Holiday apartment in Montegonzi: castle history, art and wine

Montegonzi is located on a hill on the border between Chianti and Valdarno, between the Moncioni and Camenata streams. Its hillside location gives the village a distinct landscape setting and connects it with views across the Valdarno valley floor. Here, between Chianti and Valdarno, history, art and regional culinary culture meet in a landscape of hills and valley floor. The village therefore brings together historical, artistic and culinary points of interest that can be explored during different parts of a stay.

History surrounding Castello di Montegonzi

The history of Montegonzi combines the history of its castle and church. The origins of Castello di Montegonzi date back to 1063. Of the three historic gates of Castello di Montegonzi, only one is still visible; it is located on Piazza della Porticciola. The church of Montegonzi is dedicated to Saint Peter. It is probably the same church as San Pietro a Formica, mentioned in the 13th-century tithe registers.

Art between OffiCINO and Fuori dall’Officino

The art theme extends from a permanent space in Montegonzi to a trail through the hamlet of Cavriglia. In connection with the sculptor Carlo Minatti, a permanent exhibition space called “OffiCINO” was established in Montegonzi. A sign displaying its map was presented in Montegonzi for the “Fuori dall’Officino” art trail. The trail comprises sculptures by Carlo Minatti installed throughout the hamlet of Cavriglia. In this way, the art trail adds a broader spatial dimension to a stay and extends beyond the immediate local setting.

Hills, valley views and trails

CAI trail 337 begins in Montegonzi and offers views of the hills and the Valdarno valley floor. The landscape section has a different rhythm from the historical points of interest: the view alternates between the hills and the Valdarno valley floor. Those who plan movement and landscape as a separate part of the day can set out from Montegonzi and complement the cultural themes with a section devoted to the landscape.

Malvasia and Tuscan olive oil

Montegonzi’s culinary heritage combines a wine tradition with olive oil from the Monti del Chianti. Malvasia di Montegonzi was mentioned in 1685 by the poet Francesco Redi in his work “Bacco in Toscana”. It is considered a rare and historic wine and bears the name of its area of origin. One company reintroduced Malvasia di Montegonzi more recently in order to revive an old winemaking tradition of this area.

The culinary profile also includes the organic IGP Tuscan olive oil produced by the company Castello di Montegonzi in the Monti del Chianti. For this oil, the olives are harvested by hand and pressed on the same day. Its origin in the Monti del Chianti and the prompt processing provide the regional context for this product.

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