Castello Toscana ( 2091 )

Holiday Rentals> Toscana> Castello Toscana> di Lamole
Object	Castello di Lamole	Pool	No
Situation	Greve in Chianti (FI)	Price	from 560.- €
Persons	2	ref.nr.	2091

When you arrive here your heart and spirit calm down, plunged in the surrounding hills’ uncontaminated nature. Built in the age of the war between Florence and Siena as a defensive sentinel, the Castle of Lamole overlooks since 1200 a striking view of chestnut and oak woods, and offers hospitality in its apartments for an extraordinary stay in Tuscany’s history and art.  The guests who arrive in the Castle give themselves up to the quiet of an ancient atmosphere carefully recreated in every detail, with passion for the protection of the past and defence of the ancient and precious tradition of the land of Tuscany.

History
The Castle of Lamole is still visibile nowadays in the middle of its valley full with chestnut and larch woods, climbing up from Greve the Monte San Michele, along the way to the suburb of Lamole. Situated on a spur and surrounded by woods since 1000, the Castle of Lamole has kept its strategic position in defence of the Florentine borders during the war between Florence and Siena. Like many other settlements of this kind, the historical origins of the Castle of Lamole remain obscure as well as many events which took place between the X and the XII century and which brought to the medieval phenomenon of “incastellamento” (fortification). At the moment, only the buildings’ walls bear witness of the Castle glorious past in its actual profile of fortified village, as it is possible to see from the street of Lamole. The Castle’s settlement appears as a set of houses of different heights, placed in elliptic shape, 600 metres in length, forming the defensive boundary walls. Nowadays it is possible to see the ruins of the ancient walls only on the north-west side of the Castle. The village, whose houses still maintain many of the medieval architectural aspects, is crossed in its length by two narrow parallel streets forming three little squares, the most important of which is located at the end of the built-up area and of the spur on which lies the entire village.

Apartments
Our accommodation in apartment has been realized in the Castle’s rooms by paying great attention to the ancient structure’s style and charm, and with respect to the peasants’ wisdom which transformed rooms originally intended for military purposes into something new. The apartments are furnished with antique pieces in poor art style, their floors are done in terracotta tiles or in “pietra serena”, chestnut wooden beams adorn the ceilings, the walls are plastered in soft pastel shades or “a vista” stone walls.  The pretty windows open on the panoramic viewed terrace garden made of small paths and stone ladders, rich with rosemary and lavender, hydrangea and local roses, surrounded by cypresses, larches and age-old chestnut woods at the foot of which the flowers are frame to the valley’s striking view.

	L'Ovile
	It is a secluded little house with a nice private garden from which you enter the living room furnished with fireplace, kitchenette and divan bed. From the garden it is possible to enter the double bedroom, where there’s also a bath with shower. (65 sq.m.)
	La Mangiatoia
	Its Gate overlooks a great terrace with the Greve valley’s view. The suggestive living room is made out of the ancient peasants’ rooms, where you still can find the peculiar manger in fired brick. It is connected with the kitchenette, a bathroom with shower, the wedding bedroom with original stone floor, a double bedroom. (75 sq.m.)
	Lo Sguardo
	By the stone stairs you come to an open loggia on the first floor of the Castle. The front door leads to a common hall where there’s a great peculiar fireplace, and then to the apartment. The great living room elegant and bright owns the most beautiful view of the valley and also a typically Tuscan kitchenette. The double bedroom is gifted with the view of the town of Lamole, and has got a bathroom with shower. Comfortable room is assigned in the garden. (50 sq.m.)
	L'Affaccio
	You can enter this apartment through the common living room on the Castle’s first floor. A small and suggestive living room with kitchenette lies in the most ancient side of the castle, dated between the XII and the XIV centuries. The wedding double bedroom, which overlooks the Castle’s side looking at the town of Lamole, has got a handmade terracotta tiled floor, stone walls, oak and chestnut wooden beam ceilings, a bathroom with shower. The Affaccio enjoys a panoramic terrace considered a real “gem” (40 sq.m.)
	La Nicchia
	The Castle’s inner way leads to an common entrance hall and, through fired brick stairs, to the first floor apartment. A double bright living room with peculiar kitchenette has been realized in one of the ancient castle’s tower-houses, where there’s also a (wedding) double room with a view on the town of Lamole and a bathroom with shower. The Niche has its room assigned in the garden, about 30 m. faraway. (45 sq.m.)
	La Mezzina
	The Castle’s inner way leads, through a small wooden stair, to the first floor apartment. The small living room with a kitchenette overlooks the northern side of the castle, and the wedding double bedroom which overlooks the internal square, has a view on the town of Lamole, and its own bathroom with shower. The Mezzina has the use of a room assigned in the garden, only 30 m away from the Mezzina. (40 sq.m.)
	Il Verone
	The Castle’s inner way leads straight to the characteristic living room in the apartment with the original stone floor, and to the kitchenette realized in an ancient environment. The ancient wooden stair leads to the (wedding) double bedroom and to its bathroom. The big window overlooks the castle’s street and has a view on the valley’s woods. The garden room assigned is only 30 m faraway. (40sq.m.)
	Il Solatio
	This is an apartment intended for two persons which lies in a secluded two-floor little house with entry from the castle’s little square. Through a delicious brick arch you enter the apartment’s living room furnished with a fireplace, a nice view of Lamole and a small kitchenette. On the ground floor there’s a nice and small bathroom while, on the first floor together with a stone stair flight, there is a bright and big (wedding) double room with a view (it is possible to have another double room). This apartment enjoys a small terrace with a panoramic view. (50 sq.m.)
	La Scaletta
	This is a suggestive apartment for two persons with entry from the castle’s square, through a small characteristic stone stair, with a delicious terrace; you straight enter the apartment’s living room, enjoying a nice view of Lamole’s woods, there’s also a kitchenette. From the Living room you enter the small and intimate (wedding) double bedroom and the small bathroom with shower. ( 50 sq.m.)

