The Castello di Cafaggio is located in the heart of Chianti, surrounded by ancient woods and beautiful olive groves and vineyards that are part of the organic farm.

This elegant historical residence is owned by the Baroni Benci family and is nestled in the beautiful Tuscan hills near Impruneta, the gateway to Chianti, just 14 km from Florence.

It is ideally placed to enable visitors to experience Tuscany at its very best and is only a stone’s throw away from the capital city!

The property is strategically situated a short distance away from the picturesque main square of the village, Piazza Buondelmonti, where the famous Basilica of Santa Maria all'Impruneta stands, along with the important sanctuary of Madonna dell'Impruneta and a beautiful cloister adorned with precious sculptures and handcrafted terracotta artifacts made in the renowned Impruneta kilns.

This enchanting private Castle offers accommodation for a total of 19 people:  it has 2 suites, one for 2 and one for 4 guests, located on the main ‘piano nobile’ floor of the castle's central building with the tower and a further 7 bedrooms with 8 bathrooms located in the village farmhouse adjacent to the main building.

The Castle is rented for exclusive use to ensure our guests enjoy maximum privacy and can experience this beautiful property in its entirety: the tastefully decorated Art Nouveau (‘stile liberty’ in Italian) dining room, the blue living room featuring a piano and fireplace, the billiard room, a spacious and fully equipped kitchen, a beautiful swimming pool with a panoramic view, the castle courtyard and extensive gardens, the historic consecrated private chapel, the lemon house, the wine cellar, the secret cellar, the spectacular belvedere terrace and a large, luminous reception hall for organising events and other activities, as well as all related services.

The structure dates back to the 12th century and is immersed in harmonious vineyards and ancient olive groves that are part of Cafaggio’s organic agricultural farm, where a fine red wine and excellent organic extra virgin olive oil are still produced today. Olive oil has been produced from the Castle's ancient mill, now a museum, since the early 1800s. Impruneta boasts an ancient tradition for olive oil, which has always been the predominant crop, and for the large terracotta jars that were used to store it.

The estate encompasses approximately 120 hectares (300 acres) of private land and benefits from having a magnificent view of the Chianti hills. The Castle is blessed by being enveloped all year round in a pleasant breeze and the scents of typical aromatic plants from the area, such as rosemary, lavender and spring flowers.

The Castle has been gradually restored over the years by the owners who have taken great care to preserve its charm and its original architectural features, while ensuring guests are provided with all modern comforts, including air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

Information about the owners:

Valentina Benci Piccioni is delighted to welcome you to her home at Cafaggio Castle, this enchanted place which is also the repository of cherished treasures belonging to her two families. Her father, Piero Piccioni, a renowned pianist and the composer of some 300 soundtracks for Italian cinema from the 1950s onwards, and her stepfather, Enrico Benci, with whom she grew up, were in fact united by a deep friendship and mutual esteem for each other.

In the Castle’s library, you can admire many of the Benci family’s books and ancient documents, including a photo with a dedication and a letter from frequent visitor and close friend Giacomo Puccini, written to Valentina's great-grandfather Ugo Benci. In recent years, Piero Piccioni’s entire handwritten musical production has been added to the collection, which has also been made available to scholars and musicians. Valentina, a musicologist and singer, has overseen its digitisation, and organises conferences and concerts dedicated to her father with important scholars and musicians in the magical setting of the Castello di Cafaggio.