CASTELLO DI PORCIANO IN STIA IN THE AREZZO REGIO

The residence is located on the top three floors of the palatial tower of Castello di Porciano, an imposing tower that is almost 40 metres high and 10 x 8 metres wide, which was constructed by the Guidi Counts in the 13th century. The lower floors house a museum.

Castello di Porciano can accommodate between 6 and 9 people and has 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms. There is a large L-shaped living room with a fireplace, comfortable sofas and a large dining table. Plentiful books are available in both Italian and English, together with all the convenient comforts of a home that is both lived-in and much cherished. The Castello provides stunning views of the Casentino Valley. Furnished with antique family furniture, it is welcoming and cosy and has a very intimate atmosphere. Fully heated, it can also be rented outside the main tourist season. It features beautiful Tuscan ceramics for the table and has an extremely well-equipped kitchen. There is a superb terrace-solarium at the top of the Tower, offering a 365-degree view all around.

The residence is suitable for those who prefer charm to luxury, staying at the Castle that hosted Dante during his exile from Florence in the first half of the 14th century. To access the property, there is a lift to the 4th floor, then two short flights of stairs lead to the 5th floor. Please note that we cannot accommodate children and teenagers.

Adjacent to the large tower, it is also possible to rent a small watchtower located on the path of the ancient city walls. It is suitable for 1-2 people, and is especially appreciated by young visitors. It is spread over three floors connected by steep stairs and has a small kitchen, a living room and a bedroom with a mini bathroom. It is located 1.5 km from Porciano in the town of Stia, which has restaurants, a pharmacy, shops, a bank, a post office, etc.

THE HISTORY OF CASTELLO DI PORCIANO

Porciano was possessed by the Guidi Counts, who also owned a great number of other castles in Tuscany and Romagna, dating as far back as the 11th century.

The large tower that dominates the village of Porciano was built in the 13th century, at the same time as the establishment and rise of the Guidi Counts of Porciano-Modigliana, and became one of their major representative seats.

In the 14th century, during the peak of the political and cultural growth of Castello di Porciano, Dante was a guest of the Guidi Counts during his exile from Florence, and it was here that he wrote his three famous letters: ‘To the Princes and People of Italy’, ‘To the Florentines’ and ‘To Henry VII’ between 1310 and 1311.

The Guidi Counts left Porciano in 1442, when the last Count, Ludovico, became a monk in Florence. Subsequently, the Castle passed first to the Republic of Florence and then to the Municipality of Stia. It was sold in 1793, already in a state of abandonment, to an ancestor of the current owners, Abbot Count Giuseppe Goretti de Flamini.

Before the second half of the 20th century, the entire inner part of the palatial tower of the Castle had collapsed, and the perimeter walls of the tower were also severely damaged, both internally and externally. In 1963, Flaminia Goretti de Flamini and George A. Specht, the parents of the current owner, Martha Specht Corsi, decided to devote themselves to the complete restoration of this important monument, completing the renovation work in the 1970s.

FACILITIES AND SERVICES: ACCOMMODATION AND GUIDED TOURS AT CASTELLO DI PORCIANO

Rental of the residence inside the Castle: €3000/€3400 (weekly price).

The Guard Tower (Torretta di Guardia): €375/€400 (weekly price).

Minimum stay of 4 nights: €2000-€2500.

It is possible to organise excursions in the area with environmental guides. We are involved with the Casentino Ecomuseum project.

Museum visits are available on Sundays and public holidays between May and October from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., admission on a donation basis.

PLACES OF INTEREST IN THE VICINITY

Here are just a few ideas of places you can visit in the Casentino area:

The town of Stia is an ancient wool centre and has a Museo dell’Arte della Lana wool museum, a beautiful piazza, complete with its porticoes, and the important Romanesque Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The Molin di Bucchio is one of the oldest mills in the Casentino. It has existed since the 1300s and is directly linked to the history of Castello di Porciano. The 15th-century Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie displays beautiful examples of ‘robbiana’ glazed terracotta ceramics. Castello di Romena is mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy, and the beautiful Parish Church of San Pietro in Romena is an extraordinary example of a Romanesque church.

The neighbouring village of Pratovecchio, whose ancient part is almost entirely covered by porticoes, is home to two important monasteries. Continuing towards Arezzo is the picturesque medieval village of Poppi and Guidi Castle, which houses an outstanding library, and the Abbey of San Fedele. From the ancient town of Bibbiena, which has many mansions from the Renaissance era, it is possible to reach the Sanctuary of La Verna, one of the most significant places of devotion associated with Saint Francis of Assisi. Camaldoli, the ancestral seat of the Camaldolese monastic order, is immersed in centuries-old forests.

The beautiful and less well-known city of Arezzo is only an hour's drive from Porciano. It is a fascinating destination of great interest: be sure not to miss the cycle of frescoes by Piero della Francesca on the Legend of the True Cross in the Church of San Francesco. There is also a large open-air antique market in the city centre on the first weekend of every month.

Arezzo can be reached by taking a local train from Stia. Florence can be reached by car via the Consuma Pass in about 80/90 minutes.