Listed castleMercatello sul Metauro (Italy)

Surrounded by lush greenery on the border between Le Marche, Tuscany and Umbria, just three kilometres from Mercatello sul Metauro, you come across a delightful 12-cent. Castle-hamlet that, with its seven stone houses, ancient tower and little church, dominates the picturesque wooded patches of the Alpe della Luna.
In this environment rich in history, architecture and natural beauty, the hamlet has been renovated to create a charming and luxurious accommodation business with 11 bedrooms, a panoramic swimming pool and a small restaurant where you can delight in the delicacies of Le Marche cuisine.
The Castle
Entering this 12th century castle-hamlet, you walk along the main avenue and, once past the old watchtower, arrive at the heart of the village.
It was restored by the current owners in 2005. Passionate for art, history and architecture, the borgo is the result of an excellent restoration and preservation, aiming to retain the original buildings, layout and materials – this allows for feeling stepped back into the Middle Ages.
The borgo consists on a number of buildings, where they have made 3 large double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, 5 junior suites each with private bathroom, a suite with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Additionally, there’s an apartment with bedroom, bathroom, sitting room and kitchen.
All bedrooms enjoy all comforts and showcase the typical characteristics of antique, local architecture, like massive wooden beams, cotto tiles and stone walls. Each room has its own peculiarity: some have a private outdoor space, some have a mezzanine, and some an original fireplace or a small living area.
In order to provide guests with maximum comfort and enjoyment, there is a spacious common room with a large original fireplace. This is where you can entertain with other guests, have a chat, read and much more.
Keeping guests entertained and allowing them to have all the facilities available is important, so a small but functional restaurant was also built, where breakfast is served in the morning. The external oven is original and will let you prepare homemade bread or pizza for your guests. The restaurant has a terraced garden where guests can enjoy a magnificent panorama while tasting local specialties, excellent local wines and craft beers. An aperitif at sunset, with the sun going down behind the Alpe della Luna, offers intense emotions and is an experience to be enjoyed.
And if this is not enough for you, there are some unrestored rooms and spaces, where you could make, for example, a SPA or additional bedrooms if you want to increase your rental potential.
The Land
This amazing castle in Marche, includes about 9.000 sq.m. of land, that partially borders river Metauro.
In the most panoramic position, overlooking the Alpe della Luna, a 33 sq.m. swimming pool has been built, where you can relax and cool down in the Italian hot summer.
The terraced garden close to the restaurant also features an orchard and an area where they cultivate edible roses, as well as mallow, passion flower, elder, mint and nettle to make organic herbal teas.
The best experience at night is to turn off all the lights in the garden and enjoy the unique show of the fireflies, flying all around you.
The rest of the land is woodland.
The History
The castle was built on top pf a rocky cliff, near an ancient pagan temple dedicated to the God of Metauro River and was erected after the break-up of the Roman Empire in the 12th century to defend the town of Mercatello sul Metauro.
With its high towers made of large stone ashlars, the armigers defended this noble land from the intrigues of wandering knights and the conspiracies of the mighty.
It was in 1301 that Charles of Valois, brother of the King of France, and Corso Donati decreed the exile of Dante Alighieri in this castle.
The Location
This amazing castle in Marche is located just minutes from Mercatello sul Metauro and is surrounded by the luxuriant woods of the Alta Valle del Metauro in the province of Pesaro-Urbino.
The valley is located in the northernmost province of Le Marche, which makes it a strategic crossroads for tourism: it stretches from the Adriatic Sea to the Apennines and borders Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria. It therefore represents an ideal area to discover and visit central Italy.
To the east, you can reach the Adriatic coast, with its sandy beaches and San Bartolo cliffs; to the west, you can explore the Appennines; all around you come across beautiful towns like Urbino, the cradle of Renaissance, and you can continue on to Montefeltro, an authentic treasure chest of villages, fortresses and princely palaces, known for their ducal courts and solemn sanctuaries.
Mercatello sul Metauro is a lovely village in northern Marche: thanks to the beauty of its historic centre and the protection of the environment and landscape, it has been included in the club of ‘Italy’s most beautiful villages’. In addition to the many historical and architectural beauties, Mercatello is a town with all amenities and, especially in summer, many events are organised to entertain tourists and locals.
EPC: Ordered
Why Buy It
Who has never dreamed of owning a castle from the 1100s? This magical place will allow you to experience history and make good business out of it too. In fact, its renovation, aimed at welcoming tourists, makes it ideal as a boutique hotel and as an albergo diffuso, a kind of accommodation that is more and more popular among tourists in Italy because it allows them to become part of a lifestyle, rather than sleeping in a room.
The area is also particularly popular among tourists for its historical and natural beauty. Moreover, its perfectly central location in Italy makes it a strategic starting point for visiting and discovering other regions such as Tuscany, Umbria and Emilia Romagna.
Distances
Closest Town with Services: 2,5 km
Schools: 2,9 km
Theatre: 3,2 km
Golf Course: 3,3 km
Hospital: 15 km
Sasso Simone Nature Park: 25 km
Urbino: 30 km
Acqualagna: 33 km
Cagli: 40 km
Città di Castello: 44 km
Arezzo: 70 km
Airport of Ancona: 113 km
Airport of Bologna: 197 km