Castello Benelli

Castello Benelli was built by Count Pietro Spina in the second half of the nineteenth century over the medieval ruins, and later passed into the ownership of the Benelli family. Around it can be seen a rare example of the pattern of use of the countryside along the coast, before the upheavals caused by changes in urban development after the war. The concept of the garden-countryside that developed in the Renaissance is given significant expression in a landscape where ancient maritime pines stand together with huge plane trees, elms and slender cypresses. Here flower lovers can also admire scented jasmine and above all a wide variety of roses ranging from variegated blooms to the elegant “Pierre de Ronsard” .

The open space of Castello Benelli develops into a garden on the edge of agricultural land, modulated by the presence of species of trees that lead visually to the manor house in harmony with a concept of visual and natural continuity that is the dominant feature of a naturalistic design characterised by a few clearly visible and identifiable signs set against the horizon of the cultivated fields. The building's interior is the embodiment of an iconographic dream, with allusions to natural features and medieval reminiscences given expression in a decorative system that characterises and envelops every space of the building.

In the garden of Castello Benelli an extraordinary event took place: a beautiful sea jay has chosen to nest among its trees. This fact not only testifies to the natural beauty and tranquility of the place, but also indicates the garden as a safe refuge for this rare species and particularly sensitive to environmental changes. The presence of the sea jay confirms the garden of Castello Benelli as an oasis of peace, where nature thrives in harmony and the most delicate species find an ideal habitat.