Active Adventures
Hiking
Hiking in Tuscany is one of the world’s great traveling experiences and the perfect way to see the best of Italy’s natural landscapes. Hike through vineyards and olive groves, past historic castles and hamlets, to relish the peace and harmony of the terrain. Guided tours accommodate individuals of various abilities and pace, and appeal to both the casual yet enthusiastic walker, as well as the experienced hiker. The professional English-speaking guides we work with are eager to share their love and knowledge of the natural world.
For nearby hiking experiences, you can explore the trails on the estate. The Concierge Team can recommend different favored hiking trails in Tuscany, so decide how far you’d like to go and be on your way!
Active Adventures
Biking
Enjoy Tuscany and explore its paths from a different perspective: the bike! The Concierge Team at Casali di Casole can arrange a bike tour with a professional guide who will meet you and take you through the breathtaking Tuscan countryside. The lovely towns of Mensano, Radicondoli, Casole d’Elsa and especially Monteriggioni are excellent biking destinations in the area.
For the ambitious, San Gimignano and Colle di Val d’Elsa are favorite half-day trips. Ask the Concierge Team for a touring package fitted for your arrival — for we are at the center of the best road biking in the world.
Active Adventures
Truffle Hunting
Foodies from around the world dream of truffle hunting in Tuscany, home to the most delectable and rare truffles on Earth. According to the season, in our area you can find different varieties of truffles from the white one to the marzuolo and the scorzone. Best of all, our Concierge Team can arrange a truffle hunting for you!
In a small group, explore private reserves guided by expert truffle-hunters who will explain all you need to know to find these curious, elusive delicacies. You will be assisted by experienced and incomparable dogs of the Lagotto Romagnolo breed — essential companions to help locate these precious tubers.
Enjoy a relaxing day in nature as you seek out these culinary gems. Then, try them yourselves at a celebratory meal afterwards in the truffle hunters’ local restaurant.
Active Adventures
Equestrian
Horseback riding in Tuscany is one of life’s greatest joys. There’s nothing as romantic and invigorating as riding through the majestic groves, sprawling valleys and lush vineyards of Italy’s most beautiful countryside.
Enjoy a ride through the lovely Tuscan landscape at a picturesque farm located about 35 minutes’ drive away from Casali di Casole. Ask the Concierge Team to arrange a horseback experience during your vacation in Tuscany.
Active Adventures
Luxury Car Rentals
Enjoy Italy and the beauty and love for motors. Our concierge team can arrange unique experiences with the leader in luxury cars and Ferrari rentals in Tuscany- Driving the Dream. Selections include the most exclusive Supercar models: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Jaguar. Their professional drivers will be with you for a thrilling ride on roads near Casali di Casole or for a day trip around some of the most picturesque areas of Tuscany.
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Siena
Siena is a beautiful medieval town, enclosed by thousand years old walls, which preserved the beauty of its buildings through the centuries. Famous for the Palio race, that is run twice a year and excites the locals’ hearts, Siena is an architectonic jewel that shields countless treasures. Distance from Casali di Casole: 38 kilometers
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Florence
Florence’s centro storico, which stretches from the Piazza del Duomo south to the Arno, is just possibly one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Much of Florence’s centro storico is closed to traffic, so you might love a walk in its narrow streets, especially in the area bounded by the Duomo, Piazza Signoria, Galleria degli Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio. Distance from Casali di Casole: 71 kilometers
Eat & Drink
Private Chefs & Local Cooks
Enjoy an authentic feast prepared in your home, available for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. You can choose to have a dinner consisting of traditional Tuscan courses prepared by a local cook or arrange for a special gourmet dinner with a chef- all with the freshest and most seasonal ingredients.
Eat & Drink
Cooking Classes
Learn the secrets of Italian cuisine with private cooking classes taught in your own villa. The best local chefs and cooks will show you how to make a traditional meal, fresh pasta or a true Italian pizza in your own pizza oven. You can even satisfy your sweet tooth and learn the art of Italian pastries!
Eat & Drink
In House Dining Service
Our concierge team can arrange a variety of additional dining services for you. Enjoy a meal prepared by local cooks and delivered to your home. Themed selections include a Tuscan BBQ night where our butcher will select the best meat and vegetables to organize a delicious barbeque experience in your private courtyard. Or prepare your own pizzas with fresh dough and ingredients delivered to your home and your wood burning oven prepared for use.
Eat & Drink
Wine Experience
Nestled within acres of vineyards, and conveniently located within the most well-known wine areas of Italy — Chianti and Montalcino — Casali di Casole will truly inspire wine lovers. Our Concierge Team can arrange in-residence private wine tastings, expertly paired dinners with a sommelier and Tuscany wine tours of both small family producers and globally recognized wineries. Owners are able to store their favorite vintages in private storage at Casali di Casole to enjoy any time they come back home to Tuscany.
