Visiting a castle is a bit like taking a dip in memory, both from a historical and personal point of view, bringing us back to our childhood. An excellent starting point to train your fantasy between epic fights and romantic adventures.

Tuscany offers many opportunities to reveal its past through perfectly preserved castles and surrounded by unique landscapes.

For history buffs we have tried to make a small list of the castles not to be missed in Tuscany. We would like to clarify that the offer is really wide and it is worth investigating the topic to find an infinite number of ideas.

1 – The Castle of Vincigliata (Fiesole). Located on the outskirts of Florence, its origins date back to around the year 1000, and for 800 years it has been subject to gambling losses, sales and transfers between the most important families in Florence. In 1840 an English lord fell in love with the legend of love that hovered around the castle and decided to transform it into his personal museum, hosting armor, frescoes and bas-reliefs bought or found in the Florentine shops.

2 – The castle of Poppiano (Montespertoli). A castle immersed in the most authentic Chianti, where the historic Guicciardini family (owner since 1199) is committed to carrying on the tradition of good wine and its famous Vinsanto Guicciardini.

3 – The Castle of Meleto (Gaiole in Chianti). Located on the border between Florence and Siena and, therefore, the scene of historical battles between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. Today the castle is an expression of the most authentic characteristics of Tuscany: the prestigious winery, specialized in local wines, has been joined by the production of extra virgin olive oil and the Cinta Senese breeding.

4 – The Castle of Poppi (Arezzo). The history of this castle is important because it is here that one of the most famous battles between Guelphs and Ghibellines was held. The battle of Campaldino was fought on 11 June 1289 in which Dante Alighieri and Cecco Angiolieri participated, among others. The external structure of the castle recalls that of the common imagination, in fact it is surrounded by a large moat that allowed further protection of the castle itself.

5 – The Castle of Sammezzano (Leccio). Certainly a much more recent building than the previous ones, we can in fact place its construction in 1605. It also underwent a radical restructuring in the 1800s by the marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes, an eclectic character, protagonist of the cultural, social and political life of Florence in time. Ferdinando personally designed the castle in the Orientalist style, making it a unique building, unmatched in Italy and with few comparisons even at an international level. He made it a re-enactment of architectural masterpieces of Moorish art, from the Alahambra of Granada to the Taj Mahal. Unfortunately, the castle is not currently open to visitors.