Castello di Casole is a 10th-century castle in the hills between Siena and Volterra, wrapped in one of the largest private estates in Tuscany: oak woods, olive groves, vineyards and an organic farm, with only 41 keys sharing it. Once owned by the film director Luchino Visconti and part of Belmond since 2018, it now has Two MICHELIN Keys, a new sports centre with tennis, padel and pickleball, and a 2026 menu created with Norbert Niederkofler. My one-line verdict: arguably the most complete countryside escape in central Tuscany, as long as you accept that you will drive for every village, vineyard and museum you want to see.
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Quick facts: Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel
- Location: Località Querceto, Casole d’Elsa, province of Siena, between Siena, Volterra and San Gimignano.
- Rooms and suites: 41 keys: 39 junior suites and suites, plus two three-bedroom Signature villas.
- Price level: very high, with breakfast normally included. Suites and villas command a significant premium.
- Season: seasonal. In 2026 the hotel stays open until 29 November, then closes for winter. It has reopened in late March in recent years; ask the hotel for 2027 dates.
- Nearest airport: Florence, roughly one hour by car. Pisa is around one and a half hours.
- Best for: couples, slow travellers, food lovers and active guests who want tennis, padel, cycling and a spa on one private estate.
Check prices and availability
With only 41 keys, the castle sells out early for May, June and September. Compare suite categories and dates before you commit.
Location and getting there
The castle stands on its own hilltop a short drive from the village of Casole d’Elsa, in the quiet western corner of the province of Siena. The landscape is wilder than Chianti, with oak forest and open fields. The estate is huge. Belmond quotes 4,200 acres, while other Belmond material and press coverage use lower figures of around 1,300 to 1,500 hectares, so treat the exact size loosely. Either way, you will not see a neighbour.
Belmond puts Florence and Florence airport at about one hour by car, and Siena at around 30 to 40 minutes. Pisa airport is roughly one and a half hours away. The nearest railway station is Poggibonsi, about 20 minutes away, on the line between Florence and Siena. The hotel arranges private transfers on request, but in practice a hire car gives you far more freedom. Our Italy travel planner covers car hire and transfers in detail.
Rooms and suites
Every room is a suite of some kind, and they are spread between the castle itself, the former priest’s quarters, the old farm buildings and a few more secluded houses on the estate. According to Belmond, the categories break down like this:
- Junior suites: 37 to 66 m², for up to three guests.
- Suites: 61 to 149 m², for up to four guests, some in the medieval tower with original fireplaces.
- Oliveto Suites: a group of nine contemporary suites set slightly apart, facing the olive groves. A good choice if you prefer modern space over thick castle walls.
- Signature villas: Villa Thesan and Villa Usil, each around 250 m² with three double bedrooms for up to seven guests, a short walk from the main hotel. These were added in 2024.
In the same 2024 refresh, the interior designer Alessandro Moriconi restyled 18 of the suites, so the look now varies across the property: some rooms feel richly Tuscan, with terracotta, beams and antiques, others are lighter and more pared back. If style matters to you, ask the hotel which suites were updated.
Dining
Food is the reason many guests choose Casole over its rivals. The estate is certified organic, and a one-hectare kitchen garden grows more than 100 varieties of vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. The estate also produces its own olive oil and wine, which turn up throughout the menus.
- Tosca: the fine dining restaurant, set in the historic stone rooms of the castle, led by executive chef Daniele Sera. Dinner is built around tasting menus; in 2025 these were the seven-course “Tracce” and the vegetarian “Anima Vegetale”. Michelin lists it as Modern Cuisine and Tuscan, open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday.
- Emporio del Castello and Terrazza Emporio: relaxed classic Tuscan cooking, the second with a terrace facing the hills.
- Castello Grill: wood-fired cooking and local specialities with views over the valley, ideal for a long lunch.
- Bar Visconti: the cocktail bar, named after the castle’s most famous former owner, with a botanical “Hortus Vitae” list and the estate’s own London Dry gin.
- Pool bar and Cantina: light bites by the pool, and a wine cellar in the inner courtyard for private tastings.
The big story for 2026 is “Territori”, a culinary project announced in spring 2026 in which Daniele Sera works with Norbert Niederkofler, the three-Michelin-star chef of Atelier Moessmer in Brunico. The first edition blends Tuscan classics such as ribollita and rabbit with ideas from the Dolomites, and the plan is to pair Tuscany with a different region each season. On Michelin: Tosca is listed in the Michelin Guide, but I could not find a Michelin star for it in the 2026 selection. Expect cooking at a high level, not a two-star destination. For a starred dinner nearby, Arnolfo in Colle di Val d’Elsa is the obvious booking.
Check rates at Castello di Casole
Spa and pools
The Essere Spa occupies a former medieval wine cellar, with vaulted ceilings and bare stone walls. Belmond lists a sauna, steam room and hydro-massage pool, all included for hotel guests, and the treatment menu stretches from massages using estate ingredients to a Zero Gravity floating experience, red light therapy, reflexology and Ayurvedic rituals. It is open daily from 10am to 7pm, and booking treatments before arrival is wise in high season. A Technogym gym sits within the spa building.
There is one main outdoor pool: a heated infinity pool cut into the hillside, looking out over the valleys and vineyards. Belmond says the water is kept at roughly 28 to 30 degrees and the maximum depth is about 1.4 metres, so it is for lounging and cooling off rather than serious lengths. The pool is seasonal, typically from spring to early autumn, and its use in October and November depends on the weather. If a pool day matters on a late season trip, check with the hotel before you book.
