Getting to Castello di Gabbiano: Airports and Travel

Castello di Gabbiano is in the Chianti Classico countryside near San Casciano in Val di Pesa, about 20 km south of Florence and 40 km north of Siena. It’s easy to reach from the UK and Europe and still feels completely rural.

Nearest airports

• Florence Airport (FLR, Amerigo Vespucci): 30 km, about a 40-minute drive. It’s the closest airport, with direct flights from London and many major European cities.

• Pisa Airport (PSA, Galileo Galilei): 100 km, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car. It has the widest choice of budget and seasonal UK flights.

• Bologna Airport (BLQ, Guglielmo Marconi): about 130 km, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes by car. It’s a good alternative with frequent international connections.

• Rome airports: around 290 km. These suit long-haul guests who want to combine the wedding with a stay in Rome.

By train

Florence Santa Maria Novella station is 20 km away, about a 30-minute drive. High-speed trains run there from Rome, Milan, Bologna and Venice.

Getting to the venue

There’s no practical public transport to the estate, so we recommend private transfers or a hire car. From Florence, the drive goes through the Chianti hills towards Greve in Chianti and ends at the castle’s private entrance on the vineyard road. WedAwai can arrange group transfers from the airport or Florence for you and your guests, so everyone arrives together and relaxed.

The Venue: Style, Spaces and Setting

Castello di Gabbiano is a historic castle with medieval origins. Its tower first stood guard over the old road between Florence and Siena, and a Renaissance residence was added in the early 1500s. Today its round towers and stone walls rise above about 100 hectares of vineyards and olive groves in the heart of the Chianti Classico. It’s an authentic Tuscan castle: rustic and elegant, and full of character.

Interiors and accommodation

Each of the castle’s 10 rooms and suites has its own character, with antique furniture, terracotta floors and soft Tuscan colours. Some have four-poster beds and fireplaces. Guests share a lounge and a breakfast room, and there’s a quiet cloister for afternoon tea. The castle feels like a private country home rather than a hotel. The 4 apartments, just 100 metres from the castle, are ideal for families or groups of friends, sleeping three or four each.

Wedding spaces

• Private chapel: an intimate setting for a symbolic ceremony.

• Panoramic terrace: ideal for drinks and aperitivo, with sweeping views over the Chianti hills.

• Castle courtyard: a stone-walled space for a candlelit wedding dinner under the stars.

• Gardens: green and spacious, perfect for an outdoor ceremony, a long-table feast or a relaxed reception.

• Pool and pergola: a relaxed spot for a pool party, a day-after brunch or a laid-back evening with your guests.

• Il Cavaliere restaurant: the estate’s restaurant, ideal for a welcome dinner the night before the wedding.

The atmosphere

From your first morning coffee to the last dance, which can go on until 1am, you’ll be surrounded by olive trees, vines and soft Tuscan light. It’s a natural setting for a classic, romantic and timeless wedding, with no need for elaborate styling.

A few points to check before publishing:

• The castle’s age. Online sources disagree: one says the tower dates from the 9th century and the residence from 1505, while others say the castle is from the 12th or 14th century. I used “medieval origins” and “early 1500s” to stay safe.

• Room features. The four-poster beds, fireplaces and cloister come from third-party listings, not your venue notes.

• Number of rooms. Your venue notes say 10 rooms and suites, but the listings vary between 11 and 20, so I kept your figure.

Wedding Day Catering at Castello di Gabbiano

Everything is cooked fresh on site and served by a professional team, and the menu can be tailored to your tastes, the season and any dietary needs.

Price: £177 per person, including VAT

Included

• Welcome cocktail hour: live-made Aperol Spritz, Prosecco, mocktails, aromatic waters and fresh juices, with canapés served by waiters. These include aubergine parmigiana, savoury doughnuts with truffle, Cinta Senese ragù crostini and prawn catalana.

• Live fry bar: mini tortellini, courgette flowers, sage leaves and Parmesan bites, served hot in martini glasses.

• Rustic Tuscan food stations: hand-sliced prosciutto and local cured meats, Pienza pecorino, burrata and Monte Amiata ricotta, plus a bread corner with rosemary flatbreads and coccoli fritti.

• Seated dinner: homemade green ravioli with buffalo mozzarella, followed by Cinta Senese pork tenderloin with seasonal sides.

• Wedding cake made by the pastry chef, which can be assembled live in front of your guests.

