Weddings at Castello di vicarello
An intimate luxury resort, this 900 year old castle in the Maremma countryside boasts storybook views and authentic Tuscan comforts at every turn.
WEDDINGS AT CASTELLO DI VICARELLO
The obvious charm of Vicarello's honey-colored facade and perfumed gardens is complemented by thoughtful nuances to enhance every guest's experience...a duo of valley-facing infinity pools, a Balinese hut for massages, yoga and personal training, secluded dinners beneath centuries-old olive trees...
Castello di Vicarello is not just an off-the-beaten path retreat overflowing with rustic elegance. It's a way of life that immerses you in la dolce far niente so significantly, it leaves a permanent impression on your heart.
Maremma Countryside Retreat
12th Century Castle Restored with Modern Comforts
Style
Rolling Tuscan hills, secluded olive groves, private vineyards
The distant Tyrrhenian Sea
Views
Family-Owned Luxury Hotel
Exclusive Use/Full Buyout
Type
An intimate luxury resort, this 900 year old castle in the Maremma countryside boasts storybook views and authentic Tuscan comforts at every turn.
Photos by Mark Bolton and Zwielenback
THE LOOK
A remote Italian escape of the highest order, the honey-glazed limestone buildings that once made up a 12th c castle are interrupted only by the turquoise waters of valley-facing infinity pools, cypress-studded gardens, a ripple of vineyards, olive groves and farmlands, and dense forests offering their fair share of truffle hunting in the fall and birdsong year-round. It's the perfect balance of majesty and charm (with plenty of humble luxuries to go around).
While the outdoor spaces are designed for you to quite literally take in the scenery, the indoor spaces feel like a contemporary home-away-from-home. The style is elevated Italian country house - rustic wooden textures mingling with Persian rugs and Indonesian furniture you can only imagine the family that owns the place has collected across their lifetime of exotic travels. Harmoniously incorporating history with modern comforts, Castello di Vicarello is well-suited for lovers of life's simple pleasures and bucolic nature views.
Photos by Katia Erokhina, Hayley O’Hara and Rachel Gertrude
THE EVENT SPACES
The Baccheschi-Berti family has lovingly imbued the castle, its outbuildings, the landscaped grounds and the multi-leveled gardens with a spirit of warmth and relaxation that's so authentic to the slow living philosophy of the region. From the medieval courtyard where grass pokes through the cobblestones to the glass-walled dining room off the main kitchen, the inviting essence of the place is unparalleled.
While your own event format is flexible based on your preferences, we've found that the following flow works best from the perspectives of function, experience and aesthetics.
Ceremonies + blessings typically see couples and their guests nestled amongst the fragrant rose, lavender, herb and vegetable gardens or olive grove. Aperitivo transitions everyone to either the main courtyard and rooftop bar-cum-restaurant-terrace, where the communal-style dining takes place each evening, or the the cliffside grounds of Villa Chiesina, which neighbor the travertine infinity pool. Finally, dinner + dancing takes place in the Grand Field - a spacious grassy perch with a built-in pergola that can be quite advantageous for custom lighting + decor. Did we mention no curfew?
THE ROOMS
9 luxurious suites accommodating up to 22 guests are available to be rented, each with their own distinctive styling and bric-a-brac from all over the globe - particularly Europe and the Far East. Think: Velvet armchairs, vases with hand-picked flowers, old family photos, contemporary art pieces, organic linens, vintage magazines, sumptuous leather sofas, antique silverware, collections of pheasant quills... you get the gist.
It's the suave assemblage of collectibles, personal touches and creature comforts that make a stay in this luxury retreat feel far less "buttoned-up" than one might expect from the level of service.
We never thought we'd say this, but even the bathrooms are mesmerizing. Decked out entirely in white, green, gray or dusty pink marble, these spacious powder rooms feature Aesop bath products with delicious scents of pink grapefruit, orange and lemon rinds. We'd be remiss not to mention our favorite touch though - specialty olive oil hand-soaps, wrapped in twine and accented with darling gold charms. If anything defines the attention to detail in this place, it's these petite hand-wrapped soaps!
You won't find TV's in the rooms, but that's kind of the point. Instead, you're encouraged to spend time lounging on your personal outdoor terrace with valley or castle views and a glass of wine in hand. That is, when you're not attending the party of the year just steps away!
