Villa del Trebbio

Villa del Trebbio is a fortified residence on a hilltop in the Mugello region, featuring a central tower, fortified walls, and covered walkways overlooking the landscape below. The building integrates medieval defensive features with residential quarters and outbuildings organized around courtyards.

Giovanni di Bicci de Medici commissioned architect Michelozzo in the early 1400s to transform an existing structure into a fortified residence. This conversion marked the shift from purely defensive structures to comfortable country homes for wealthy families.

The residence served as a gathering place where local elite conducted affairs and demonstrated their status through its architecture and setting. Today, visitors can see how the layout reflects the lifestyle and priorities of the people who once lived there.

The site operates as a private vineyard offering wine tastings and guided tours by prior arrangement. Visitors should contact ahead to check availability and schedule a convenient time to explore the property.

Navigator Amerigo Vespucci sought shelter here in the summer of 1476 to escape plague ravaging Florence at the time. This episode connects the estate to the history of great explorers and reveals its role as a safe haven for prominent figures.