Villa Casagrande Serristori

The historic mansion dates back to the end of the 14th century, it was built by the Franzesi della Foresta family as a summer residence and, later, their administrator and family notary Ser Ristoro who came into possession of it.

Right at Villa Casagrande, at the dawn of the Renaissance, the famous humanist Marsilio Ficino used to teach his lessons to the Serristori family and to the high aristocracy. Remembered among the personalities who stayed there are instead Carlo VII di Borbone, King of the two Sicilies, Carlo V king of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor and finally prince Maria Josè, who visited during his honeymoon. Another illustrious guest was Pope Leone X, son of Lorenzo il Magnifico, who much appreciated the residence and granted the Serristori family the privilege of adding to their coat of arms the fleur-de-lis ball of the Medici house with the initials L. X.. Today housed where the rooms used to be, on the Piano Nobile (main floor), is a museum with Renaissance furniture.

Surrounded by guelph walls, featuring a big corner tower at one end (also called “Torre Capitana”), lies an Italian garden overlooking the courtyard of the villa, adorned with a double row of arcades. The garden is intersected by small gravelled alleys, fringed by box hedges and tall cypresses; rising up in the middle is a stone pillar with a cross. For many years the Villa has served as a farm, with thread-spinning and glassware workshops. Still visible today are the vat room, the cellar and various farm tools.

The building houses a hotel (Hotel Villa Casagrande), a restaurant (Convivio in Casagrande) with wine cellar and shop and a wellness centre.

Guided visits to the cellars and the Piano Nobile are held inside the Villa.