FOLLOW THE ROYAL TRAIN..
 Follow Charlemagne's train on the serene Via Volterrana and look at the magnificent Castello di Montegufoni. Look around at the scenery as perfect as a picture post card and realize that you are standing on historical ground. Surround yourself with the wealth, culture and tradition of a long-forgotten past and enjoy the beautiful sunsets made memorable by artists of yore.
You can reach Castello di Montegufoni (Castle on the Hill of the Black Hawk) by car about 40 minutes from Florence with a scenic view as you travel down the old Volterrana road. Stretching for miles over 36 acres, the Castello di Montegufoni stands majestically with two palaces, armories, chapel with a bell tower and five ancient villas situated strategically among a lush and verdant environment of vineyards and olive trees. Get introduced to its oldest owners, the family of Ormanni mentioned by Dante in his 'Divine Comedy'. Painted with an illustrious background both literary and artistic, the Castello di Montegufoni was at first destroyed in 1135 by the army of Florence and then owned by the family of Acciaicoli in 1200. Listen to the annals of history as it unfolds with Gugliareello whose banking background made it possible for him to buy the castle. Watch the ancestral castle construction expanding to include an encircling wall guarding with zealous proprietorship its seven ancient villas.
 Listen in awe as you hear about the Great Siniscalco of Naples who was born in this very castle. In a dramatic turn of events, the Castello di Montegufoni saw a number of great names and royalty in its premises. The early 1300s saw the literary characters of the poets, Petrach and Boccaccio taking shelter at the castle from the Black Plague. The King of Naples was removed from the throne by the King of Hungary and was sheltered by the minister of Montegufoni, the Bishop Acciaioli and by 1386, the tower and the rooms were constructed by Donated Acciaioli. When Donated Acciaioli threatened to take over the power of the city, the Republic of Florence defeated him and took over the castle. The three sons of Donated moved to the court of Antene and one of them along with his cousins returned to Montegufoni. In the ensuing years, Cosimo de'Doctors held sway at the castle in 1612 as it became the center of the arts. Come and look at the beautiful re-construction organized by Donating and Anna Altoviti Maria, which was the nucleus of the cultural life of Florence. The 17th and 18th centuries saw the fall of the Acciaioli family and they sold the gorgeous castle.
 But in 1909, Sir George Sitwell was enchanted with the Castello di Montegufoni and bought it for his son, Sir Osbert Sitwell. The castle glowed under their tender care with elaborate embellishments, one of them being frescoes by Gino Severini in 1922. Though the majestic resplendence of the Florentine culture disappeared here, it was replaced by the glamour of English writers and American artists. This star studded guest list includes Aldous Huxley, Lytton Strachey, D. H. Lawrence and Somerset Maugham. The Castle di Montegufoni was the secret storehouse of valuable collections of paintings including Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus' and the 'Primevera' in order to protect them from the severe destruction of the Second World War. When Sir Osbert died, his offspring sold the castle to Sergio Posarelli in 1972 which saw the re-structuring of the old Florentine tradition.
Come and sit on the stone benches that encircle 'Il Teatro', the theatre built by Nicholas Acciaioli during the 14th century as the literary and artistic culture flourished. Sit with the great poets, Boccacio and Petrach with the nobles of the court and watch Florentine drama come to life. Walk around the old courtyard called the 'Court of the Duchi' and let your mind flit back to the great culture and awesome civilization of Florence.
LET THE MYSTERY OF ANCIENT CULTURE FLOW...
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