AUTUMN IN TUSCANY: BELMOND EXTENDS THE SEASON AT VILLA SAN MICHELE AND CASTELLO DI CASOLE

August brings a different perspective on Tuscany. The crowds of high summer gradually recede, the countryside takes on warmer, earthier tones and the region’s longstanding relationship with food, craft and landscape becomes especially apparent. For 2026, Belmond is placing that quieter rhythm at the centre of an extended autumn programme at Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, Florence and Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel, Tuscany.

Villa San Michele, perched in the hills of Fiesole above Florence, will remain open through 3 January 2027, extending its season beyond its traditional operating calendar for the first time. Castello di Casole, meanwhile, will welcome guests until 29 November 2026, offering a rural counterpoint to the cultural energy of Florence.

The decision brings Belmond’s concept of Slow Luxury into particularly clear focus. Rather than treating autumn as an interlude between the summer and winter seasons, the two properties present it as a destination in its own right: a period for exploring local traditions, spending time outdoors and allowing the landscape to dictate the pace of a stay.

At Villa San Michele, the setting itself provides much of the atmosphere. The former Franciscan monastery dates back to the 15th century and sits among terraced gardens and woodland overlooking Florence. Its façade is attributed to the school of Michelangelo, while the property retains historic elements including a former chapel, frescoes and Renaissance architectural details.

The hotel reopened in April 2026 following an 18-month renovation, with 39 redesigned rooms and suites, a Spa by Guerlain and a renewed culinary offering. The restoration has placed particular emphasis on Tuscan craftsmanship, with locally rooted materials and decorative techniques incorporated throughout the interiors.

Autumn therefore arrives at Villa San Michele as the beginning of a new chapter rather than simply an extension of the calendar. Its Masters of Savoir Faire programme connects guests with Florence’s artisans, artists and cultural custodians, offering access to the city’s long-established creative traditions. Private atelier visits and encounters with craftspeople form part of a broader approach to cultural immersion.

The emphasis extends into wellbeing. The Spa by Guerlain draws on the property’s Renaissance heritage and gardens, while a programme developed with Milan-based lifestyle brand La DoubleJ explores movement, mindfulness and seasonal restoration. A dedicated retreat hosted with La DoubleJ founder JJ Martin is scheduled for 3–6 September, alongside weekly activities including mindful movement and guided walks through the woodland around Fiesole.

Food follows the same seasonal logic. At Antesi, the recently introduced fine-dining restaurant led by Executive Chef Alessandro Cozzolino, the menu is guided by the principle that ingredients have particular moments when their qualities are most fully expressed. The restaurant’s name derives from the Greek word anthesis, referring to blossoming, reinforcing the connection between the table and the natural cycle beyond it.

That relationship continues through the Epicurean Circles: Meet the Producer series, which introduces guests to growers and makers connected with Tuscany’s food culture. At Bar Doccia, meanwhile, mixology sessions, visiting bartenders and music programming bring a more animated note to the traditional aperitivo hour.

The experience at Castello di Casole is considerably more rural. Located around an hour south of Florence, the property occupies an estate of approximately 3,200 acres, surrounded by the rolling landscape of the Tuscan countryside. Its central castle dates to 998, while archaeological evidence on the wider site points to an even older history, including traces of Etruscan settlement.

Autumn is particularly suited to the estate’s outdoor character. Hiking, cycling and horseback riding provide ways to explore the grounds, while forest bathing and guided meditation walks respond to the changing landscape. At Essere Spa, bespoke treatments are accompanied by meditation, mindful movement and sound-based experiences.

The seasonal programme also reflects the agricultural identity of the estate. Botanical workshops, truffle hunting, chestnut roasting, Tuscan cooking classes and visits to the Etruscan Museum in nearby Casole d’Elsa offer different ways to encounter the region beyond its most familiar tourist landmarks.

For guests who prefer a more active stay, Casole Club provides tennis, padel and pickleball facilities, together with coaching for different levels of ability. The result is an itinerary that can move easily between physical activity, cultural discovery and quieter periods of rest.

Food again follows the land. The estate’s vineyards, olive groves and kitchen gardens reach an important stage of their seasonal cycle during autumn, influencing the menus created by Executive Chef Daniele Sera. Dining is spread across three venues, each offering a different interpretation of Tuscan cuisine: Tosca, Emporio del Castello and Bar Visconti, whose Hortus Vitae cocktails draw on botanicals cultivated within the estate.

The contrast between the two properties is part of the appeal. Villa San Michele places guests within reach of Florence’s museums, ateliers and architectural heritage while offering a secluded hillside setting. The hotel itself has long been connected with the city’s cultural history; its former monastic life, Renaissance architecture and gardens have evolved through centuries of changing use without losing their relationship with Fiesole and Florence.

Castello di Casole, by contrast, offers a deeper immersion in the countryside. Its history stretches from Etruscan agriculture through the medieval castle and later agricultural development, with the property now combining preserved heritage with contemporary hospitality.

Belmond’s history as a luxury hospitality company is itself rooted in travel and historic properties. Established in 1976, originally as Orient-Express Hotels, the company grew through a collection of hotels, trains, river cruises and other experiences connected to destinations with distinctive cultural and geographical identities. Its portfolio has since expanded internationally, with a particular emphasis on preserving the character of historic places while adapting them for contemporary travellers.

For autumn 2026, that philosophy is expressed through two new packages available at both Tuscan properties. Stays of at least two nights include private return transfers from the airport or railway station, a guaranteed room upgrade on arrival, early check-in and late check-out, and a €200 spa credit per stay. The structure is deliberately uncomplicated, allowing the practical elements of a journey to recede while the destination takes precedence.

There is something particularly fitting about extending a Tuscan stay into autumn. The region’s character has never depended solely on summer sunshine; its identity is equally present in its vineyards, olive groves, workshops, kitchens, woodland and historic villages. As the landscape changes, so does the experience of moving through it.

At Villa San Michele and Castello di Casole, the longer season places that transformation at the centre of the journey. Tuscany in autumn is less concerned with spectacle than with texture: the changing light, the harvest, the warmth of a kitchen, the quiet of a hillside path. It is in those slower details that the region’s enduring character becomes easiest to appreciate.