Monsignor Della Casa Country Resort & Spa

Located just 30 minutes by car or by train from Florence, in the heart of Mugello, land of the Medici family, rich in art and culture, Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa is a magical haven of charm where you can have a short escape from the city or a longer holiday a few kilometers from Borgo San Lorenzo, surrounded by the beautiful landscapes Tuscany can offer.

Here you will find into a truly unique place: in the beautiful Renaissance Villa was born and lived in the ‘500 Giovanni della Casa, author of Galateo (Etiquette), the cornerstone of Italian and European literature.

You will immerse yourself in the history of Italian art, two kilometers from the birthplace of the painters Giotto, Beato Angelico and Andrea del Castagno. Monsignor della Casa welcomes you to its 200-hectare estate for a fascinating journey back in time.

THE HISTORY
Our Country Resort is recognized by the Italian government as a special landscape area and while you’re here you can enjoy the beautiful Renaissance Villa La Casa.

This was the birthplace, in 1503, of Giovanni della Casa, future author of the famous Galateo treatise. His father was Pandolfo della Casa and his mother, Lisabetta Tornabuoni, was a cousin of Lorenzo de’ Medici (the Magnificent).

PORTRAIT OF THE MONSIGNORE
Known as “Il Monsignore”, Giovanni became a cleric in Florence after studying law in Bologna. In Rome, he was close to many prominent personalities, including Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who appointed him to important offices around Florence.

In 1555 he was made Secretary of State of the Holy See and he died in Rome in 1556. Giovanni della Casa is most famous for his treatise Galateo, which remains a milestone in Italian literature and still known throughout Europe as a reference for polite behavior and courtesy.

THE LOCATION
The Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa is surrounded by nature, but only 3 km from Borgo San Lorenzo, 5 km from Scarperia and 27 km from Florence. You might decide to take a quick trip into town: local restaurants, shops, night spots, shopping are all nearby. We can book you a taxi if you need one.

ROOMS & SUITES
At Monsignor della Casa our attention to detail accompanies you throughout the day, from morning till night. To make sure you have a proper rest, our rooms are housed in old Tuscan farmhouses, cozily surrounded by the quiet of nature. Each room is different, to guarantee an experience unique to you.

MONSIGNORE’S SUITE
A magical oasis for two: in the Monsignore Suite each moment of the day is marked by yet more relaxation. Two floors tastefully furnished in country-chic style, the pleasure of having two bathrooms, large Jacuzzi tub, and patio. With the charm of the Tuscan countryside all around, you won’t want to leave.

Stays from May to November: includes a relaxing 30-minute body massage for one person (reservation required). Staying from December to April: includes an hour and a half spa admission for two people (reservation required).

JUNIOR SUITE
A spacious double room for a couple wanting privacy. Experience an authentic Tuscan Experience: a wrought-iron bed, Tuscan-style living room, and exposed ceiling beams. The private outdoor area, with tables and chairs, and an inviting fireplace to warm your evenings with your sweetheart. Let yourself be pampered.

THREE-BEDROOM FAMILY SUITE
Ideal if you have a larger family or want to stay in Tuscany with friends. This suite has three floors, carefully furnished to the smallest detail, offering plenty of ways to have fun: two double bedrooms, one bedroom with two single beds, a living room with fireplace, three bathrooms.

For an authentic Tuscan lunch, sit in the outdoor area, set up for you with a table and chairs. Happiness is even lovelier when it’s shared.

CLASSIC DOUBLE ROOM
In your classic double room, every little detail has been taken care of. The fine wood finishes, the charming paintings, exposed stone walls, and terracotta floors together make up a wonderful country-chic atmosphere. For romantic moments in Tuscany.

APARTMENTS
Let yourself be enchanted by the timeless elegance of our apartments. Breathe in that magical atmosphere, which can only come from an authentic and warm Tuscan welcome.

Born from the careful recovery of old barns, each of these apartments preserves its original distinctive features and the uniqueness of beautiful things.

Laid out as independent terraced houses, you’ll find wrought-iron beds, a fully equipped kitchen, private outdoor area, and air conditioning in the whole sleeping area. From your windows, enjoy the most enchanting view of all: green Tuscan hills as far as the eye can see.

MICHELANGELO APARTMENT
This is a typical apartment on three floors of a big detached house built with natural stone. On the ground floor there is a living room with fireplace and double sofa bed, a kitchen, and a bathroom with a shower.

