Reading the “Live Like Royalty” post regarding castles for sale in France really piqued my interest. Ironically perhaps, I looked at these historic dwellings as a fresh perspective to contrast what is commonly considered luxurious to most Americans today. Brand new construction with wide-plank hardwood flooring, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, et cetera can no doubt be exquisite, however, these castles have a different type of wonderment to offer. In searching for more of these centuries-old treasures, I found a few remarkable offerings in Italy.

The Castle of Montalto Dora dates back to the 12th century and was completely restored in 2003 and 2004.  It sits majestically on top of Mount Crovero, affording its owner full reign over the valley below. The property also includes a chapel, a large tower that was used for defense and three residential buildings – in case your arrowsmith, bodger or personal scribes need lodging.

If you would rather do the restoring yourself, this 16th-century estate on Lake Maggiore could be for you.  There are staff quarters, stables and porter’s lodges as well as the castle that could be restored and transformed to accommodate a new owner’s kingly desires.

The Palazzo Giusti is not what usually comes to mind when one imagines a castle.  It lacks stone towers, drawbridges and the like, but it is an unmistakeably momentous royal residence. So significant, in fact, it has hosted guests such as Mozart, Goethe and Emperor Josepth II. The palace retains its historic beauty with, among many other features, a breathtaking Italian garden, original wooden floors, frescos, intricately painted ceilings and a room painted by Francesco Lorenzi  – not exactly the kind of decorating that can be achieved after a trip to the local Home Depot. All of these regal abodes are listed with Giogrio Vigano of Milan.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 18th, 2006 at 2:20 pm and is filed under Hot Luxury Markets/Properties. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.