I know, usually this kind of article is always about the top 10, but ...
Hidden among the rolling hills and majestic landscapes of Tuscany are silent vestiges of the past: castles, fortresses, and towers now in ruins that tell ancient and mysterious stories with their stones. These imposing vestiges of time, once important strongholds defending strategic points, now rest in an evocative state of abandonment, but still offer travelers the opportunity to immerse themselves in their unique history and atmosphere of the past. These castles can only be reached through trekking routes, which add another dimension to exploration, offering breathtaking views and a sense of adventure. Get ready for an unforgettable journey into Tuscany's past, discovering timeless places.
I won't deny that I had trouble choosing just one, especially for certain provinces. And the choice is totally subjective. But there will be no shortage of second installments!
Due to its location on the Florentine "contado" border, between Chianti and Valdarno, the fortress has historically been the site of skirmishes between Florence and Siena. Even though it is in ruins, the fortress nevertheless displays its former power.
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In the municipality of Barberino Val d'Elsa, between the provinces of Florence and Siena, near the better known castles of Paneretta and Monsanto, on a wooded ridge in the valley of the Drove stream, are the ruins of Cepparello Castle. Its origin dates back to around 1100.
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The ruins of this castle are commonly knows as "Castiglion che Dio sol sa" - literally: "the Castle that only God knows" - a clear reference to its remote location: in the wild, isolated, away from roads and other populated places.
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The Fortress, or Rocca, della Verruca crowns a rocky spurs at the summit of the homonym mount at a quote of 540 meters. Its origin and history are strictly connected to those of the town of Calci, that rises at the center of the underlying valley.
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Ponzanello was an archive, library, and 'safe' of the Vecovi-Conti di Luni (Bishops-Counts of Luni), that retained the secular and religious power of this area for the whole Middle Ages.
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This zone of the Pistoiese Mountain, the high valley of the Lima river, belonged to the counts Guidi of Modigliana who possessed the castles of Popiglio and Piteglio, as it emerges from the imperial diplomas of Arrigo VI° of the year 1191 and Frederick II°.
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The fortified village of Rocca San Silvestro, known during the whole Middle Age with the name of Rocca a Palmento, was one of the main settlements of the Tuscan Diocese of Populonia and then of Massa Marittima, thanks to its position on a rocky spur dominating the coastline lowland
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The ruins of the Tower, or Rocca, of Bargiglio stand on the summit of the mountain of the same name at an altitude of 866 metres at the gateway to the Garfagnana and Media Valle del Serchio. Once arrived here, it is clear why it has always been called the 'Eye of Lucca': the view is a 360 degree panorama and offers a perfect view from the peaks of the Apuan Alps, with the Pania di Corfino clearly visible.
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The tower, 25 metres high at an altitude of 252 metres, near Porto Santo Stefano on the hills overlooking the Pozzarello bay, is surrounded by walls that are largely in ruins, as are the buildings inside. It was certainly a formidable observation point to report the arrival of corsairs.
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