On the first floor there is a double room with ensuite bathroom with shower. On the second floor there is a double room, a room with two single beds and a bathroom with a shower. There is a private outside sitting area with table and chairs.

VILLAS
Our villas are countryside retreats filled with charm. Exquisitely furnished rooms with a country chic style, they retain the unique atmosphere of old Tuscan homes. Everywhere you look, you’ll be entranced by the green hills all around.

Choose one of our standalone villas for a stay of a few days or several weeks: between the large garden and the private pool, time will flow sweetly as never before. Your refuge from the world.

VILLA FRANTOIO
The Villa named Il Frantoio (the oil mill) is a big farmhouse built with natural stone. It has been completely renovated and has a private heated pool* (8×4) with sun beds and sun umbrellas, a 300 sqm garden and a big 35sqm porch with table and chairs.

The main kitchen is on the ground floor where there is also a second kitchen, two dining rooms with fireplace and double sofa bed, two double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, one with a shower and one with a Jacuzzi, and two toilets. On the first floor there are two double rooms and two bathrooms with shower.

VILLA LA TINAIA
La Tinaia (the winery) is a detached villa built with natural stone. It has been completely renovated and has a private heated pool* (8×4), a big and exclusive 200 m2 garden with sun umbrellas and beds and a big 50 m2 porch with table and chairs.

The main kitchen is on the ground floor where there is also a second kitchen, two living rooms/dining rooms with fireplace, two double sofa beds and two bathrooms with a shower. On the first floor there are two double rooms, two twin-bedded rooms and two bathrooms with a jacuzzi.

CASTELLO DEL MONSIGNORE
For a holiday that’s far removed from daily life, stay at the Castello del Monsignore – a place that’s steeped in history and heritage. This was the home of Giovanni della Casa, born in 1503 to Lisabetta Tornabuoni, who was a cousin of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

And this was where the young Monsignor Giovanni della Casa was brought up so well: as he wrote about in his most famous work, “Galateo”, which became a manual of good behaviour for European nobility.

Restored with full respect of its original elegance, the private Villa of Monsignore is a dream location for those seeking an exclusive, unforgettable experience.

THE VERY ESSENCE OF EXCLUSIVITY
Imagine lunching in princely rooms with the whole family or enjoying a snack between work meetings, relaxing at night in super soft beds and luxurious sheets, the nature of Tuscany always just outside the window… Open your eyes: you’re in the Castle of Monsignore, where everything says the best of elegance.

The Renaissance elements of its earliest years intertwine naturally with the refined furnishings and fine upholstery, with light colors illuminating the marble bathrooms, spacious lounges and magnificent suites.

The birthplace of Monsignor della Casa extends over two floors, offering 10 bedrooms – 4 Suites, 2 Junior Suites and 4 Executive Room – all with ensuite bathrooms, along with several rooms dedicated to leisure time.

A MICROCOSM OF RELAXATION
The superb rooms of the Castello del Monsignore lie surrounded by genuine beauty. Experience the pure pleasure of a relaxing swim in the heated stone pool with its water features and jets, lulled by the sounds of nature and the scents of Tuscany.

Eight hectares of age-old parkland are home to sequoias, ginkgo biloba and ancient cedars of Lebanon. The tasty natural truffle, charming orangery and chapel, and the organic garden complete this idyllic picture. In the heart of Mugello, the soul of Tuscany.

RESTAURANT
Enter into our restaurant and wine bar, the Enoteca del Monsignore, and you won’t want to leave. The restaurant of the Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa will lead you on a journey of no return through the cuisine of Tuscany. The authentic flavors, fresh ingredients, and timeless recipes of our proud heritage – let yourself be enchanted.

The Restaurant Enoteca del Monsignore serves the typical buffet breakfast each morning between 8 am and 10:30 am. Light lunch is available upon booking every day between June and September and – exclusively on reservation – on Saturdays and Sundays at all times of the year.

You can dine at the Restaurant Enoteca del Monsignore every evening, except on Tuesday, from April to October, between 7:30 pm and 10 pm. From March 27th to 31st and from November 1st to 14th the restaurant is only open on Friday and Saturday night. Reservations are required.

TUSCAN CUISINE
The menu of the Enoteca del Monsignore draws on the expertise of our grandmothers, using all the classics of our land prepared with local ingredients.

