The Medici presence in Tuscany will be amplified with the family’s historic Cafaggiolo Villa, since 2013 a UNESCO World Heritage site in Barberino di Mugello, and its surrounding estate to undergo a major facelift. The sprawling, nearly 1,000-acre (385-hectare) property 25 kilometers north of Florence is set to become a world-class tourist destination thanks to an investment of over 170 million euro from owners the Lowenstein family and their company Marzocco Investment & Development.
Ph. Massimiliano Galardo
The massive venture, recently presented by the Lowenstein family to the President of the Tuscan region Enrico Rossi, along with mayors from the Mugello, includes, essentially, everything: 356 hospitality suites, 14 restaurants, 12 bars, a Medici museum as well as a contemporary art museum, a culinary school and three spas in addition to outdoor space comprising 30 kilometers of nature trails, an adventure park, three regulation polo fields, equestrian facilities plus room for soccer fields, tennis courts, golf, aquatic sports and other outdoor activities.
Work on the project is estimated to last between 24 and 30 months and should create 2,780 new jobs as well as lead to an overall increase in tourism spending across Tuscany. President Rossi hailed it as “the extraordinary recovery of a piece of history for the entire region,” while Diana and Alfredo Lowenstein vowed to treat the property with the “love and respect” that it deserved and to maintain its historic significance while also turning it into “a top tourist destination.”
