So, you are off to Tuscany to lay your head down in a real honest to goodness castle. What is a Tuscan castle like, you might ask? Well, they range from absolutely decadent to rather cold, austere, and fortress like. However, Castello di Proceno, our favorite, is a classic example of Italian ingenuity, tasteful rejuvenation, and rebirth as a warm and welcoming hostelry.

 

The Castello, perched high on a spur overlooking the countryside, was built in the 12th century and has been reinvented over the centuries as needed. It has been a castle and defending fortress which protected the inhabitants of the town, a family gathering place for centuries, and during WWII, because of its strategic location near the main road between Rome and Florence, it was occupied by Germans and Americans alike. Since then, it has been divided into lovely apartments, each one unique with beautiful countryside views of Tuscany and Lazio. Our Castello, where we have been staying with happy clients for a decade, is a 3 star accommodation in a 5 star setting, and we love it!

 

The beds are comfy, the pillows can be lumpy, but having said that, we sleep very well. The towels, that you use more than once, are of the waffle design, and you provide your own soap. The apartments are warm, dry, pretty, and made primarily of stone. The little kitchen corners provide espresso pots for morning coffee and tea kettles to boil water for tea or instant American coffee. They include a small refrigerator and a gas stove as well. Actually the kitchens are equipped for guests to make full meals and serve small groups, but who would when the food in the area is so delicious.

 

There is a great little grocery store across the one and only street owned by our friend, Roberto. Here you can buy milk for your coffee, a variety of juices, local wines, cheeses, salami, and fruits. Actually, he has everything. On one trip I had forgotten a crucial tool of the trade, my alarm clock. No problem for Roberto. He disappeared for a few moments and returned to save the day. One client was thrilled to find a lovely pair of slippers for himself there, and is still enjoying them to this day. An amazing little place that is more of a grocery/green grocer/department store, who's proprieter, Roberto, is delightful to boot.

 

Optional items to pack for castle hopping:

 

Small pillow

Slippers, for the stone floors.

Two small bars of soap, trial size are perfect.

Coffee or tea (I bring a zip lock bag of my favorite espresso and one of sugar.)

A flattened bag at the bottom of your suitcase to be used as a carry on later for the cheese and wine you will most probably collect along the way.

Be sure to include any, and all meds that you might need. Medicines are a bit different in a foreign country and a vacation is not a good time to experiment.