In the Tuscan hills, this repurposed castle is a slice of magic
Rolling valleys, ridge-top castles, vines, olive groves, ochre-coloured cottages, old Roman walls left untouched for millennia. Even Bambi. This property has it all.
In Tuscany before sunset, the light falls differently. A softness spreads over the hills, a warm haze, a translucence, and the parched earth seems to sigh. If there is a reason this northern region of Italy is so cherished and fabled, it can certainly be explained in these gentle moments before the sun sets.
And so on this steamy afternoon it is the approach of this golden hour that tempts us off the sunbeds on which we have lounged all day, like prosciutto pigs being fattened for market, for a walk into the surrounding vineyards.
The chalky path out of Como Castello del Nero leads us along a line of soaring Cyprus pines, so perfect they could be drawn there. Everywhere from here are views: rolling valleys, ridge-top castles, vines, olive groves, ochre-coloured cottages, old Roman walls left untouched for millennia. Down through the property’s grape vines we go, peering at the lush grapes hanging among fluttering leaves. Down then into a wooded grove, the sunshine on our backs. And as we walk, we suddenly hear a rustling nearby; something is moving. Wild boars forage around here, we’ve been told; also, deer. We know which one we’d prefer to meet, and as we stand still waiting to see if we can spot the interloper again, out pops a beautiful red-spotted fawn, jumping between the shrubs a few metres from where we stand. It looks at us and dashes off, its patchy hide blending into the filtered landscape.
It is gone so quickly we feel we may have imagined it, until another dashes through the bushes, more clearly this time, the spots on its back blending into the dappled undergrowth. What a thrill.
Climbing back up the hill to the Castello, it feels like there is magic in the air; or that this is the sort of place magic resides. Tawny little fawns in the undergrowth? It hardly feels real.
So here we are at Como Castello del Nero. Before leaving home to visit this fabled property, a friend who had been there described it as a dream destination among dream destinations. Now we’re here, it feels it would be churlish not to see this as true.
Located between Florence and Siena in the Chianti region, not far from San Gimignano, that most wondrous of Tuscan clifftop villages, Como Castello del Nero may well be the quintessential realisation of the Tuscan dream in hotel form. Set on 300ha of scenic grounds that include vineyards, an olive grove and orchards, this 12th-century castle, repurposed as a luxury hotel and part of the Como group, has 50 rooms and suites, each decorated in Tuscan tones by Italian designer Paola Navone. It is an impressive complex, almost like a miniature and perfectly realised little town built around what was for centuries a functioning noble family residence. The Castello started life as the country home of the noble Del Nero family, later used by the Torrigiani family, who in Florentine tradition used it as their summer retreat from the heat of summer in town.
Today the property retains some astonishing heritage artefacts including Renaissance-era frescoes, centuries-old wine cellars and a 400-year-old cedar tree that stands guard at the front entrance. A modernisation undertaken in 2019 has done much to retain the property’s village feel. As you wander around it’s easy to visualise how life was lived here over the centuries. It must have been an idyllic existence: fruit from the orchard, wine from the vines, pork from pigs raised onsite – an entire world contained on this hill in the Italian sunshine.
These days there is much that is modern to tempt contemporary travellers, with the rooms fitted in fashionably Italian fashion, that blend of old and new the Italians love so much (think Tuscan artefacts positioned between big-screen TVs) and rooms with views of vineyards, lavender scents wafting in through the open windows from the extensive gardens.
It is best to visit in summer when the heat throbs from early to late, the cicadas thrumming in the humid air, just for the pleasure of lounging at the pool, surely one of Italy’s finest. Lie beside this blue oasis, the vines glistening to your left, the castle rising to your right, and try to think of a better place in the world. Cocktails delivered to your side are an obvious yes, and when peckish, a pizza or caprese salad can certainly be arranged.
There’s much to do – from having spa treatments to doing pizza making classes if that’s your thing, dining onsite or driving around the countryside in search of exquisite towns in which to amble with thousands of other tourists. Or you can spend a few days simply enjoying the Castello, eating well, drinking well, and if you are lucky enough, spotting a few of the natives dashing through the undergrowth. It’s magical.
Checklist
Getting there: Como Castello del Nero is 30 minutes from Florence airport. The hotel offers a once-a-day car transfer to and from Florence which can be booked at reception (or call ahead).
Stay: There are several room types, from 50sqm Tavarnelle rooms with views of the hills to a 90sqm Como Heritage suite with an enormous master bedroom and separate living space. Rates from €700 ($1160). comohotels.com/castellodelnero
Eat: The hotel has two main dining options including the Michelin-starred La Torre, overseen by executive chef Giovanni Luca Di Pirro. For a more affordable and approachable option, have a beautiful lunch or dinner overlooking the glistening hills at La Taverna. An excellent continental buffet breakfast full of Italian treats – pastries, cheeses, smallgoods, fresh fruit and veg, eggs – is held every morning in La Taverna that should get you through most of the day.
Do: If you can tear yourself away from the majestic pool, a drive around this wondrous countryside is a must. The exquisite clifftop towns of San Gimignano and Volterra are about a 30-minute drive down winding roads from the estate. Also the big regional centres – Florence and Siena – have abundant charms. The hotel’s Shambhala spa is world class, and there are yoga and pilates classes each day.