While Castello di Vicarello sleeps a maximum of 22 people, rest assured that there are plenty of overflow accommodations (and shuttle services) within 15-25 min for your additional guests.
THE FOOD & BEV
One of the main draws of Castello di Vicarello for regular hotel guests is the farm-to-table culinary experience focusing on the daily rhythms of the land. So it's only fitting that the on-site catering for events is on par with perfection.
Supplying the estate with the highest quality selection of fresh and seasonal produce, the vegetable garden prides itself on having over 50 varieties of vegetables and 30 aromatic herbs. Even the pasta is made fresh from the Vicarello land! Eggs are gathered from the chicken coop, wheat is harvested on property and then ground at a water mill nearby to make the flour... absolutely everything they make is aligned with their homegrown and sustainability-first philosophy.
Menus for events can be tailor-made, though we must sing the praises of any dish that headlines wild boar. The Maremma is the region for it after all (and the family owns 1,200 acres of forest nearby). Overall, the family's recipes burst with flavor while remaining simple: wild mushroom bruschetta, fried zucchini flowers, radicchio and walnut salad, carbonara with favas, fresh ricotta + spinach ravioli, roast pork with apples, peach crostata. It's the kind of cuisine that invites you to let down your hair (and then dance the night away).
As for the wine, let's just say it's supreme. From the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to the Petit Verdot and Sangiovese/Merlot Blend, the organic wines harvested + produced from the 15-acre vineyard on-site are a testament to the richness and complexity of both the region and this venue.
THE LOCATION
Castello di Vicarello is located just outside Poggi del Sasso, a medieval village between Siena and seaside Castiglione della Pescaia. It's practically the toast of remote retreats, nary a highway in site. A single country road leads you to this castle in the clouds, bobbing up and down across the sun-kissed hills in a way that makes you feel like a kid on a carousel again. There's nothing more rewarding than turning onto the charming access road flanked by vineyards and olive groves and feeling like you must have landed inside a Renaissance fresco.
As off-the-grid as this Maremma countryside escape may be, Montepulciano and Siena are both between 1-1.5 hours away. Likewise, Pisa, Florence and Perugia are roughly 2 hours from Castello di Vicarello. We find that most wedding guests and VIPs tend to piggyback a stay in these larger towns before or after the event - as well they should!
Photos by Arianna Miduri, Nam Parama Raiva and Giacomo Sonzini
“At Castello di Vicarello, history lives on each path, in each stone, and every wall sings a song of the ancient past." - Carlo Baccheschi Berti , Owner
THE BEST FIT FOR
Castello di Vicarello is best suited for multi-day destination weddings where the goal is to host a few different events in a variety of spaces at the same property.
Think:
Day 1: Welcome Party in the Courtyard + Terrace
Day 2: Wedding Day in the Vegetable Garden, Villa Chiesina Grounds and Grand Field Day 3: Poolside BBQ by the Olive Groves
One of our favorite things about this unplug-and-reset destination is the never ending list of bucket list activities at your fingertips. What better way to get some extra quality time with your loved ones than planning some optional group activities that you'd probably never have the opportunity to experience with them otherwise?
Truffle hunting, wine-making, leather workshops, cooking classes, sunrise yoga, wellness days, olive harvests, horse riding, hiking and cycling are all potential activities for your Tuscan wedding weekend itinerary.
How to Reach Castello di Vicarello
PLANE
Grosseto Beccarini Private Airport
35 min
Florence Airport (FLR)
1 hr, 45 min
Pisa Airport (PSA)
1 hr, 45 min
Rome Fiumincino Airport (FCO)
1 hr, 45 min
TRAIN
Stazione di Civitella-Paganico
20 min
Stazione di Grosseto
35 min
Stazione di Firenze Santa Maria Novella (ZMS)
1 hr, 45 min
Siena
75 min
Florence
2 hrs
Rome
2.5 hrs
Pisa
2.5 hrs
The thermal baths of San Filippo and Saturnia, as well as the beaches in Castiglione della Pescaia, Punta Ala and Monte Argentario can also be reached within one to one and a half hours
@willow.and.oak.events
