La Torre del Colombaio

A unique experience in a historic medieval tower

If you truly love stepping back into history, appreciating the genius of those that have come before us, then a stay in Tuscany in a medieval tower will offer a one-of a-kind experience you will never forget.

The medieval tower, known as the “Torre del Colombaio”, dates back to the 12^th century and is placed strategically at the top of a hill with gorgeous views of San Gimignano and the countryside between there and Poggibonsi. Although it was razed down to its first floor centuries past, the owner has restored the tower with rustic and rural style furnishings and decorations of the Middle Ages to make a stay here truly unique and memorable.

The tower offers complete privacy and is surrounded by a large garden with pond, solar powered heated shower and a panoramic garden terrace perfect for relaxing and enjoying the stunning views. The garden also includes a splendid covered octoganal-shaped transparent structure where you can relax in as well as lay down and watch the stars as you fall asleep. The tower is perfect for a romantic stay or for 2 couples, with its two double bedrooms and two bathrooms. A stay within the tower should appeal to anyone who loves history, but the surrounding areas are ideal for anyone who would enjoy a special stay in Tuscany.

Relax and enjoy Tuscany at Macinella

The medieval tower sits high over the rest of the property, where the Macinella estate offers additional accommodations in self-catering apartments of all sizes, hosting from 2 to 7 guests. Stelio and Rossella – your hosts – will welcome you into their home and lives, as they reside on the property. You will see their love for the property across everything you come across from the moment you arrive until the time you depart, across all of the details and services offered. They have thought of all the many things their guests would enjoy and provided them. Read more about the Macinella apartments here.

The medieval tower itself can host up to 4 guests but is really ideal for a couple who want to spend time together and the chance to enjoy complete privacy and enjoy the comforts of the tower and surrounding gardens, from enjoying the panoramic views and sun bathing to enjoying meals outdoors to sleeping outdoors under the open structure owner Stelio has built. The base cost of the tower is for 2 guests, with an extra charge for the 3rd or 4th guests.

The tower has been lovingly restored, with careful attention to all details, from the furnishings and décor to the frescoes and colors used. With thick stone and brick walls, the tower remains cool even on warm summer days. A stay within the tower is for those who will love stepping back in time, but maintaining the comfort of modern upgrades that were certainly not part of life in those times. Every single room in the tower, from the kitchen to the bathrooms to the rooms - and the stairs - include details that you need to see in person to fully enjoy. The photos above give a "taste": you need to go and during your stay enjoy exploring and discovering the details that are in each of the rooms, including the way the wardrobe opens and closes and how the sinks turn on and off ;-).

For 2021, there will be a new round pool, 7 meters in diameter, with Lotuses and Water Lilies for exclusive use by the guests at the Tower.

Enjoying the past mixed in with modern amenities

The tower's ground floor opens onto a spacious kitchen equipped with all of the appliances and amenities to prepare your own meals while enjoying the rustic charm of the mix of rural home tools within the ancient tower. It is charming and unique, in that you almost feel like you're stepping into a museum showcasing life in the Middle Ages.

A short downward ramp takes you to the bathroom with large tub with whirlpool jets, perfect for relaxing at the end of the day. The next room can double as the living room, with the 2 single day beds offering comfortable seating and pillows on which to relax, read or enjoy conversations or be used as separate beds or joined to become a large double bed. A narrow, spiral staircase on the side leads you upward to the next floor where the double bedroom with fireplace and a bathroom will offer a comfortable place to replenish your sleep and wake up refreshed for every new day.

In front of the tower, the gardens enjoy a magnificent view of the Tuscan countryside covered with cypress trees and cultivated fields, including olive trees, vineyards and grains. A small pond and the aforementioned glass structure – with open doors all around – provide an outdoor living area to enjoy relaxing afternoons or the chance to enjoy the starlit night sky laying down atop the central bed. What a wonderful way to relax and end a day of exploring Tuscany!

Complete privacy, with access to many services

The outdoor areas around the medieval tower are completely off-limits to other guests staying at Macinella giving you total privacy. As a guest of the medieval tower, you can however make use of the common areas spread across the rest of the property, including enjoying a dip in the 12mx6m swimming pool or climbing the spiral staircase that leads into a cypress treehouse where a private platform with table and chairs gives you the perfect setting for a romantic dinner with a view. There are many areas around the swimming pool where you can sit and enjoy the views or a drink at sunset or a picnic, while the grounds are extensive and permit you to enjoy walks among nature.

You can request private cooking classes as well as wine tastings, a private meal at the top of the treehouse or in the panoramic garden area. Rossella and Stelio are available to help make your stay at the tower special and memorable.

Lots to do and explore, at Macinella and beyond

Guests staying at the medieval tower and at Macinella can enjoy many activities within the property that it might be difficult to leave, but they are also perfect for simply alternating between days spent out exploring nearby San Gimignano, Siena and Chianti to days staying at Macinella and, upon request, enjoying a cooking class or an outdoor art class, playing soccer or practicing boxing (Stelio built an outdoor ring) or bocce, visiting the old wine cellar and enjoying tastings of local products. There is also a ping pong table and table soccer table, if you feel like challenging your friends or other guests to a game.

Plan your days to include visits during the day to Florence and to Pisa as well, but also evenings spent enjoying an outdoor barbecue while you enjoy the sunset, views and life in general relaxing on your holiday in Tuscany!