Who doesn't fantisize about taking rooms in a castle? And we're not talking about medieval dank and drafty torture chambers, either. The Castello Ripa d'Orcia has been remodeled with the latest in modern conveniences: Large bathrooms, small kitchen, a bedroom with a view of the nearby vineyards.
And no television. And no telephones. That's a plus in this region. Trust me.
So What's it like in a Castle Apartment?
For as little as 500 Euros per week you can get a two room apartment in the Ripa d'Orcia. It's the real deal, with outbuildings, chapels, the whole nine yards inside a castle keep.
The apartment has a moderately outfitted kitchen that they expect you to use to make coffee or tea in the morning, and perhaps to warm up some gruel during the day. The stove only has two burners. There's no oven. We beat the odds and made up some pretty tastly one-pot Italian stews while we were there, but you won't want to plan intricate meals.
Still, having a refrigerator just for water and wine is helpful. It was easy to drive to San Quirico and pick up olives and picnic supplies, grab a bottle of wine from the fridge, and trundle over to one of the stone picnic tables scattered about near the walls to eat.
But you don't have to cook; there's a restaurant on the premises. We found the menu a bit simple and unimaginative, but there are great restaurants in San Quirico d'Orcia, just down the road, and more at Pienza nearby.
And Sleeping in the Castle?
The bed was really quite comfortable. The bedroom was huge--lots of floor space along with a desk you could work comfortably at and a large wardrobe for your clothing. A big window overlooked the valley below and let in lots of fresh air at night.
Around and about the Castello Ripa d'Orcia
The property around the costello produces quite nice wines and good olive oil. You can buy them anytime the reception is open, so there's no need to drive into town to get fortified or oiled up.
You can't drive up to the apartment except for the first day you arrive to drop off your luggage. Some people complain about this, but do you really want a bunch of cars messing up your medieval fantasy vacation? There's a parking place just outside the gates, which are locked when reception isn't open, and it's quite convenient.
The road between San Quirico and the castle is a strada bianca, a white gravel road that generates copious dust behind you. But then again, there's little traffic.
Many hiking trails start from this road. They're marked pretty well, so you probably won't get lost.
The Bottom Line
All in all this was a great room in a very interesting region. You'll need a car, of course, but you'll see parts of Tuscany lots of folks miss. And you're not too far away from Sienna (or anywhere in Tuscany for that matter). Compared to some hotels with far fewer facilities, Castello Ripa d'Orcia offered a good mix of lodging value, peace and quiet, and a location central for the exploration of Tuscany.
