Castelnuovo Berardenga

Castelnuovo Berardenga is a small town located in the Tuscany region of Italy. The town is located in the province of Siena and is located in close proximity to Florence and Siena. The town in included in the region of Chianti, which is famous for its wine all over the world.

The town was named from a castle that was built here in 1366 by the Republic of Siena. The main economy of Castelnuovo Berardenga is agriculture and oil production. However, the town is also known for its fine craftsmen. The town is located at an altitude of 490 meters so the climate here is quite mild even during summers.

Getting to Castelnuovo Berardenga

There are no airports in town, however, visitors can easily reach Florence by air and then take a taxi or a bus to reach the town. There are plenty of state buses that leave from the airport in Florence every hour or so for Castelnuovo Berardenga and visitors can also find taxis quite easily, however, taxis can be quite expensive. Another way to reach the town is by buses. Regular buses leave every few hours from Siena, Florence and other smaller towns in the province. Getting tickets is not much of a problem since there are plenty of buses available. Those who have a car can also just as easily drive down to Castelnuovo Berardenga.

Moving Around the Town

One of the best things to do while in Castelnuovo Berardenga is to explore its many narrow streets and its back alleys. This can be only done on foot since these streets are too narrow for cars. However the other parts of town can be explored by car. Many tourists also prefer to hire a scooter or moped here so they can explore the town and the areas located around it easily. The surrounding areas of the town can be reached by the local public buses which are quite regular and tickets are available almost everyone in town.

Attractions in Castelnuovo Berardenga

The castle

The castle of Castlenuovo Berardenga gave the town its name in the past centuries. The castle was originally built in 1366 by the Sienese when the town was ruled by them. However, only the ruins of the castle remain here today but they are still worth visiting since these are among some of the oldest remaining ruins in Castelnuovo Berardenga. 

 

Pieve Dei Santi Giusto e Clemente

The Pieve Dei Santi Giusto e Clemente is one of the most important religious monuments in Castelnuovo Berardenga. The Pieve was built in honor of Saints Giusto and the Clemente parish. The most noteworthy aspect of the building is its architecture, which is quite typical to the Siena province and is therefore worth a visit. Architecture lovers mostly like to visit the Pieve only to get a better understanding of the architecture of this region.

Historic Center

The historic center of Castelnuovo Berardenga is probably the most interesting place to visit in town. Although not quite as large as the historic centers of the other larger cities in Tuscany, it is still an interesting place. Like most historic centers in Italy, this part of the town is marked by narrow cobblestoned streets and maze of alleyways that lead to old villas, smaller houses with windowsills and bright pastel colors. There are also plenty of old shops in this part of town stacked next to each other, some selling interesting crafts. 

 

Villas of Castelnuovo Berardenga

Castelnuovo Berardenga doesn’t have many places to visit or sight seeing attractions. The villas in the town are interesting for quite a lot of people since most of them were built centuries back and have beautiful architecture, with arches, bright pastel colors and some of them have courtyards and gardens. Some of the noteworthy villas in town that visitors can visit are Villa Arceno and Villa di Catignano.

Grapes Festival

Visitors coming to the city can attend the grapes festival which is held here every year. The festival has country decorations, a parade and a good chance to taste local dishes and local wines. Wine lovers in Tuscany and even from other parts of Italy often travel to Castelnuovo Berardenga to attend this festival.

Stay and Accommodation

Castelnuovo Berardenga does not have many hotels, only a handful scattered around the center of the town. Most hotels here clean and comfortable but not luxurious. There are quite a lot of old villas and mansions in the town that now offer rooms to tourists that visit Castelnuovo Berardenga. Accommodation in the town is quite inexpensive, not many tourists visit here. However, wine lovers who visit the Chianti region also visit Castelnuovo Berardenga. Some good hotels to try while in town are hotel Posta Del Chianti, hotel Villa Curina, Frattoria Argiano, Villa Dievole and Casali Della Aiole. 

 

Eating in Castelnuovo Berardenga

Eating out in Castelnuovo Berardenga is quite enjoyable for two reasons, first being that the region of Chianti produces some of the best wines in Italy and second being that the town’s main industry is agriculture. Most restaurants here use fresh ingredients that are locally grown and create home style dishes that are typical to this region. There are plenty of good restaurants and eateries in town that serve authentic Italian and Tuscan food items. Some great places to try while eating out in Castelnuovo Berardenga are II Bivacco, Ristorante da Sira e Rimano and Ristorante Vecchia Osteria.

Shopping in Castelnuovo Berardenga

Castelnuovo Berardenga is a part of the famous wine producing Chianti region so the best thing to purchase from here would be a bottle of good quality local wine. There are plenty of wine shops in town that sell several varieties of local wines, most of which are not very expensive. Visitors can also purchase locally made crafts from the smaller shops of artisans which the town is famous for. These handicrafts, wooden sculptures and souvenirs can be great to take back home as gifts for family and friends.