The
beautiful, rolling hills of Tuscany in Italy are as alive with history
and culture as they are with flora and fauna. In the heart of the
region, in the area between Florence, Pisa and Siena, is an 800-year-old
estate dominated by an ancient castle: once home to the Medici family,
this beautiful but neglected corner of Italy has been thoughtfully
redeveloped and reborn as Toscana Resort Castelfalfi. In the 1960s, the
11,000-hectare estate was abandoned by all but five of its residents in a
countrywide rural exodus. Then in 2007, TUI AG, one of world’s leading
travel groups, came across the property and saw it potential. ‘From the
very outset the idea was to restore the ancient village and bring it
back to life,’ says Director Stefan Neuhaus. ‘We are preserving the
site’s original structure and reinstating part of Italy’s heritage, but
with all the additional modern services and standards that you would
expect from such an upmarket resort. ’
Work
on transforming the estate into a luxury resort began in 2011. The
renovation of the borgo – the outskirts of the castle walls – commenced
with the restoration of the residential complex comprising 41 apartments
completed in the summer 2013, and with the development of the first of
three planned hotels. Built within the walls of the old tobacco factory,
the 31-room La Tabaccaia retains many of its host structure’s original
features and there’s also a typical Trattoria-Pizzeria in a renovated
building close by and a restaurant that opened its doors in June 2014,
located in the Castle, with a panoramic terrace and amazing 360 degrees
views over the countryside. The Castle will be the perfect location for
those looking for a magic setting for weddings, private gatherings or
business meetings.
Scattered
throughout the estate are 26 original farmhouses, or casali, four of
which have been dismantled and lovingly rebuilt using the same stones.
The buildings’ wooden beams have also been preserved and each farmhouse
has a traditional terracotta tile roof, while bathrooms have been
brought up to date using local marble or ceramic tiles. With the
capacity to adapt each interior according to its owner’s specifications,
these casali present an exciting prospect for would be buyers, whether
seeking a stunning second home or a superior rental investment. Several
of the properties also line the resort’s 27-hole golf course, which is
already considered one of the best courses in Italy. Some of the
farmhouse are also available for weekly rentals.
Strewn
with vineyards and olive and cypress trees, the estate is also a
hunting reserve, playing home to wild boars, deer and foxes. It is also
already self-sufficient in terms of water and there are plans to create a
biomass plant, which will enable Toscana Resort Castelfalfi to produce
its own biofuel. ‘We searched for this place for a long time,’ says
Stefan Neuhaus. ‘What we are developing is not a typical resort, it’s a
new approach for the international luxury travel market that offers
apartments, a range of farmhouses, a luxury club concept and four and
five stars hotels. Our guests are well travelled and looking for an
authentic experience. With us, that is exactly what they will find.’
Toscana
Resort Castelfalfi is proud to present its new Corporate Profile. To
discover all our new development and plans please download the Corporate
Profile attached to this E-mail.
