The old and fascinating Tuscan monastery transformed into a hotel with cuisine

There are those who choose speed, noise and hectic summers. And there are those who prefer Tuscany, with its rhythm and gentle pace that makes you believe, for a moment, that time really can expand. In the Sienese Chianti, for example, the hills chase each other like waves, the rows of vines draw imperfect geometries, and the wind carries scents that change with every season: the damp earth after the rain in autumn, the aromatic herbs that blaze under the summer sun. In this unhurried landscape, between Siena and Arezzo, in the territory of Castelnuovo Berardenga, there is a hamlet that seems to have preserved the same harmony for centuries. This is Castel Monastero, founded as a Benedictine monastery in the 11th century, later a convent of nuns, and subsequently a noble residence of the Chigi Saracini family.

A place that lived through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and that today is a resort capable of carrying with it the memory of the past, intertwining it with contemporary hospitality. Since 2022 it has been owned by the Marcegaglia Group, which has preserved its identity, transforming it into an integral part of the experience.

A small village

Crossing the main gate means entering a world of its own: an intimate square, which is the beating heart of daily life, as it once was, stone alleys, glimpses that tell distant stories. The atmosphere is that of a village and the hamlet unfolds as a small world of its own: 74 rooms including a villa, distributed across the original buildings, with terracotta floors, vaulted ceilings and windows overlooking the vineyards.

From every corner one can glimpse the outline of the hills or some view that recalls the Tuscan iconography and its peculiarities. It is no coincidence that many guests decide to remain within the walls, with a book in the garden, a pause in the Spa overlooking the hills or a dip in the infinity pool. Even on rainy days, beauty here is everyday, natural. Those who choose to go out, on the other hand, find a territory that does the rest: from villages such as San Gusmè or Castelnuovo Berardenga to destinations such as Siena and its Palio, to walks among the vineyards by bicycle and even by hot-air balloon to gaze at the landscape from another point of view.

What to eat at Castel Monastero

The beating heart, however, is the table. After all, we are in Tuscany and Castel Monastero is no exception. Here there are two gastronomic souls, distinct but complementary. Contrada represents the higher and more experimental soul. Smoked eel ravioli, quail with foie gras, fusilli with nettles: Davide Canella and sous-chef Vittorio Petrillo reinterpret the territory with technique, but without ever losing contact with the raw material.

And the same sensations can also be found at La Cantina, the village trattoria located in the hypogeal rooms, once the medieval wine cellars. Here the atmosphere changes: stone walls, low vaults, rustic tables. The offering is more straightforward, faithful to tradition: homemade pasta, game, peasant soups, grilled cuts of meat, local cured meats and cheeses, accompanied by a wide wine list that dedicates space to Chianti Classico and the great Tuscan labels, without forgetting the world beyond.

All accompanied by the lively and knowledgeable sommelier Manuela Lucarini, who becomes part of the experience itself, with her endless stories about the many small (and sometimes little-known) local producers. This is a more sincere Tuscany, which does not renounce concreteness. Two different souls, the same root: bringing back to the centre the agricultural and gastronomic identity of this territory.

Castel Monastero – Loc. Monastero D’Ombrone, 19, Castelnuovo Berardenga SI
www.castelmonastero.com