Top 6 Castles around San Giovanni Valdarno

A historic Romanesque parish church (10th–11th centuries), with three naves, a semicircular apse, a façade, and a tower in grey limestone, nestled within the ancient complex of Spaltenna Castle. Inside, the famous Miraculous Crucifix is preserved, linked to a popular legend: a shepherdess found it in the woods after losing a sheep and, accidentally hitting it with a stone, the crucifix let out a wail, leaving its right arm cracked. Since then, it has been the object of profound devotion and is carried in procession every second Sunday in May to Gaiole. Restored in 2024, the parish church is now open to visitors again.

archaeological site with the ruins of a medieval Guidi castle. The area is open and visitable, but is currently not in good condition. However, there is an area with a table, which is quite shady in the hot seasons. The castle stood on the top of the hill just under 1000m above sea level. The hill dominates the Valdarno, down in the plain you can recognize Figline, Incisa, Piandiscò... But the panorama is surprising and extends across the whole of Tuscany. The peaks of the Apuan Alps, Monte Serra, the Pistoia Apennines, then Monte Amiata and Monte Cetona are easily recognisable. The path to get to Poggio della Regina is well maintained and has a rather compact surface. The network of paths is very dense, you can choose various rings and itineraries.

The medieval village of Castello di Albola stands on top of the splendid Chianti hills, in an incomparable place for the charm of history, for the suggestions of art and for the unique agro-landscape context of unsurpassed harmony. Throughout its history, this jewel of Chianti has belonged to the most noble Tuscan families, from the Acciaioli to the Samminiati, from the Pazzi to the Ginori Conti. Since 1979 it has been owned by the well-known Zonin family of Venetian winemakers. The complex is not to be confused with the real castle of Albola, a fortified settlement that stands nearby, on the sides of Mount Querciabella. The wine estate, completely surrounded by vineyards, welcomes visitors by offering them the opportunity to immerse themselves and savor the terroir through guided tours of its historic cellars. There is also a wine shop with wine shop and two beautiful residences for an unforgettable Tuscan experience: Villa Le Marangole and Villa Crognole. www.albola.it HISTORY Of Lombard origin, the site was donated in the 11th century by some local laymen to the Archbishop of Milan Arnolfo II, but upon his death it was divided into various farms, under the jurisdiction of the Monterinaldi. Around 1480 the lordship of Pian d'Albola was acquired by Agnolo Ludovico Acciaiuoli, a member of an important Florentine family. Proceeding with various unifications, between 1514 and 1522 the farm unit expanded, becoming a large agricultural company. In 1636 the property passed by inheritance to the Samminiatis, thanks to the marriage of Caterina Acciaiuoli (the only heir) to Ascanio Samminiati. In the eighteenth century the Pian d'Albona became the favorite residence of the new family, who in those years promoted the reconstruction and embellishment of the existing building structures, creating a real villa with a large park around it. Upon Ascanio's death in 1759, the properties passed to his only daughter Camilla, who had married Giovanni Camillo de' Pazzi. Upon the woman's death, the assets were administered by her husband in the name of the children until his death in 1773, when the entire estate merged into the vast possessions of the Pazzi family. In 1861, with the last legitimate heir Gaetano married to Eleonora Torrigiani, the villa passed to one of his daughters married to the Cumos. This family followed the fortunes of the estate until 1940, when it passed to the Ginori Conti, and subsequently in 1979 it was purchased by the Zonin group. Traces of the medieval constructions remain incorporated in the perimeter walls, while the building of the Acciaiuoli farm was demolished in 1739 to build the chapel dedicated to San Giuseppe, with a still existing bell tower on the roof of the villa. The latter shows the harmonious proportions imbued with classicism typical of the rural residences of the Florentine aristocracy of the time. The main facade shows a portal in the center arched and surrounded by ashlars, with four axes of rectangular windows arranged on two floors up to the eaves (with stone architrave), beyond which there is a third service floor and two corner turrets in unplastered stone and with arched windows. Above the portal also stands a coat of arms of the Ginori family and higher up, among the turrets, is the aforementioned bell gable of the chapel. The latter is located to the left of the main facade and has friezes on the portal with an irregular tympanum. The interiors are arranged symmetrically around a central corridor, despite some subsequent tampering, such as the opening of an arch in the dining room area. In the basement, dating back to the Acciaiuoli era, there are vaulted cellars. The French-style garden is characterized by a long central avenue flanked by evergreen trees and framed by statues.

"Castel Nuovo dell'Ancisa" today we can see some buildings of the settlement which dates back to 1244. Among these is the house where according to tradition Petrarch spent some years of his childhood. The recent alterations leave some doubts, especially on the tower which has changed, as you can see from the photos, completely appearance.

The Castello di Starda is a small and charming village of medieval origin located in the Chianti Classico area, in the heart of Tuscany. Here the “Malaspina Castello di Starda” is produced from its vineyards, a Chianti Classico Docg with the Malaspina brand, in honor of the ancient family. In the place where an oil mill once stood, a tavern has been created whose premises, "which once housed machinery and cereals and were also simple and rough dwellings, now live without their original structures having been damaged, trying to respect that An air of simplicity and history that make the place full of charm ”. At the Osteria di Starda you can taste all the "typical" dishes of Tuscan cuisine offered with a touch of creativity that make them unique and much appreciated, such as Peposo, one of the most popular dishes, a stew made with beef mousse cook with pepper and Chianti wine which in ancient times fed the workers who worked in the construction sites of Brunelleschi's Dome and other historic Florentine buildings. https://settepontiroadbiker.altervista.org/il-borgo-di-starda-e-il-suo-castello-siena/