Detailed Review
It is not an easy task to explain the many levels of sensations that a traveler encounters at the Tenuta di Ricavo, but we will endeavor to do so. Tenuta di Ricavo is a very lovingly restored medieval hamlet in the natural setting of 445 acres of a protected Nature Park.
The tranquility, the freshness of the air, voices of song birds, colors of wild flowers, the rich hues of cypress, the sense of space unite to present you with a tranquil sense of peace and relaxation.
To stay in Ricavo is to experience history in modern comfort, nature in a safe, pristine beauty, local cusine beautifully prepared and presented. Come and join us on the land and it's history we so cherish.
In Tuscany - half way between Florence and Siena, in the heart of the Chianti country - an interested and curious traveler, drawn to the attractions of history and culture will find the hamlet of Ricavo the ideal place to stay.
Ricavo, originally a medieval forticated village, was transformed into a quiet and comfortable country residence in the late 1950's. The little chapel, the tiny cemetery and the weathered stone cottages seem to have the magic to take us back in time.
Sources in the Passignano Abbey report that it was already in existence in A.D. 994. Like all the fortified settlements of those times it stands on a rise in the land, clustered around a church, which today is still property of the Curia in Florence. And a village lost in it's timeless countryside, Ricavo remained until the end of the last war. Gradually the country folk abandoned it for the city. In 1947 Ricavo became the property of the Scotoni Family, who from the 1950's began the task of converting the estate slowly into an inviting yet private resort, maintaining the ambience of times past.
There is a long tradition of hospitality at the Ricavo, warmly and ably owned and operated by the same family for more than 50 years. A picturesque hamlet; the main villa and it's surrounding dependencies, farmhouses and buildings have been restored paying respect to Tuscan architectural traditions.
Stone, plaster, terra-cotta tiles, powerful wood beams, all materials used since early construction a thousand years ago, form the wide choice of accommodations, from a simple bed room to an ample apartment. These accommodations which can house up to 50 people in total are furnished with period pieces and loving detail. Their names bare their history: Villa, Casa Petri, Casa Mara, Cas'al Sole. A harmony with the past and present can be savored from the morning's ample buffet breakfast in the square during the warm months, and last throughout the day through the enjoyment of Ricavo's amenities.
