I stayed for a week at the Castelfalfi resort in Tuscany and explored the surrounding estate and countryside. Read on for my review of the Castelfalfi Resort apartments to find out if Castelfalfi is really one of the best resorts in Tuscany.
Getting to the Castelfalfi Resort
Castelfalfi is located in a rural area between Pisa and Florence. Both Pisa and Florence have international airports. Bologna airport could also be an option as it is two hours drive from Castelfalfi resort.
As the resort is isolated, the best way to get there is to rent a car, as this will allow you to move around Tuscany and explore the local villages.
There is no public transfer, and once you are in the resort, there is very little to do in the immediate area.
There is public parking located near the Tabaccaia building, about a 5-minute walk from the apartments or a 2-minute walk from the hotel.
The nearest village with shops and restaurants is Montaione, about 20 minutes away.
Review of the Castelfalfi Resort
The Casteflfalfi resort is a medieval village that has been renovated and transformed into a tourist village. It is located on top of a hill in one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany. The views from the village are absolutely stunning. Think about gently undulating hills with yellow grass and green trees. It is the view everyone has in mind when they think about Tuscany.
Castelfalfi resort is composed of the hotel ( that includes the Tabaccaia building) and the Borgo, a medieval street that hosts villas and apartments.
We stayed in one of the apartments in the Borgo. While we thought we would get access to the resort and its activities, it was not the case. We could not access the resort pools, spa, or gym. Even getting a booking at the resort’s restaurants was challenging, as we were not staying in the hotel. It was all a huge disappointment.
There is no real advantage in staying at the Castelfalfi resort without access to the resort facilities over staying somewhere else in Tuscany. In the same price range, you can find much bigger and nicer apartments than the one at Castelfalfi.
So, if you rent a villa or apartment at the Castelfalfi Resort, be aware that you might not have access to the Castelfalfi Resort facilities. We wished we had known that beforehand and felt we had been slightly misled.
If you stay in the hotel, beware that the rooms are located over two buildings, the main building with a phenomenal view over the Tuscan hills and the Tabaccaia building behind it.
The Tabaccaia building is located in the middle of a parking lot and has been so renovated that it looks a bit like a city chain hotel with a view of the parking lot. Not what I would expect from a holiday in Tuscany.
Tip: if you stay at Castelfalfi resort, make sure you get a room in the main building facing the west side and not in the Tabaccaia.
Review of our appartement at Castelfalfi resort
We stayed in a three-bedroom apartment located in the medieval street of the village. It was located on the East side of the street, which was unfortunate as the really nice views are on the west side.
The apartment has been lovingly renovated, using traditional materials but adding all the modern comfort that you need. Castelfalfi has done a splendid job bringing this old village back to life.
While the apartment is on the small size for its price range, it is comfortable and has everything we needed for a holiday.
The kitchen is fully equipped. We ended up using it more than expected as it could be hard to get a booking in the resort restaurants if you are not staying in the hotel.
Tip: If you want to cook, there is a Coop supermarket in Montaione, which is 20 minutes away on the way to Florence.
The decoration is very pleasing with soft grey and blue colors. The sofas are super comfortable and great to wind down after exploring the Italian countryside.
Our apartment had access to a small private garden.
Please note that as the apartments are independently owned, the equipment and decoration of each unit depend on its owner.
The Castelfalfi village is over 1,000 years old, and it is quite special to stay in such a place with its thick walls and historical features.
Review of the bedrooms at Castelfalfi Resort
Our apartment had three bedrooms. All three bedrooms have attached shower rooms. The downstairs bathroom has a double bed and direct access to the garden.
Upstairs, we find another double room with a pretty view of the valley and a tiny room with bunk beds. Unless you are traveling with kids, I would not recommend using this room. It has only space for bunk beds and has no cupboards or storage. The air conditioning was also not working in the kids’ room.
The thick historical walls of the building made the apartments very soundproof and quiet. I slept very well!
Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom
Maintenance issues at our Apartment at Castelfalfi Resort
If you want to use AC, you need to ask the security team to turn it on. We didn’t know about that and spent our first three days in a warm apartment.
After a few days, the AC broke down a few times and stopped working in one of the bedrooms. Unfortunately, our trip coincided with a heatwave and the warmest day ever recorded in Europe.
