americas. In fact, the two had in the course of the years preserved a friendly relationship after having been both pupils of Father Giorgio Antonio Vespucci, uncle of Amerigo, at the convent of San Marco.

The stay at the Castello di Gabbiano merges the refinement and comfort of a private home with the great atmosphere that only a historic residence can give: guests can relax in the company of a good book in the cozy living room, or sip a tea in the cloister or in the garden under the shade of the pergola, or reinvigorate yourself with a nice dip in the pool. Eleven spacious and elegant rooms, all different but united by stylish furnishings, create a perfect symphony overall. The accommodations are of different types: Standard, Junior, Suite and Superior. Another solution is the apartments, located a few steps from the castle in a farmhouse of 1500; all equipped with a fully equipped kitchen and high-level comforts, they offer a magnificent panoramic view of the green hills of Chianti, where vineyards, olive groves, farmhouses and woods alternate as far as the eye can see.

"Il Cavaliere", the Castello di Gabbiano restaurant, is housed in a 16th century farmhouse on the top of the hill. The two floors of the restaurant offer an environment with a unique welcome, including stone walls, frescoed walls and views of the surrounding vineyards. The proposed cuisine is the one that fully respects the typical features of the territory, with maximum attention to the choice of raw materials, going to rework in a lighter version, the traditional recipes of the territory and even varying the menu frequently will never miss the tasty risotto, the dishes with fresh pasta and the classic Florentine.

"Il Cavaliere" offers all the wines produced in the Castello winery, flanked by a selection of Chianti Classici and various national labels.