Services
Our appartments have been made out of the village’s houses with careful restore which has been guided by the passion for the recovery of the ancient environment and the taste for the atmosphere of the past time life. Aim of our hospitality is to offer the guests the Castle’s suggestive atmosphere, by increasing the value of the medieval past and by bearing witness of the peasants’ tradition. The “lawn” terraced garden turns towards the view and the small paths, the stone stairs, the walls with Mediterranean plants lead to the panoramic viewed swimming pool placed among the ancient stones and the castle traditional “a secco” walls. Every year, on a large sunny terrace, takes place the seasonal market which offers the guests the chance to taste fresh cut vegetables. The ancient medieval traced route’s ruins are the starting point for some walking tours and set courses in the wood. In the past it was the only to way to the castle: from the valley floor it brought to the walls’ front door. The Management organizes both walking and cycling tours (it is also possible to rent bicycles) along the ancient ways and the Chianti woods. An experienced tour guide, native of the valley, will show the set course starting from the Lamole valley ancient paths, with its historical and environmental beauties. In the little shop “La Bottega del Castello” (The Castle’s Little Store) you can find the products of the farm: its well known wines, the extra vergine olive oil, grappa (spirit made from distillation of the residue of a wine press), honey and other bees’ products. In the little and suggestive Castle’s Restaurant "Aia dei Canti" the guests can have their breakfast, lunch and dinner and taste the dishes of the ancient tradition of Tuscany. The management organizes traditional and folk music concerts featuring Riccardo Marasco – the voice of Tuscany, and “a veglia” (waking) nights, which is the peasants’ ancient habit to stay awake after dinner sitting near the fire and telling the youngsters stories, legends and traditions. On the way to Lamole, only 30 metres far from the Castle, there is a bus stop to Greve in Chianti, and from Greve is possible to take busses to Florence and Siena. In the close town of Lamole, only 1 km faraway, there is a small grocer’s shop and a restaurant.

Price list 2005
Our apartments’ prices vary in the different seasons (peak-off ) of the year and according to the dimensions, character and always different details and atmosphere of them. Our daily prices vary: from € 90 to € 115 for accommodating two person in an apartment; from € 160 to € 200 for accommodating four person in an apartment; We ask a minimum period of two nights and it’s available a service of “bed & breakfast” or service including dinners by according with our Restaurant. Please, ask to the Reception for confirmation.

Our weekly prices are expressed in Euros from Saturday to Saturday and are following:

Incidental charges for firewood and heaters, of which only some apartments are equipped with, are excluded. The apartments are not equipped with television and radio in respect to the common quiet. Rooms and apartments cleaning, and the change of linen are done once in a week, on Saturdays morning. By request it is possible to have the cleaning done during the week, on Wednesdays (€ 15 charge), and the bath linen changed (€ 4 charge for each person). Also, it is possible to have clothes ironed and returned on the next day (€ 15 charge). By request it is possible to equip the apartment with television (daily charge € 5), CD Player (daily charge € 3), garden barbecue, iron and ironing board. By request it is possible to add a cot (€ 52 per week) and one more bed (€ 78 per week) with complete bed and bath linen. Small pets are admitted (€ 20 extra charge for cleanings).  The most popular Credit Cards are welcomed: Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diners.