Castello di Vicarello

Wine tasting in the middle of a vineyard! Find your way along the grapevines just before sunset to enjoy delicious organic wines, stunning views of the surrounding valley in dim evening light and a peek at Vicarello in the distance.

On route to Vicarello, having flown from Amsterdam to Pisa, my mother and I were driving our rental car down the windy Tuscan countryside roads. Mere kilometres from our destination we turned a corner and came to a sudden halt; a tortoise was midway through crossing the road. This, I now realise (sitting in a café, back in the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam), was a perfect introduction to our stay. The shelled creature, slowly continuing to cross, had abruptly halted our journey as if to say: “Stop, slow right down, you are about to experience something very special...”

Castello di Vicarello, a renovated 12th century castle, is set on a hilltop surrounded by rolling valleys. Its location allows you to oversee the entire region and spot the Tyrrhenian Sea in the distance. The 40-hectare estate encompassing the elegant hotel, and precious home to the Baccheschi Berti family, produces organic red wine and (delicious!) olive oil. The lush castle garden evolves seamlessly into the encircling olive groves and vineyards - simply wander down the lawn to enjoy the beauty of the property’s natural surrounding.

We truly loved every moment at Vicarello - the smell of fresh bread coming from the open kitchens, the thick walls of the ancient castle with its gorgeous deep set windows and the estate’s peaceful energy have stuck with me most of all. My favourite part of the day, a morning swim in the infinity pool overlooking the Tuscan countryside, was followed by home baked treats for breakfast. We enjoyed two fantastic days flavoured with home-grown herbs, stuffed with delicious vegetables from the garden and topped off by a candle lit rooftop dinner under the Tuscan stars.