There are many reasons why people go on vacations. You might look for the best nouvelle cuisine in Paris, hop between karaoke bars in Tokyo, or shop around in Beverly Hills, California. But sometimes what motivates us to see the world serves a different purpose and it is to marvel at the beauty of mankind’s art and architecture both modern and ancient. Strolling the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, or climbing the steps of the Buddhist temples at Borobudur in Indonesia is a sight that one must see to believe, and the castle of Sammezzano outside the sleepy town of Leccio in Tuscany belongs squarely on the list on unbelievable places.
Sammezzano was built in 1605 by a Spanish noble, it became a noteworthy beauty in the mid-19th century when another Spanish nobleman named Ferdinand Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragona purchased the castle and converted it into one of the best examples of Moorish Revival architecture found in Europe. The castle has 365 rooms, one for each day of the year. Each room is decorated like a technicolor lucid dream of pillars, frescos, and tiles. Touring the castle is like crossing a rainbow. The architecture showcases a classic italian style with spanish influence. The colors and patterns are also very reminiscent of italian-spanish influence.
The castle was abandoned in the 1990s when the hotel went bankrupt. Today a company provides private tours and parties on the site. So you can totally go and visit this architectural marvel and take in some of the best Moorish architecture in Italy.