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Castello di Ripoli is a magnificent 16th century villa in Chianti. Sleeping ten, with seven bedrooms, six bathrooms and a swimming pool, this is a superb base for your vacation in Tuscany.

On a hill between Poggio della Fontanaccia and Poggio di Tizzano, about 6km from Grassina, stands the magnificent castle of Castel di Ripoli. Both the castle and the estate which surrounds it originally belonged to the Florentine family, Alamanni, which gave Florence distinguished diplomats such as Piero, (ambassador to the Republic for about 50 years before being appointed senator by the Lord of Milan), Galeazzo Maria Visconti, and Luigi, a poet and politician. The line died out and the estate passed over to the Niccolini family, then to the Walter family, the Brichieri Colombi family, the Casaris, the Visconti family and, in 1929, to the Pecchioli d'Afflitto family.

In the 1700s, vineyards were planted and cellars were built. Over the last ten years, the present owner has replanted all of the vineyards following modern standards. The Castello di Ripoli has changed little over the centuries, through its incarnations from wine-producing monastery to fortified castello in the 15th Century to family home. Camilla D'Afflitto, the present owner, restored the interior of the castle in 2001. She aims for an ambience that "reflects my own artistic and living experience". So the restoration has been of renewal rather than replacement. Camilla took stock of the existing furniture, sold the heavier and more ponderous pieces, and cleared the rooms of all the existing decorative objects, putting them into cupboards to be re-evaluated and reintroduced over time, in different contexts. "In this way, I have achieved a harmony between my past and my present - and the soul of the house continues to grow and change,"she says.


Then came the time for Camilla to introduce her own pieces, particularly her collection of Italian vases (ask to be shown the collection during your stay at the castle) , which she had begun to put together when she in her twenties. She also has a large and varied collections of textiles, which she has collected all her life, and which includes Italian, American and Oriental pieces. All these she has placed around the house, combining West with East and old with new in completely original way. The architect Roberto Gerosa has contributed enormously to the restoration project, adding lamps and sofas, and introducing colour contrasts and combinations that are witty and eccentric.

The final result is an interesting, unique house: "I do not enjoy the dark, lifeless, boring interiors that you sometimes find in Italian country houses," says Camilla. "I have tried to create a home which is the antithesis of that style - a home that reflects my love and passion for colour and light, as well as illustrating my respect for all the artists whose work is represented throughout the house."

The aristocratic atmosphere extends throughout both floors of the villa, as well as to the vast private Italian garden, which is shaded by centuries-old trees and graced with beautiful views of the family vineyard. One step from the garden in absolute privacy, there is a spacious terrace, equipped with table and chairs so you may enjoy your view of the resort's dramatic surroundings. 100 metres from the castle is the private swimming pool (12 x 6 metres).

On the ground floor, the entrance hall leads to two large living rooms (one called the winter sitting room), and one larger than the other. The winter sitting room is designed by Roberto Gesora and Camilla d'Afflitto has covered the 1950s chairs and sofa with witty combinations of silks and velvets. The antique Persian rug, from which the furnishing colours were taken , was collected by Camilla's Turkish grandfather. The floor lamp is by Gerosa, and a lamp with a Venini glass base sits on the table. The other living room has comfortable chairs and sofas, upholstered with imaginative flair, to accommodate Ruggero's many guests. Then to the billiard room which is used like a dining room. Next to the dining room there is a fully equipped kitchen (oven and hob and dishwasher), with a handy laundry room to the rear. The ground floor also features a small bathroom.

Upstairs there is a hallway painted in shades of blue running through the grey, applied in broad horizontal stripes. The tiled floor, which is original, like all the floors in the house, is part of the decorative scheme. On the first floor a sitting room is flanked by two double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms (one with bath and the other with shower), two twin bedrooms and three single bedrooms, one of which has a small, en-suite bathroom with shower. All have queen-size beds. There are a further two bathrooms, one with bath and the other with shower, and a studio-library with fireplace.

There is private parking for a maximum three cars. Distances are as follows: Grassina 5km, Florence 13km, Siena 55km, tennis court 5km, horse riding 10km, golf course (Ugolino Golf club) 8km, Florence airport 30km. There is a restaurant 5km from the house. A pharmacy and food shops are 2km distant, bank, supermarket and post office 5km from the property. Please note that you need a car to stay here!

Via Curtatone e Montanara 14, 50053 Empoli, Florence, Italy