Staying in a Medieval Castle Near Florence With Kids: Our Chianti Tower Apartment
Most “castle hotels” you find for Italy are luxury resorts with a spa price tag to match. In May we stayed somewhere I like much more: a small medieval castle in the Chianti hills near Florence, with a tower dating to 1146, where you rent an apartment and live in it like it is yours.
It belongs to Majla, the same person who coordinates our Roots & Future family residency in Ormea, and it is one of my favourite family stays in Italy. Here is what it is like with kids, how the apartments work, and why it is worth building a Tuscany trip around.
Where it is
The castle sits in the Chianti hills in Bagno a Ripoli, just outside Florence. You are close enough to visit the city for the day and come back to olive trees, cypresses and quiet in the evening. For families, that combination is the dream: Florence when you want it, countryside when you need it.
The apartments: rent one, or the whole tower
There are two apartments, and you can book either one or both together:
- The Tower apartment, sleeping 4 plus 1.
- The Penthouse, sleeping 4 plus 1.
- The Tower Penthouse, both apartments together, for a big family or a group of friends travelling together.
Booking both is what makes this place special for families. Two families can share the castle, the kids get to run between apartments, and the adults get to share dinners without anyone squeezing into a hotel room.
Aperitivo on top of a castle tower
This is the moment I tell everyone about. You can climb one of the towers to the very top and sit up there with your aperitivo, your lunch or a glass of Chianti, with the whole Chianti region spread out around you. Rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves and Florence in the distance. It is pure magic, especially with kids.
A family pasta class at the castle
Majla also hosts family-friendly pasta making classes at the property, and they are epic. This is where our youngest, Atlas, made her very first fresh pasta. The machine we used that day was a Marcato Atlas 150, which felt like fate for a little girl called Atlas. That story is how Marcato ended up partnering with us for the pasta class in Ormea. If you want the same machine at home, here it is: the Marcato Atlas 150 on Amazon (affiliate link). Read about the pasta class in Ormea.
What it is like with kids
- Space. A real apartment with a kitchen means naps, snacks and early dinners are easy.
- Outdoor time. Gardens and countryside to explore right outside the door.
- History they can touch. Climbing a tower that is nearly 900 years old makes medieval history real in a way no book can.
- A base for Florence. Do the city in the morning, come back for a slow afternoon.
Things to do near the castle with kids
Use the castle as a base for day trips into Florence and the Chianti countryside: gelato and piazzas in the city, villages and vineyards in the hills, and long lunches in between. Then come home, climb the tower and watch the light change over the hills.
Who this stay is perfect for
- Families who want Tuscany without a big resort.
- Two families or a group of friends travelling together.
- Anyone who has ever dreamed of saying “we stayed in a castle” and meaning it.
- Families pairing Florence with northern Italy. From here we have driven on toward Piedmont and the Ligurian coast. See our Tuscany to Piedmont road trip with kids.
About Majla
Majla restores historic homes and opens them to visitors, in Tuscany and in Ormea. You can follow her homes at @accidental_homes and her local experiences at @accidentaltourist_. Her homes in Ormea, including Casa Piccina, where one of our October families stayed and loved it, are linked below.
Where to stay in Ormea: Majla’s homes
Majla, who coordinates the residency on the ground, restores houses in the village and opens them to visitors. You can follow her homes at @accidental_homes and her local experiences at @accidentaltourist_. These are her homes in Ormea:
- Casa Piccina, a cosy mountain village retreat that sleeps 4 plus 1. One of our October families stayed here and loved it.
- The little house, a romantic nest with a mountain-view terrace that sleeps 2 plus 1.
- The family getaway, two apartments together with a scenic mountain-view terrace, sleeping 6 plus 2. Ideal for a bigger family or two families travelling together.
Heading to Tuscany too? Majla also has apartments in a small castle in the Chianti hills near Florence, with a tower dating to 1146: the Tower apartment, the Penthouse, or the two together as the Tower Penthouse, a great family or group stay. You can climb one of the towers and have your aperitivo on top of a castle with the whole Chianti region around you. Read about it in our castle stay near Florence.
Castle stay near Florence with kids: quick answers
How old is the castle?
The tower dates to 1146.
How many people can stay?
Each apartment sleeps 4 plus 1, and you can book both together as the Tower Penthouse for a bigger family or group. Check the listings for current details.
Is it good for toddlers?
We stayed with our two-year-old and six-year-old. Keep a close eye on stairs and the tower climb, and you will have a wonderful time.
How do I book?
Through the Airbnb links above.
Watch it for yourself: our October residency recap reel and the pasta class reel. Follow @bravefamilyroots for the full story, day by day.
From Tuscany to a village residency
If staying at Majla’s castle makes you want to go deeper, our Roots & Future residency takes families to live for ten days in Ormea, a 1,000-year-old village in Piedmont that Majla knows inside out.
Roots & Future runs again May 8 to 17, 2027
A ten-day worldschooling family residency in Ormea, a 1,000-year-old village in Piedmont. You live in the village, your kids learn alongside the children who live there, and the money you spend stays with the people who host you.
Get the full details by email · See the residency and book your spot
See every day of it on Instagram: @bravefamilyroots for the residency and @bravefamilytravel for our family travels.