Fresh, filled pasta, dishes based on game and exclusive truffle, with unmistakable and genuine Tuscan aromas. We choose only organic and zero-mile ingredients, and suggest the best of Italian wines to go with them. Man cannot live on food alone.

The Enoteca del Monsignore welcomes you into a room decorated perfectly in country chic style. The ideal environment to enjoy a traditional meal with a local feel. In summer evenings you can choose to eat outdoors, your table lit by moonlight. A dream of a meal with your partner: a dinner to remember under the Tuscan sky.

THE BREAKFAST
In the main dining room of the Enoteca del Monsignore we prepare a rich buffet breakfast for our hotel guests. With plenty for a sweet or savory breakfast: homemade tarts, jams, cereals, sandwiches with choice cold cuts, fruit juices, with a nice cappuccino.

During the summer you can also book a light lunch in a quiet corner of the olive terrace at the Enoteca del Monsignore.

SPECIAL MENU
At the Enoteca del Monsignore you’ll find menus designed for the whole family. Your children will enjoy our simple dishes made just for their tastes. If you’d like a wellness lunch or dinner in our restaurant you’ll find plenty of options for you as well as a gluten-free menu.

WELLNESS & SPA
Let yourself feel the luxury of some time to yourself, in a very special place. Elegant, but warm and welcoming. Just like the real Tuscany. In compliance with national regulations in force, Hammam and Sauna cannot be used.

The whirlpool minipool can be booked in exclusive use for an hour for € 50,00 per couple. Fitness room, massages and wellness treatments are available on reservation.

SPA & FITNESS
When you enter our spa, housed in a wonderfully restored farmhouse, you’ll find the same charm and country-chic taste that characterizes our whole resort. The large windows look over the greenest countryside for moments of intense pleasure, for both the eyes and the soul. You’ll also be able to look out at one of our inviting outdoor pools.

TREATMENTS
We have thought of everything for the complete wellness experience. Lose yourself in the Thermarium treatment: using the sauna, hammam and jacuzzi to help relieve you of all worries.

To keep fit, you can train in the cardio-fitness room with the best Technogym equipment. Let yourself go under the expert hands of our staff in one of the two massage rooms, or choose a treatment using products by Maria Galland and D’Oliva.

WELLNESS FOR TWO
Surprise your partner or give a special gift to your best friend by booking the entire wellness center for your exclusive use. Enjoy a day of relaxation in full privacy, creating unique sensations and unforgettable memories. The kinds of emotion you’ll only get at Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa

POOLS
The blue of the water in our pools meets the green of nature. It’s an experience of peace of mind. The “Quiet Pool” is our swimming pool for adults only. For family fun, there is a “Family Pool” in a separate area.

The pools, with hot tub, measure 8 by 16 meters and reach a maximum depth of 110-165 cm. Also available for your relaxation are sun loungers, deck chairs, and shades.

PARK
Our Country Resort is surrounded by 50,000 square meters of pure Tuscan nature. You’ll be enchanted by the scent of the olives, the silhouette of cypresses, the colors of pomegranate, our roses. The scents that come from the terracotta pots reveal real herbs: sage, rosemary, mint, thyme, lavender. Open your senses.

PLAYGROUND
We consider your relaxation to be just as important as making sure your kids have fun. That’s why we’ve made a playground, complete with slide, swings, sandpit, and playhouse for their fun and games, and where you can easily keep an eye on them. We also have a “Family Pool” for families to have fun in the water together.

SPORT
For the best combination of outdoor fun and activity, you’ll find spaces ready for your favorite sports. Tennis and volleyball courts, table tennis, and pitches for five-a-side soccer. A sport for every family. Even on vacation.

BIKING
Fit your kids out with a bike at our resort and explore Tuscany together. For smaller ones, we can also offer you bikes with kids’ bike seats.

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
At Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa you can choose from our many suggestions how to spend the day. One activity a day will let you experience a new side to Tuscany each time.

TUSCAN COOKING CLASS
Bring Tuscany home with you: relive it every time you cook up something from our tradition. Unique flavors, genuine ingredients, the love of real things. Sign up for a three-hour cooking class at Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa: our chef Patrizia will reveal all her secrets.

