Castello Di Oliveto — Attraction in Castelfiorentino

My wife and I just returned from a 12-day trip to Italy. We spent one week on the property of Castello di Oliveto and found it to be nearly perfect in every manner. I'll get the only negative out of the way first. The bed consisted of two twin mattresses pushed together. It wasn't uncomfortable, but Americans are spoiled by large and comfy beds. We were exhausted every night and passed out as soon as we hit the bed, so it mattered little. ||||That being said, the apartment was perfect in every other aspect. We stayed in Giotto, a level 4 apartment. The cost per week was only 570 Euro for a large and comfortable apartment. It was perfect for two, though there is a sleeper on the first floor.||||The views from the bedroom and large terrace are breathtaking (as is the drive up the winding road!!). The large kitchen has everything you could need. The first floor has a large kitchen, dining room and living area. The floors are terra cotta tiles. The walls are plaster and the ceiling is wood beamed. It was like living on a movie set. The bedroom and bathroom (shower only) are upstairs. The bathroom is large by European standards and the large bedroom has two windows enabling cooling breezes. ||||The 500-year old castle is approximately 2 kilometers away. It was amazing to walk the grounds and explore the courtyard and small chapel. The staff was very friendly and spoke better English than our limited Italian. The castle provides cooking lessons and wine tour and tasting. Sadly, we were too busy exploring the many charming Tuscan towns to enjoy either the lessons or the wine tour/tasting. ||||It was an hour drive or less (get a GPS device! I cannot stress this enough) to the nearby towns and cities, such as Pisa/Lucca, Firenze, Siena, San Gimignanoand Volterra were all under an hour. Five minutes down the road in Certaldo is the most charming, friendly and economical bars (cafes) that we experienced. We went there four straight mornings and began to feel like regulars. ||||The apartment was a gem and we would highly recommend it to anyone that wants privacy, living space, charm and romantic vistas. ||||Please feel free to contact us and we'll answer any of your questions. ||||Ciao,||Phil and...

Castelfiorentino FI, Italy. On the seventh day, following breakfast and departure from the Vicchiomaggio castle, we collected full laundry services before proceeding to Castelfiorentino, a comune in Tuscany, Italy, situated between Florence, Pisa, and Siena. The approximate population is 20,000. A highlight of this visit is the opportunity to learn the art of Italian pasta and dessert preparation from master chefs in a rural castle called “Castello di Oliveto”. The Castle of Oliveto is an ancient manor built in the 15th century located in the heart of the Florentine hills. We made a reservation for the Castello di Oliveto Cooking Class. An exclusive three-hour hands-on culinary course, developed in collaboration with the castle chefs (Luisa and Anna), conducted in an intimate setting. Upon our arrival at noon, the castle’s host commenced our four-course cooking lesson, encompassing appetizers, meat ragout ravioli, cacciatora-style chicken, biscotti and tiramisu with custard and cream. While the meal was finishing to cook, the host provided a guided tour of the castle, followed by our self-prepared lunch complemented by the estate’s white wine, Chianti, Super Tuscan, and Vin Santo red wines. Because we prepared this meal, it was the culinary highlight of our trip, prepared with the expert guidance of professional...

AVOID!!! Castle totally dilapidated, bathroom with sickening sewer smell, Owned by a company not family so cost-cutting is clear priority. Industrial quantity wine of VERY LOW quality, with flies all over the uncovered food. Incredibly RUDE (Luisa!), made us feel ALL was a huge disturbance to her, and she knows ZERO about wine, not even their own labels- couldn't answer even 1 question properly off her poorly memorized script! Did not honor what was reserved until I had to show her own direct text stating it clearly. "Tour" =2 rooms + chapel. Ad stated to make chocolate biscotti but was just plain almond. Not to talk about HORRENDOUS 5 km unpaved road to arrive in middle of nowhere Only bright point was Ludmila in the kitchen. Was given this "experience" as a gift but will tell site to remove them so no others fall for fraud. I can't even imagine how bad a wedding would be there. Luisa should be fired immediately, even staff talks badly about her thinking guests don't understand...