Wellness & Classes
Spa Services
The comfort of our homes combined with the natural beauty of the estate calls for relaxation and pampering. For those wishing to experience in-house treatments comfortably, the Concierge Team can arrange massages, facials, beauty treatments, as well as hairdresser services.
Wellness & Classes
Cooking & Pizza Classes
Using the finest local ingredients, including fruits and vegetables from community gardens, our Italian chefs and local cooks will help you learn to cook fresh pasta, delicious bread, tiramisu, pizza and more of your favorite Italian dishes.
They’ll provide all of the ingredients in these Italian cooking classes. And thanks to our homes’ fully equipped kitchens, you just need to arrive hungry to learn and ready to taste whatever you make afterwards.
Wellness & Classes
Language Class
There is no better way to immerse yourself in Italian culture than learning the beautiful language. The concierge team can arrange the best classes depending on your level and goals with local English-speaking teachers in the comfort of your home. There is no better way to learn the most musical and complicated of languages.
Wellness & Classes
Wellness Experiences
With expansive spaces indoors and outdoors and peaceful surroundings, our homes invite you to embrace the Italian way of enjoying a healthy life. The Concierge Team can arrange private pilates, yoga and other wellness classes with professional instructors.
Wellness & Classes
Art Class
Express your art skills while staying in one of our stunning homes. Our concierge team can arrange a variety of art classes perfect for children and adults. A qualified artist teaching you the technique of water painting and design outdoors while enjoying a breathtaking view. Experience the joy of creating something with your own hands, guided by a pottery expert.
Active Adventures
Hot Air Ballooning
Hot air ballooning expeditions capture the serenity, as each flight is a unique and magical voyage to see Tuscany from above. Your experience will begin at the launch site, as your pilot and crew prepare your flight. A drink and tasting of local products at the end of the flight, as well as the certificate of flight, are included in the experience.
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Mensano
Our nearest neighbor is the quaint village of Mensano, reached by bicycle or even an invigorating walk from some of the homes located below its hill. It is in every way charming, with but one restaurant and its grocery shop.
The town has a semi-cylindrical shape, adapted to the ruggedness of the surrounding terrain, with the main road linking the religious center to the civilian town center. In fact, at one end there is the Pieve, while at the other there are two stone buildings, presumably from the 13th century, each of which holds on the ground floor a pair of large portals with horseshoe arches.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 7 kilometers
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Casole d’Elsa
The namesake of Casali di Casole is a beautiful, quiet town of ancient brick buildings. There are panoramic views around every corner. Originally an Etruscan settlement, Casole fell under control of Siena in the 13th century. Its many historical buildings make for fascinating touring, combined with lovely restaurants, wine bars and authentic grocery shops, as well as art galleries.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 9 kilometers (and for road bikers, one of the great climbs in the region)
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Radicondoli
One of the joys of Casali di Casole is that our three neighboring towns are uniquely charming, Radicondoli is a tiny warren of cross streets clinging to a hilltop, with cozy restaurants along the southern side of the town — looking across the hills to Mensano and your villa.
For bikers, this is also a great destination, with a curvy, newly paved road that is a gentle climb until the last few kilometers. But the reward is, as always, a charming town. And the return home is all downhill!
Distance from Casali di Casole: 12 kilometers
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Colle di Val d’Elsa
Originally made up of three independent areas, this medieval town, which dates from the 10th century, has been the scene of more than a few struggles over the centuries. Museums and architecture, including Baccio d’Agnolo’s mannerist Palazzo Campana gate (1539), make it a rich destination together with lovely restaurants, wine bars, shops and art galleries and artisans. A thriving local market takes place every Friday.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 15 kilometers
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Monteriggioni
This is a beautifully preserved medieval fortress village on a hilltop in the Tuscany countryside, surrounded by 13th century walls that have survived almost intact. Dante compared the town’s 14 towers to the Titans guarding the bottom rung of Hell. Monteriggioni has a pretty Romanesque church which faces the piazza and houses a public garden.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 22 kilometers
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Volterra
Volterra is a classic Tuscan town. It was first an Etruscan city, then a Roman outpost and finally a great medieval stronghold. The most important buildings are Palazzo dei Priori, designed by Maestro Riccardo in 1239. The magnificent Council Hall features a cross-vaulted ceiling with the fresco of the Annunciation and four saints — Cosmas, Damian Giusto and Ottaviano — painted by Jacopo di Cione and Nicolo do Pietro Gerini.
Palazzo Pretorio and the Tower of Little Pig is a palace made up of several buildings, and the tower is considered to be one of the first built in Volterra. The little pig is a stone animal poised on a high shelf. Palazzo dei Vescovile was originally built as a grain store and became the bishop’s residence after 1472, when the Palazzo was destroyed by the Florentines. The great arches have been attributed to Antonio da San Gallo the Elder.