HANDS-ON
During the “Hands-on” course, you’ll learn how to choose the choicest of fresh local ingredients. Breathe in the passion of our grandmothers as you choose the right herbs.

The same passion that will lead you to create the tastiest of pastas like ravioli, tagliatelle and tortelli, followed by a meat or vegetable main course, followed of course by something sweet, like a tasty tiramisù.

COME & EAT
After the class, you’ll have a chance to find out just how well you did: we’ll serve up a lunch of what you’ve learned to cook. Invite your friends and family to taste some unforgettable flavors.

TASTINGS
Our Resort is the ideal starting point for a tour of the pleasures of the palate. Tuscany is love of wine: taste the most genuine of passions from the barrels of Chianti Rufina and Pomino.

Savor the excellence of Tuscan wines: the cellars of Nipozzano, Selva Piana, Castello del Trebbio and Fortuna are all around you. Let yourself be tempted by the unmistakable scents that come from local cheese makers. Lose yourself in the bright green of freshly-harvested oil. Taste Tuscany, awaken your senses

TRUFFLE HUNTING
The Monsignor della Casa Resort & Spa offers a truly unique chance to join in a real white truffle hunt. Along with trained dogs, you will hunt in the truffle-ground (tartufaia) of the ancient park where Monsignor Giovanni della Casa himself would walk.

An authentically Tuscan experience that combines culture, outdoor activity, and passion for the ultimate gourmet ingredient.

The origins of truffle hunting are lost in time. There is evidence of truffle hunting in Tuscany from as early as the Middle Ages, but it was in 1500 that it started to appear on the dinner tables of noble families.

In the 19th century, the fame of the white truffle grew; so much so that the famous Italian food writer Artusi preferred it to black truffle. And so the truffle hunt began to spread, to Piedmont, Marche, Umbria and especially in Tuscany, in the Mugello area, where our resort is located.

HIKING
Connect with yourself and your surroundings. A regenerating experience to discover nature in each season, along scenic trails to mountain shelters, and accompanied by an expert guide. Holistic paths through beech and chestnut woods to meditate and relax the body and mind.

You’re in a superb position, in close contact with the most unspoiled Tuscan countryside. On the slopes of the Giogo Casaglia forest park, a good 6,000 hectares across the municipalities of Palazzuolo sul Senio, Borgo San Lorenzo, Firenzuola, and Scarperia – it’s all available to you. Reconnect with nature in Tuscany: this is walking as you’ve never experienced before.

If you like to take care of yourself even on vacation, join in the healthy walks organized by our Resort. Surrounded by chestnut woods and country streams, you’ll breathe in scents, aromas and hints for your health. The idyllic landscape around you will relieve any discomfort of body and soul.

E – BIKES
Anyone can now reach the hilly landscapes and ancient villages of Tuscany, with electric bicycles for rent at the Resort. Thanks to the assisted pedaling you can reach beautiful country views or retrace the course route of the most recent Giro d’Italia.

Tuscany is extremely popular for cycling, with a strong local tradition that has produced many international cycling champions. Discover a different and unique way of experiencing Tuscany: try an e-bike.

The harmonious succession of hilly expanses, mountainous areas and 1,000 meter-plus peaks create ideal itineraries for two wheels, fully manageable thanks to the assisted pedaling of our e-bikes.

GOLF
Your passion. The best greens close by.If you like golf, you’ll be happy to discover some wonderful courses within easy reach of our Resort. Have a taste of an unforgettable day on the greens (and bunkers) in the heart of Tuscany.

POGGIO DEI MEDICI GOLF CLUB
The Poggio dei Medici Golf Club is just 7 km, and 10 minutes by car, from the Monsignor della Casa Country Resort and Spa. The 18-hole, par 72, course, began life in 1992 with a collaboration between the great player Baldovino Dassù and the architect Alvise Rossi Fioravanti.

The course measures 6,397 meters, and the club has plenty of practice space, including a driving range, and putting and pitching greens.

UGOLINO GOLF CLUB
The Ugolino Club is about an hour’s drive from our Resort. Opened in 1933 on the Chiantigiana road south of Florence, it is one of the best and most historic clubs in Tuscany. Starting life as a par 69, challenging for its gradients and natural features, it was expanded to a par 72 in the 1960s.

At first glance it’s an easy course – along its length of 5,666 meters – but cypresses, olive trees and slopes make it challenging even for the most experienced golfers.

