Developers and high-net-worth investors will get plenty of legroom framed life-affirming views from this 37-bedroom Medieval castle – Castello di Ripa – that comes with over 4,100 sqm of buildings ripe for redevelopment including a medieval castle, village, church, swimming pool, watermill restaurant and guest units.
At a glance:
- Main castle with eight bedrooms, cinema room and library
- 37 bedrooms across the estate
- Multiple buildings needing redevelopment with opportunity for further guest/living accommodation and self-catering apartments
- Unique buildings and features include a priest’s accommodation, church, restaurant, swimming pool and watermill
- The estate was previously used as a hotel and guest accommodation and is in need of large-scale investment and redevelopment
- This hilltop castle property for sale is located in the heart of Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia
- The closest airport is Florence
Cost: €15,000,000
As luxury property investments go, this storied 37-bedroom Medieval castle in Tuscany’s breathtaking Val d’Orcia – a UNESCO world heritage site – is a meaty side or main project for investors, where vivid imaginations can be applied liberally.
Add us as a preferred source to see more super-prime intelligence in Google.
This a storybook illustration of a Tuscan castle, which is prime for a new lease of life and hefty doses of TLC.
Set in the gentle folds of the Tuscan countryside painted by hills and valleys approximately 50km from Siena and 137km from Florence, this is an ambitious investment opportunity for high-end hotel developers, foreign investors or private individuals with a keen sense of adventure.
To bring the main and ancillary properties back to life and to the standard required to create a main family home or luxury hotel will require full-scale restoration with significant financial investments.
Historically, the castle was first recorded in the 12th century and was owned by the Salimbeni family before being taken over by the Republic of Siena. It later became a fortified outpost and eventually a farming estate owned by the Piccolomini-Clementini family.
Currently configured to accommodate 37 bedrooms, the storybook castle and ancillary accommodations can be reimagined into a magical primary Tuscan residence with earning potential, luxury boutique hotel, wellness facility, wedding/events venue or private rental retreat.
The main castle includes a kitchen, reception halls, library, and eight bedrooms over multiple levels. The roof terrace offers expansive views of the Val d’Orcia.
Part of the castle’s southeast wing includes the old wine cellar, a cinema room, and the former armory.
The estate includes a 12th-century fortress and a cluster of buildings that make up what was once a functioning medieval village.
Most of the rural buildings will require full reconstruction, however the main castle and many village structures are in good condition, having been used as accommodation in the past.
The properties in need of total renovation or repurposing include a priest’s residence, restaurant, guest apartments, barns, garages and workshops.
The ruins of an old watermill lie northeast of the property, which could be restored or repurposed as well as a swimming pool and pool house.
The estate covers approximately 22.4 hectares (55.4 acres), mostly forest, offering seclusion and opportunities for hiking. From the castle, the views stretch across the entire Val d’Orcia to the distant hills of the Maremma.
The property is in a private location near the River Orcia, accessible via a dirt road. Basic amenities are available in San Quirico d’Orcia and Bagno Vignoni, both about 10 minutes away. Larger towns like Montalcino and Montepulciano are reachable within 30 minutes.
The closest airport is Florence, 137km away.
Val d’Orcia is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of Tuscany characterised by postcard perfect rolling hills, vineyards, medieval villages, castles, cypress groves and thermal springs.
With a rising number of the world’s elite global citizens relocating to Italy thanks to a favourable flat-tax regime for ultra-high-net individuals, the estate is bound to attract significant interest from wealthy overseas buyers with a passion for historic Italian properties and restoration projects.
Although real estate investment is not currently an entry route to qualify for Italy’s ‘golden visas’, the most accessible and cost-effective route is a €250,000 investment into a government-approved innovative company.
Some specialised investment vehicles focus on hospitality and hotel redevelopment, making Italian residency a feasible option for those wishing to invest in the sector.
The total number of new high-net-worth arrivals in Italy so far this year could be as high as 3,600, according to Henley & Partners’ estimates.
