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 Il Borro is an act of faith that takes us back in time. This Tuscan village built with patience and will hundreds of years ago has not so much been untouched by the hand of man since, but caressed by it. Imagine if you will an early morning at the Borro, the rooftops just visible through the ribbons of mist, the surrounding woods reflecting a golden aura, hearing your first steps on stone - a sound swallowed by the city every day. |
 As you move with the sunlight over the bridge you can hear the mocking call of the peacocks, laughter of the pheasants and homely cooing of the pigeons who nest just under where you stand. Look up now for your first full view of a place that will achieve an inevitable familiarity in your heart and mind. The simple act of breathing in the warm fragrances of rosemary, sage and flowers reawaken sensations and memories long lost - the tranquil atmosphere being almost at odds with the excited babbling of the brook far below - these are the sights and sounds of centuries. |
 Only by the faith and will of man was the Borro originally created and by that perseverance generations on so it has been restored. When the Ferragamo Family arrived at Il Borro in 1993 the palazzo and village lay in a sad state of repair, there having been little constructual maintenance due to the economy since the end of the war. After almost a decade of careful planning and hard work Il Borro has now been restored to its rightful place as one of the most glorious of these Tuscan outposts. |
 This beautiful estate is situated at the very heart of Tuscany, at the centre of the triangle formed by Arezzo, Florence and Siena, with both Pisa and Lucca only an hour and half away by car.
Providing the ultimate in luxury holiday apartments, activities and wine tasting excursions in Chianti, Il Borro estate extends over seven hundred hectares of land that is divided into agricultural use and nature reserves. At the heart of the farm is the medieval village, the colonial houses being scattered over the land in centuries old farming tradition. |
 When viewed from above the land in this part of the Valdarno valley appears as a flat valley floor, however on closer inspection it becomes obvious that this is a dramatic landscape with sharp sided hills, narrow river beds, mixed forests and rolling fields. Around the estate are fine examples of the yellow "baize", for which this region is famous - formed by the erosion caused by the mountain waters long ago when this valley was entirely flooded to become a great lake. These differ from the gentler slopes of the clay hills formed by soil deposits. The farming activities on the estate are carefully monitored to protect this wonderful environment and follow the immensely strict guidelines of the Tuscan Agoenvironmental Program. The estate reserve is teeming with wildlife and it is a regular occurrence to see pheasant, hare, woodcock, quail, deer and even wild boar on the tracks. Hand in hand nature and agriculture work together to protect and preserve the Borro estate.
A Brief History
To reach the origins of this tiny village, which rises majestically through the mists of time and nature, we must look back over more than a millennium. The isolated plateau on which the original fortress was built being formed by the whimsical actions of the lakes and consequent emergence of the alluvial soil deposits one million years ago.
Today we still see the remains of the original deep gorges (borro or borri in translation) throughout the area, the fearsomely steep sides of which are deep yellow in colour and commonly known as the "balze". |
 The foundations of Il Borro were laid primarily to create a baronial fortress surrounded by a moat in the feudal era. The Pazzi family - one of the most prominent aristocratic families - inhabited Il Borro at this time until a fierce battle occurred between the Arezzo and Florentine Republics (supporting the Emperor and the Pope respectively). After admitting defeat, the pro-Arezzo Pazzi family were all hanged in the village square. (It should be remembered at this point that many of the dead in the village would have been simply pushed down a chute to the river as opposed to a burial!)
In modern history the estate was given to the Duke Alessandro dal Borro by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, then at the beginning of the last century was bought by Amadeo, Duke of Aosta, cousin to the heir to the throne of Italy.
During the Second World War the Borro was invaded and occupied by the Germans who destroyed the villa with an explosion during their retreat from the British Forces. Now however Il Borro is the property of the Ferragamo Family who have carefully and faithfully restored the estate to its former glory. Sitting at the feet of the Pratomagno Mountains which highlight its character and largely define the weather patterns the estate now extends over 700 hectares and four communes: Laterina, Loro Cuiffena, Terranuova Bracciolini and Castiglion Fibocchi. Agriculturally we find old and new vineyards producing ever improving wines, olive trees, walnut groves, cereals and grazing amongst other natural agricultural activities, which combine to make this a working estate. Hand in hand nature and farming protect and preserve The Borro Reserve and the prolific wildlife. |
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