The Etruscan Museum is quite interesting as is the Alabaster Museum — both in the heart of Volterra. Not to be missed is the archaeological park, with some beautiful Roman ruins.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 30 kilometers
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San Gimignano
Perhaps the most medieval of any destination in Tuscany, this easily walkable hilltop town is home to 14 beautiful towers — the remains of more than 70 that once punctuated its skyline. There’s a wide array of 14th- and 15th-century art to be found at spots such as the Museo Civico and the Museo d’Art Sacra.
The Museo della Tortura offers a hair-raising collection of historical torture instruments, including some still used around the world today. The 14th-century fortress of Rocca is a romantic ruin offering lovely views of the town. Climb the Torre Grossa (the tallest tower) for incredible views of rooftops and surrounding geography.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 30 kilometers
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Castellina in Chianti
Castellina in Chianti stands on top of a hill, at the border between the Florentine and the Senese Chianti Classico. Its beautiful town center has a few little jewels you might discover simply by walking along its narrow ancient roads — like the main medieval church and Via delle Volte. This is a very impressive arched passage leading along the eastern walls of the village, with an amazing view of the countryside. It is also home to charming art and jewelry shops, as well as restaurants with stunning, long valley views.
Just a few minutes north of Castellina is the only triangular town square in Italy — and another worthy stop — the town of Greve. Don’t miss the butcher shop or bakery, both world class.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 40 kilometers
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Radda in Chianti
Radda in Chianti is in the heart of the Senese Chianti Classico. A part of its ancient walls is still preserved, and the most ancient tower still stands in front of the gardens in the town center. The historical center is the charming main square, as in most medieval villages, and its walkable alleys develop like rings out and around the center of town.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 42 kilometers
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Montalcino
The hill upon which Montalcino sits was first settled during the Etruscan period. The town takes its name from a variety of oak that once covered the terrain. The high elevation of the town offers stunning views over the surrounding countryside. The fortified walls were built in the 13th century. The Duomo was originally built in the 14th century, but it now has a neoclassical appearance thanks to extensive renovation work that was done in the early 19th century.
In the main piazza, the principal building is the town hall, once the Palazzo dei Priori (built late 13th and early 14th century), but now the Palazzo Comunale. The palace is adorned with the coats of arms of the Podesta, who once ruled the city. A high medieval tower is incorporated into the palazzo.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 70 kilometers
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Pisa
Of course it’s renowned for the Leaning Tower, but Pisa is also an ancient city with a beautiful Duomo and Baptistery that offers some of the best views of Pisa, as it includes the Leaning Tower and has far fewer steps to climb.
The Arno River flows from Florence through Pisa, and a stroll along the river is surely the highlight of a visit here. As an insider’s tip, the jewel of Lucca is just a few kilometers north — and for us, a quieter, more enjoyable visit.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 113 kilometers
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Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a medieval and renaissance hill town and is a major producer of food and wine. Wine connoisseurs consider its Vino Nobile among Italy’s best. However, the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano should not be confused for the varietal wine (Montepulciano grape) of the same name. Montepulciano is also known for its pork, cheese, “pici” pasta (a thick, rough, chewy variant of spaghetti), lentils and honey.
The main street of Montepulciano stretches for 1.5 kilometers from the Porta al Prato to the Piazza Grande at the top of the hill. The city is renowned for its walkable car-free nature. The main landmarks include the Palazzo Comunale, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Distance from Casali di Casole: 115 kilometers
Highly recommended for dining is La Grotta (closed on Wednesday). It is a traditional restaurant with excellent food, and the perfect place to enjoy Vino Nobile wines. LaGrotta offers seasonal specialties, truffles, porcini mushrooms and fresh pasta. The service is pleasant and refined.
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Lucca
If you are venturing west from Casali di Casole, perhaps to the beaches of Forte dei Marmi or Cinque Terre, Lucca is a great stop along the way and one of our absolute favorites.
Lucca is an almost perfectly preserved jewel of medieval architecture and buildings, emanates charm and shows layers of history from every corner of its narrow winding streets. The walls that surround the town, no longer used for defense, are crowned by four kilometers of green parkland — making it a lovely place to walk, cycle or spread out a picnic lunch.
Distance from Casali di Casole: 120 kilometers
Active Adventures
Golf
Some of the most spectacular and oldest Tuscany golf courses are located within 60 to 90 minutes from the estate. The Concierge Team can assist with tee times and club rentals at the course of your choice. We would also note that these are traditional, often older courses, carved from rolling terrain. And while they are not manicured resort courses, they do offer a wonderful opportunity to add memories to your visit to Tuscany.
Ugolino Golf Club (1 hour)
Castelfalfi Golf Club (1 hour 30 minutes)
Golf Club Tenuta La Bagnaia (45 minutes)
Winery Excursions
Antinori Wineries
Antinori wineries are renowned for the quality of their wine. With privileged access to Badia a Passignano, Guado al Tasso in the Bolgheri region and Antinori nel Chianti Classico, Owners consistently mention this as one of their favorite experiences while at Casali di Casole.