Sport and activities
For years, the estate’s weak point for active guests was sport. That changed with the new sports centre, the Casole Club, set below the castle among the oak woods. It is the reason Castello di Casole features in our guide to tennis hotels in Tuscany and in our country-wide list of the best luxury hotels with tennis courts in Italy.
Tennis, padel and pickleball
Belmond’s press material describes three new courts covering tennis, padel and pickleball, about a five-minute walk from the hotel or a quick golf buggy ride. Coaching is run with LUX Tennis, with private lessons, group sessions and a “Beat the Pro” challenge. In 2025 Belmond quoted a court booking fee for hotel guests with equipment included, and private lessons as an extra; check current prices when you book. Court surfaces are not published, so ask the hotel if you have a preference. With essentially one court per sport, book your slots when you book the room.
Cycling, walking and riding
The estate is an official bike point on the Eroica route network, with a bike hub, Bianchi e-bikes, charging points and gravel paths through the property. Belmond also lists hiking trails, horse riding, truffle hunting in autumn, botanical workshops and Tuscan cooking classes. Sunrise yoga in the garden can be arranged privately.
Golf
There is no course on the estate. If golf is part of your plans, our guides to golf hotels in Tuscany and golf in Tuscany explain where to play, and the concierge can arrange tee times at clubs in the region.
What’s nearby
- Casole d’Elsa: a small walled village a few minutes away, with an Etruscan museum and a handful of trattorias.
- San Gimignano: the medieval towers and Vernaccia wine are around half an hour by car. Read our San Gimignano guide and go early or late to avoid the crowds.
- Volterra: the alabaster town on its ridge, also roughly half an hour away.
- Siena: the Piazza del Campo and the Duomo, about 30 to 40 minutes by car.
- Chianti: the wine villages start about half an hour to the east. Our guide to wine hotels in Chianti is useful if you plan to split your stay.
Castello di Casole vs other Tuscan estates
| Hotel | Location | Standout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel | Casole d’Elsa, between Siena and Volterra | Vast organic estate, Tosca and Territori, tennis, padel and pickleball with LUX Tennis | Food lovers and racket players who want seclusion |
| Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco | Montalcino, edge of the Val d’Orcia | Private 18-hole course, Brunello winery, two tennis courts | Golfers and Brunello fans |
| COMO Castello del Nero | Tavarnelle, Chianti | Castle close to Florence, COMO spa, free tennis for guests | Combining countryside with Florence day trips |
| Il Borro | Valdarno, between Florence and Arezzo | Restored village, tennis, Ferragamo wines | Families and wine lovers |
In short: choose Castiglion del Bosco if golf decides your holiday, Castello del Nero if you want to be close to Florence, and Il Borro if you want a restored village with its own winery. Castello di Casole wins on seclusion, food and the most structured racket programme of the four.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits:
- Couples who want privacy, a castle setting and serious food without leaving the estate.
- Food lovers curious about the Territori project and farm-to-table cooking.
- Tennis, padel and pickleball players who want coaching on hand.
- Families or groups of friends who can take one of the three-bedroom villas.
It does not suit:
- Travellers without a car who want to stroll to restaurants and wine bars every evening.
- Golfers who want a course at the door.
- Anyone who wants a large spa with several pools; this one is intimate, and there is a single outdoor pool.
- Winter travellers, since the hotel closes from the end of November.
Charlotte’s tip: stay at least three nights
Castello di Casole rewards slowness. On a two-night stay you spend half your time arriving and leaving. With three or four nights, plan one morning on court, one on the e-bikes, a single day trip to San Gimignano or Siena, and one long evening at Tosca. Late September is the best time: harvest season, cooler courts and usually still pool weather.
Practical tips
- Booking: reserve court slots, coaching, spa treatments and your Tosca table together with the room. Tosca is closed on Mondays, so plan another restaurant for that evening.
- Best rooms to request: a suite in the castle tower for history, an Oliveto Suite for modern space and quiet, a Signature villa for families or two couples. Ask which suites were restyled in 2024.
- Season: open from spring until 29 November in 2026. May, June and September are ideal; July and August are hot inland, so play tennis early or late.
- Dress: relaxed by day, smart casual for Tosca.
- Kids: children are welcome, with extra beds, cots and babysitting available on request. Ask the hotel about current charges and any age rules for the spa.
- Pets: small dogs are accepted, but not in the restaurants, spa or pool area. Check the current fee and weight limit.
Check prices and availability
Compare junior suites, Oliveto Suites and the Signature villas, and check which rates include breakfast and transfers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Castello di Casole open all year?
No. It is a seasonal hotel. In 2026 it stays open until 29 November and then closes for winter, reopening in spring. Ask the hotel for the exact 2027 opening date.
Does Castello di Casole have a Michelin star?
The hotel holds Two MICHELIN Keys. Its restaurant Tosca is listed in the Michelin Guide, but I could not find a Michelin star for it in the 2026 selection.
Does Castello di Casole have tennis courts?
Yes. The Casole Club sports centre has courts for tennis, padel and pickleball, with coaching through LUX Tennis. Court time and lessons are charged; ask for current prices.
How far is Castello di Casole from Florence?
About one hour by car to Florence and to Florence airport, and around 30 to 40 minutes to Siena. Poggibonsi station is about 20 minutes away.
Planning more Tuscany trips?