The Ugolino is one of the most important and famous of Italian courses, and countless names have competed here. The Ugolino has hosted many international Opens, including the 1983 Italian Open, won by Bernard Langer.

THE PARCO GOLF CLUB
The Parco Golf Club in Florence is just 45 minutes from our Resort, and was born from the idea of making golf affordable to the average citizen of Florence. The “Golf Club Parco di Firenze” sporting organization was born in 2000 and has 600 members today.

LE PAVONIERE GOLF CLUB
The Le Pavoniere club is about 45 minutes from our Resort and is immersed in the park of Tavola near the city of Prato, 30 km from us. It is one of the most enjoyable clubs in Tuscany: its layout allows for relaxing but exciting games, and has 18 holes, a large driving range, putting green and pitching green.

THE MONTECATINI GOLF CLUB
The 18-hole, 72-par, 5,857-meter Montecatini course sits in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, between the coast of Versilia and the cities of Florence, Lucca, and Pisa and well worth a visit for its beautiful views and historic hints.

It is 60 kilometers from the Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa and easy to reach in about an hour’s drive.

YOGA
Morning yoga on the poolside lawn is just the recipe for starting the new day and awakening the body, mind, and spirit. At our Resort, you can give yourself moments of pure well-being, immersed in the harmony of nature.

Forget stress, recharge yourself with positive energy, and start off with a special good morning. Information: Yoga sessions take place once a week from June to September and are open to all levels.

VESPA TOURS
Experience La Dolce Vita in the heart of Tuscany! Hop onto an authentic Vespa Piaggio and explore the charming villages and beautiful scenery of the Florentine countryside. Feel the wind in your hair, take a journey back to the fifties.

Information: We can book exclusive Vespa tours and give you all the information you need to spend a day on two wheels in Tuscany. Ask at reception.

MUGELLO CIRCUIT
The feeling of freedom, the thrill of speed, the adrenaline rush at the last few meters which peaks at the finish line … feel it all at the Mugello Circuit. Extreme emotions, which you can only feel here.

If you love motor racing and Moto GP, a vacation at Monsignor della Casa is the ideal choice: with Italy’s most famous track only 5 minutes away so you can visit anytime.

The circuit was designed in the 1970s, to give a suitable venue for the motor racing that had been happening in the area since 1914. The track owner, Ferrari, updated it in 1988.

Today, it is characterized by a climb of over 1 km, changes in inclination and demanding bends. For security reasons, it has been modified several times, preserving as much of the original 1970s configuration as possible.

The Mugello Circuit boasts more than a century of history: not far from the track was the Mugello Road Circuit, which hosted regular races between 1914 and 1970. The current circuit was built in 1972 to host periodic competitions, creating a safer space for Mugello Road Racing contests.

While you’re staying at the Monsignor of the Casa Country Resort & Spa you won’t miss a single circuit trial: in 5 minutes you can be at the Mugello racetrack, your adrenaline set to go.

When you leave the resort, follow the signs for Borgo San Lorenzo and continue towards the Mugello Circuit (Autodromo del Mugello). Otherwise, from the motorway, take the exit for Barberino and you’ll be on the track in a few minutes.

FALCONRY EXPERIENCE
If you’ve always been intrigued by birds of prey, then a day of falconry is for you. You’ll come into direct contact with hawks, eagles, and owls, learning about their anatomy and behavior. You’ll do a thrilling flight test and become a falconer for a day!

DRIVE A FERRARI ON A TRACK
Are sports cars your passion? Get going and experience the thrill of driving classic supercars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati or Porsche at the Mugello International Circuit on certain dates. And don’t forget that the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, with the official store of the “Prancing Horse”, is less than two hours from our Resort.

FLY FISHING
What’s the best way to relax in nature? A rich day of fishing along the 8 km reserve on the Sieve river. Accompanied by an expert guide, you can try your hand at catching brown trout, a species native to the clear waters of the river.

HOT AIR BALLOONING
Soaring in the sky like a bird and enjoying the rolling hills below, is a truly unique privilege. If your balloon flight is for you and your partner, the special occasion will surely be a success .

