In an ancient sixteenth-century village overlooking Siena, already set of the romantic film “Letters to Juliet”, Borgo Scopeto embodies the refined magic of bucolic Tuscany among expanses of helichrysum, lavender fields and extraordinary wines.

Built around an ancient medieval tower dating back to 1067, Borgo Scopeto offers the unique opportunity to stay in the ancient buildings once used for artisanal and rural activities and now converted into charming spaces dedicated to high hospitality.

Purchased in 1997 by Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, the “lady of Sangiovese” with an important history in family businesses and in film production, the property includes 70 hectares of vineyards and 50 of olive groves, from which excellent oil and wines are obtained, a Relais and three villas with garden, swimming pool, spa and tennis courts, as well as the La Tinaia fine dining restaurant, also open to the public.

The countryside has always been part of my world since I was a child. After studies and experiences abroad, I continued to look for another way of being myself in the midst of Nature.

(Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini)

Although the first news of Borgo Scopeto dates back to 1079, it was in the 15th century that it saw a period of particular expansion when the property was donated to the noble Sienese Sozzini family who here created an agricultural company dedicated to the cultivation of vines and olive trees. Among the activities that characterized the village, there was also a kiln where the tiles that still protect the roofs of the oldest houses today were produced.

It was at the end of the 1990s that the Gnudi Angelini family, after acquiring it, began an important conservative recovery of the village, maintaining the original materials and enhancing its architecture, such as the extraordinary medieval tower which today houses an elegant lounge furnished with velvet sofas and period furniture, perfect for reading a book or sipping an after-dinner drink.

The interior design elegantly mixes contemporary furnishing accessories with handcrafted furniture and antique paintings, infusing the rooms with great charm.

The Borgo, in particular the beautiful suite on the main floor overlooking the garden, was, in fact, chosen as the location for the film Letters to Juliet with Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave. The structure offers 50 accommodations including rooms and suites, very romantic private villas with gardens, one of which has a private en plein air hydromassage, and 2 country apartments overlooking the lavender fields.
The structure also offers a spa, to indulge in a luxurious beauty routine with the Borgo’s cosmetic products based on lavender and helichrysum.

The vaulted rooms belonging to the ancient cellar house the gourmet restaurant La Tinaia where you can taste the best local products, including Renieri meats, the famous artisanal cured meat factory in Siena, selected and artfully prepared by chef Pietro Fortunati. On the menu the best of the revisited Tuscan tradition, such as pork belly with lavender, green apple and wild herbs, pheasant cappellacci, truffle and rocket, and the delicious Cinta Senese scamerita with potato millefeuille.

In summer you can also eat under the romantic outdoor area and enjoy an aperitif at sunset in the panoramic garden of the Relais overlooking the towers of Siena.

Inside the property, with a short and evocative walk among rows of vineyards, vegetable gardens and orchards, it is also possible to visit the only “roccolo” in Tuscany (a very rare seventeenth-century structure, created through an intricate labyrinth of centuries-old trees, formerly used for fowling). Consider that in Italy there are only 3!

Finally, absolutely not to be missed is the exclusive Wine Hour, a tasting organized in the evocative cistern room where, under the medieval vaults, the sommelier presents the award-winning wines of the 4 family estates: Borgo Scopeto, Doga delle Clavule in Magliano and Caparzo and Altesino in Montalcino. Every year, Altesino’s Brunello di Montalcino is included among the 100 best wines in the world in the famous Wine Spectator ranking.

The Secret

A few hundred meters from the village, in a wooded area part of the property, there is an ancient circular architecture called “circle Sozziniano”. According to some hypotheses, the heretical disciples of Lelio and Fausto Sozzini, members of the noble Sienese dynasty that had owned the village since the fourteenth century, apparently held secret meetings themselves in this hidden refuge.

Useful Info

Borgo Scopeto Wine & Country Relais
Loc. Borgo Scopeto
53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga, Siena
Tel. +39 329 4353143 

Rooms: from 400 euro
Suites: from 600 euro
Villas: from 800 euro

Ristorante La Tinaia

Entrées: 24 — 28 euro
First courses: 26 — 28 euro
Main Courses: 26 — 32 euro