One of the showers was blocked, and despite mentioning it, it was not fixed during our stay. Other than that, the apartment was in pristine condition.
Wifi was available in our apartment. It was unreliable and stopped working a few times a day.
We were able to pick up a 4G signal that worked well outside but not great inside. I think the thickness of the medieval walls prevented the signal from entering the house.
Review of the pool at the Borgo apartments at Castelfalfi resort.
As the resort pools were inaccessible, we used the shared pool just below the Borgo apartments.
It is a small pool with a pleasant view of the valley. The main problem with that pool is that it has very few lounge chairs. About 7 lounge chairs are shared between at least 10 apartments.
A sign with the pool’s rules mentions that in busy times, guests are asked to use a maximum of 2 lounge chairs per apartment. If you are staying in the apartment with a group of 6 or 8 people, it could be a problem as not everyone can lounge by the pool at the same time.
Fortunately, most of the apartments were unoccupied during our stay, and we could find available lounge chairs on most days that we spent at the pool.
Review of the restaurants at Castelfalfi resort
There are great and varied food options while staying at Castelfalfi resort.
The flagship restaurant of Castelfalfi is La Rocca. It is located in the Castle and has a stunning view over the countryside. The sunsets from the restaurant are mindblowing. The food is presented as a gourmet experience. While the prices rival Michelin-star restaurants, the food was okay. It is still worth going but more for the view and the setting than for the quality of the food
Il Rosmarino restaurant is the casual restaurant of Castelfalfi resort. It offers pizza, pasta, and other Italian delicacies. The pizzas were absolutely delicious. The place gets very busy, and a booking is required. It might be challenging to get a table if you are not a hotel guest.
Tip: bring mosquito repellent if you eat outside at Il Rosmarino restaurant.
Finally, there are two Italian restaurants in the Borgo main street, which we enjoyed a lot.
La taverna del castello restaurant and la Pettegola restaurant both have a large outdoor terrace. La Taverna has great cold cuts and cheese platters. La Pettegola had a more extensive cooked menu with many pasta dishes.
The wine menu was interesting and surprisingly affordable, so they are a great choice if you are a wine lover. They have friendly service and a great vibe. Make sure you try them both if you visit Castelfalfi.
What to do at Castelfalfi Resort?
Golf
The golf court at Castelfalfi resort is absolutely gorgeous, with views of the Tuscan hills and the forest. A few ponds are spread through the golf course and its 27 holes. The 9 holes are easier than the 18 holes course.
Bicycle
A specialized bicycle shop is located in the main street. They organize day trips to the nearby villages.
There are no bikes roads in the area, and the roads can be dangerous, so I recommend you go as part of a group if you want to cycle. We met a few groups coming back from their cycling day trips, and they absolutely loved it.
Hikes in the Castelfalfi domain.
The Castelfalfi resort is located in a 2700 acre domain that is a joy to discover.
The resort has created four signed markets hikes, and we tried them all. The resort can give you the elevation map with the details of the trails.
Don’t miss the Turquoise blue trail. It was our favorite. The views on the Tuscan hills were spectacular, and a part of the walk is going through the ricefield.
It is a short hike that took us about 90 minutes.
In the summertime, we found plenty of mulberries along the way!
Tip: Bring proper shoes, as you sometimes have to walk through shrubs
If you have more time and energy, try the dark blue trail. It is 3-4 hours and covers the most scenic part of the domain. From lakes to forests or gently sloping hills, you will walk through plenty of superb ecosystems.
Tip: Bring at least two liters of water as the path goes up and down.
The green trail surrounds the golf course. The yellow trail is very short and mostly goes through a forest area.
Visit nearby villages
The most interesting villages nearby are Volterra and San Gimignano. Both have medieval roots and are pleasant to explore and walk around. They are a 30-40 minute drive away from Castelfalfi. Parking can be an issue in summer ,so arrive early.
Gym and Spa
As guests of the apartments, we were not allowed to access the gym or spa, so, unfortunately, I can’t comment on the gym or the spa.
In conclusion to my review of the Castelfalfi resort
While the Castelfalfi village is charming and located in a gorgeous area, I would hesitate to stay in one of their apartments again. The lack of access to the resort facilities and the small size of the apartment left me disappointed. In Tuscany, you can find villas with private pools at the same price points, and that is what I will try next.