GLIDING
If you look longingly at birds flying, then why not try it for yourself: at an airfield just 5 minutes from the Resort you can learn to fly. You can book a 4-hour mini-course – theory and practice. Or, at weekends, you can join in a “baptism of flight”: as a passenger on a glider.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES
The Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa is the ideal place for unforgettable vacations with those you love. We like to make you feel completely at home, here in the heart of Tuscany: with all our available family-friendly services we’ll make it easier for you, making sure you get to relax and have fun with your kids.

EXPLORE, PLAY, LOVE
Vacation time means time well spent with your family. To make the most of that time, have a look through some of our suggestions. At our resort you won’t be far from great ways to create unforgettable memories.

EDUCATIONAL FARM
Just 5 minutes from the Monsignor della Casa Country Resort there is a very special kind of farm. At the Fattoria Didattica you can have a fun-filled day with your children: with chickens, rabbits, sheep… lots of surprises.

The owners arrange a variety of educational activities with the animals and the farm’s vegetable patches. A unique way to learn about nature.

HORSE BACK RIDING
Nothing beats the exhilaration of experiencing Tuscany from the back of a horse. Reward yourself and your family with this special experience while you’re at Monsignor della Casa.

With so many stables in the area, you’ll easily find the right horse for your level. With expert instructors your children will be able to experience it under expert hands, in total safety. Another precious memory for the family album.

ADVENTURE PARK
Just outside Florence and a 30-minute drive from us, is the unique play park, “Il Gigante”. It offers an unforgettable day out for the whole family: a series of courses through the trees that offer acrobatics, games, and jumps from tree to tree. Offering nothing but pure fun it’s suitable for the whole family, kids, teens, and adults. A jump in adventure, in complete safety.

PISTOIA ZOO
It’s not everyday you come face to face with a giraffe or watch the acrobatic antics of a parrot up close. Here in Tuscany, anything can happen.

Bring your family on a trip through the African Savanna to the Arabian deserts, within just an hour by car from our Country Resort. A day spent relaxing with your family among the nature at the Zoological Gardens of Pistoia will leave a lasting memory.

PINOCCHIO PARK IN COLLODI
Let your children live for a day in a world of fairytales. In the province of Pistoia, the world’s best-loved story of Pinocchio lives on everyday.

The famous wooden boy has Tuscan origins: his creator, Carlo Collodi, was born just 50 miles from our Resort. Today you can visit the Pinocchio Park, dedicated to fairytale, with all sorts of activities, themed paths, and entertainment.

WATER SPORTS
Lake Bilancino is perfect for the whole family to relax. While you practise your fishing, your spouse might enjoy some sun, let the kids play by the water’s edge under your watchful gaze. Worried that any older kids might be bored? Let them try out some of the fun sports available: canoeing, windsurfing, and sailing. Kids, teenagers, and, most of all, you.

GUIDED TOURS OF FLORENCE
Florence can offer all sorts of exclusive activities for you and your family. You’ll all find plenty to keep you amazed in the main museums, like the Pitti Palace, the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio and the Accademia, with famous masterpieces, classical and Renaissance sculpture and your children will be impressed and entertained by the educational options available. Museums at a family scale.

Nourished by the best Tuscany can offer you: immerse yourself in culture, breathe the same air as the brilliant minds who have found inspiration from within this land over the centuries.

Visit our museums, the famous ones in Florence as well as smaller, local ones and give yourself over to the drama of the paintings, get lost in the history all around. Some world-famous spots are just a few kilometers from us: Florence, Pisa, Siena, Lucca, Bologna, and the beautiful Cinque Terre.

Florence is rightly known as the cradle of the Renaissance, home of the powerful Medici family and source of inspiration for artists over centuries. Start your tour anywhere you like: art and culture ooze from each corner.

You must stop at the Uffizi gallery, as well as the majestic Duomo, the Accademia gallery and elegant Boboli and Bardini Gardens. Among the many historic palaces (palazzi) you might visit are Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, to gain a little taste of Medici life.

PISA
This is of course where you’ll find the famous Leaning Tower, located in the impressive Pizza dei Miracoli which has plenty to see. Feel the full effect by climbing up inside the tower and take in the complete panorama.

There are many treasures to explore next to it within this piazza, the Baptistry, Duomo, and a unique sense of artistic magic balanced between Romanesque and Gothic art.

SIENA
The home of the famous Palio horse race in the impressive Piazza del Campo, in the pulsing heart of this city. Amongst its noble palazzi, cobblestoned streets and artisanal shops, you’ll be led back into the past.