• After-dinner open bar: espresso, grappa, limoncello, whisky, cognac and digestifs.

• Service and set-up: one waiter for every 12 guests plus a maître d’, your choice of linens, tableware, glassware and staff uniforms, a table layout and seating plan, and the kitchen set-up.

Wine

Wines served at the wedding come exclusively from the Castello di Gabbiano estate, so your guests will drink Chianti Classico made from the vineyards around them.

Good to know

• The menu shown is a sample, and every course can be personalised.

• All dietary requirements and allergies are catered for.

• Optional extras are available at an additional cost. These include a full cocktail bar and food corners such as pizza, gelato or sushi.

Castello di Gabbiano is reserved exclusively for your wedding party, so you and your guests can stay together on the estate. - 10 rooms and suites in the castle (double occupancy), sleeping 20 - 4 apartments just 100 metres away (triple or quadruple occupancy), sleeping 11 The estate sleeps 31 guests, or up to 40 with extra beds. A Tuscan buffet breakfast is served every morning.

Parking: There is private on-site parking for guests and suppliers.

Pool and pergola: Guests staying on site can use the pool and the shaded pergola throughout their stay. On the wedding day the pool area can be included in the celebration, for example for drinks, a pool party or a day-after brunch, and non-resident wedding guests can also be given access. Welcome dinner: Il Cavaliere, the estate's restaurant, can host a welcome dinner the night before the wedding, or extra meals during your stay. Groups are served a fixed menu with wines from the estate. Wine experiences: Guests can book tastings and vineyard tours with the Castello di Gabbiano winery. The Enoteca wine shop is open daily from 10am to 7pm. Gardens and terrace: The gardens and the panoramic terrace overlook the Chianti hills, a lovely spot to relax between celebrations. Private chapel: The castle has its own chapel for an intimate symbolic ceremony.

FULL PACKAGE INCLUSIONS Venue and accommodation - Exclusive use of Castello di Gabbiano for your stay (2 nights midweek or 3 nights at weekends)

- 10 rooms and suites in the castle and 4 apartments nearby, sleeping 31 (up to 40 with extra beds) - Tuscan buffet breakfast every morning

- Use of the terrace, gardens, courtyard, pool and pergola - Private chapel for your symbolic ceremony

- Wedding-day set-up of the garden, pool and courtyard, with extra staff and cleaning

- Pool area access for all wedding guests

- On-site parking Wedding planning

- Full planning and coordination of your wedding

- Your wedding planner on site throughout the wedding day Catering

- Welcome cocktail hour with drinks, canapés and a live fry bar

- Rustic Tuscan charcuterie, cheese and bread stations

- Seated dinner with a starter and a main course

- Wedding cake made by the pastry chef

- After-dinner open bar - Full service team, with linens, tableware and glassware included Flowers

- Bridal bouquet and groom's buttonhole

- Ceremony flowers: a floral arch or arrangements on stands, with petals

- Table flowers: a floral runner or centrepieces with mixed candles Photography and videography

- 8 hours of photography, with 700 edited images and preview photos within 5 working days

- 11 hours of videography, including drone footage

- A 5 to 7 minute wedding film and a 1-minute highlights video Music

- Live music for the ceremony and drinks reception, with a DJ for dinner and the party (or a DJ throughout)

- Music licensing (SIAE) included Bridal beauty

- Bridal make-up and hair styling Not included

- Welcome dinner at Il Cavaliere - Wine (Castello di Gabbiano label only) - City tax - Optional extras

PRICING – 30 GUESTS Midweek wedding (2 nights): €42,594, approximately €1,420 per guest

Weekend wedding (3 nights): €48,656, approximately €1,622 per guest

Both prices include: - Exclusive use of the castle and accommodation for 31 guests - Breakfast every morning - Wedding-day set-up and use of the pool area - City tax - Full wedding planning and on-the-day coordination - Catering, open bar, flowers, photography, videography, music, and bridal make-up and hair - VAT

Good to know: - Minimum stay is 2 nights midweek and 3 nights for dates that include a weekend

- Extra beds for up to 40 guests are available at €60 per bed per night - The welcome dinner at Il Cavaliere and wine from the Castello di Gabbiano estate are quoted separately

- Weddings for up to 50 guests; symbolic ceremonies only; music until 1am All prices are an estimate and subject to final confirmation of your date and requirements.