Enjoy it: visit the Civic Museum, admire the Torre del Mangia, taste some of the classic local treats like panforte and ricciarelli. Lose yourself in the impressive cathedral, the Duomo di Siena.

LUCCA
Once you cross the ancient city gates, you’ll be in another era. In Lucca you breathe a special air, one steeped in history, art, and nature: the medieval walls are intact so walk along them and you’ll enjoy the charming gardens and picnic spots.

In the historic center, you can get lost among the crenellated towers, ancient basilicas, and majestic squares – especially Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and Piazza di San Michele. You might even forget the way home.

BOLOGNA
It might lie just beyond Tuscany’s borders but there’s much to enjoy in Bologna, home to one of the world’s oldest universities. Between a walk under the arcades and a lunch to discover the world-famous flavors of the province of Emilia Romagna, visit the central Piazza Maggiore.

It’s not much further to the Basilica of San Petronio, the fifth largest church in the world. Before leaving, go up the Torre degli Asinelli and admire its “twin”, the Torre Garisenda, together they are powerful symbols of medieval power.

FERRARI MUSEUM
If you love speed, you’ll definitely appreciate how easily you can get from the Monsignor della Casa Country Resort & Spa to the home of Italian Formula One.

As well as housing some excellent exhibitions, the Ferrari Museum in Maranello lets you experience the thrill of Formula 1 first-hand with semi-professional simulators just like in a real race. You can also take a guided tour of the Maranello factory.

LAMBORGHINI MUSEUM
The Lamborghini Museum is in Bologna, in the heart of Motor Valley. A variety of entry options let you explore the world of Lamborghini at different levels of depth. As well as the museum, with its legendary cars from the 1960s to today, you can join an exciting guided tour of the Lamborghini factory.

DUCATI MUSEUM
Get the most out of one of the busiest motoring firms in Italy today, with a tour of the Ducati Museum in Bologna. Renovated and expanded in 2016, the space hosts historic models, including some iconic ones. Be amazed by the stories of the men and bikes behind this proudly Emilian firm

GIOTTO HOUSE 
Come and meet one of the most famous Tuscan painters of all, an innovator in art and in the vision of man: Giotto, who grew up in Vicchio, part of Vespignano.

A museum now stands where his home was: discover how he lived, immerse yourself in the air he breathed, touch the memories of his existence. In Vicchio, retrace the traces of the painter Fra Angelico, also thought to have born here. Immerse yourself in Art.

PALAZZO DEI VICARI
Scarperia, seat of the Vicariate of the Florentine Republic in 1400, is still affected by the overpowering presence of the Medici family. If you visit the Palazzo dei Vicari you’ll feel at the center of power in Florence, many centuries later.

Within these walls the fate of Italian cities was decided, including plots, agreements, and strategies. Make sure to leave space in your luggage to bring home a locally-made knife, handcrafted, and very valuable to the heritage of Scarperia.

ACQUA PANNA NATURE RESERVE 
One of Italy’s best known global brands, synonymous with purity and quality: the water of Acqua Panna comes from a source in an unspoilt area just a few kilometers from Florence. If you want a trip into real Tuscan nature, visit the reserve, populated by streams and flourishing forests where you might well see wild boar, fallow deer, foxes, crows, or wolves.

BOSCO AI FRATI
The convent of Bosco ai Frati in San Piero a Sieve is an ideal place to escape the noise of the city and to restore body and soul through silence.

The building, erected before the year 1,000, owes part of its current charm to the reconstruction carried out by Michelozzo for Cosimo Il, Vecchio de ‘Medici. Inside, in the Sala de ‘Medici, there is a precious crucifix attributed to Donatello.

MEDICI VILLAS
The Medici family had a very soft spot for the Mugello area, where they loved to relax in contact with nature. Villa Schifanoia, with its annexed reserve, belonged to the lords of Florence who converted the tower into a dovecote.

A few steps away is the majestic Fortress of San Martino, built by the Medici in 1569. Then, from the top of the Trebbio Castle you can enjoy an extraordinary view of the Mugello valley. Finish your tour with the Castle of Cafaggiolo, the favorite residence of Lorenzo the Magnificent and the family’s summer residence from the mid-14th century.

Rooms: 27

Price: from 221 EUR per night

Source: www.monsignordellacasa.com