Schloss Freudenstein

A noble 13^th century residence caught in the spell of timeless antiquity, Castle or Schloss Freudenstein breathes high-romance history from its turreted silhouette; inside modern-day touches keep today’s queenly visitors in regal style.

Appropriately crowning a hill overlooking Appiano in the South Tyrol, with views capturing encircling vineyards and Bolzano beyond, you can live out your royal daydreams here in this classic fortification. Sleep under medieval frescoes, sweep down labyrinthine corridors, lord it up on the lofty ramparts or stroll through the Mediterranean garden, admiring the ivy-clad castle backdrop.

Although fairy-tale-esque in the extreme, Castle Freudenstein is also sumptuously comfortable, testament to its thousand-year history of providing shelter to noble kin and baronial families. With a new lease of life, the castle’s architectural features are given space to tell their story, whilst luxe additions – vast beds, marble baths, contemporary tiling and an outdoor swimming pool - keep visitors clasped in comfortable, ancestral glory.

Co-owner and matriarch Karoline, part of the owning Gostner family, has gently persuaded the castle from its historical roots into the present – but crucially keeping its once-upon-a-time legacy flowing joyfully. Focusing on details such as handcrafted washbasins, sky-high thread count and underfloor heating, this castle’s collation of style wraps smoothly around balustrades, turrets and timbers.

The real joy though is exploring the castle and its cavernous interior: admiring the intricate stained-glass windows, the oversized fireplaces framed by banks of logs, hidden courtyards and staircases, the sonorous music room and the crypt-like chapel. Aged details catch the eye: flourishes of original fresco that decorate arched ceilings, the smooth plaster walls that fit so well within a modern setting, tactile brick flooring and exposed stonework and beams.

At night, the castle seems to positively glow with the weight of its history, and subtly lit with candles, Ulrike Brandi lighting and those flickering fireplaces, this is the place to get your happily ever after.

Sleeping in a castle is not easily forgotten, especially if you plump for one of the 16 suites on the second and third floor, where the ruling family’s bedrooms once were. Characterised by high ceilings, wooden floors, exposed beams and in the case of the Princely Suite – original 15th century frescoes covering the ceiling, the rooms are dotted with a mix of antique and modern furniture. Some have open fireplaces; other sunny balconies for sunny breakfast or evening vino. The bedrooms also have contemporary bathrooms, with monochromatic tiling and deep bathtubs. 

The ground floor suites benefit from heritage features like arched ceilings, curved windows and four-poster beds; in the castle itself, the four double bedrooms are a more bijou affair, found on the third floor they were once the rooms of handmaiden servants.

Surrounded by such a regal setting, dining at Schloss Freudenstein is surprisingly intimate. The restaurant holds just four or five tables, serving a mix of high-quality South Tyrolean and Italian cuisine. Alongside beautifully presented food, you’ll drink the estate’s wine – the lush vineyards surrounding the castle produce a special sparkling wine as well as reds and whites which you can enjoy paired with your meal, casually by the fire with a sharing platter or formally as a wine tasting.

Wellness is not overlooked at Castle Freudenstein, in the grounds you’ll find a sauna, spa area and swimming pool. The latter, clad in greenery with views of the valley are a perfect spot to relax.

Another lure for those that like to tee off on holiday is the Schloss Freudenstein Golf Club with integrated golf academy, located within the castle grounds. Practise your strokes with a training session or enjoy the 16 tee spots, bunker and chipping green, plus putting green.

One of our favourite Alpine areas, Castle Freudenstein is located in South Tyrol, perched on a hilltop of Appiano, overlooking Bolzano and the Dolomites. The verdant greens of the lineated vines surround the castle, providing pleasing views and great wine, which can be enjoyed at the castle either by the fire, in the restaurant or on a wine tasting. It’s easy enough to explore the locale by foot or bike, either will take you to the lakes of Monticolo and Caldaro, perfect for dips in summer. Other picturesque paths lead you to scenic trails that reveal neighbourly castles: Korb, Appiano, Boymont and Firmiano, and the Messner Mountain Museum. Bolzano, around 15kms away, is a lovely place to idle away an afternoon, strolling its historic streets and medieval alleys, browsing handicrafts or stopping for a coffee. Half an hour north will bring you to majestic Merano – a city full of nature including the Passirio River, botanical gardens and thermal baths.

A castle with such a long history is bound to have a rich legacy of owners, and Schloss Freudenstein is no exception. The first known ruling family were the Fuchs di Montevolpe dynasty, who added two towers and a surrounding wall to the existing castle. At the beginning of the 16th century, it passed into the hands of the knight Jakob Fuchs, belonging to the sixth generation of this dynastic family, although by 1716 it fell to Trentino nobleman Carlo Bellini de Fin who made this regal residence home. By the end of the 19th century, it was sold to wealthy German baron Heinrich von Siebold who fell in love with Schloss Freudenstein’s rich history and renovated it with an eye for elegant antiques and decorative elements.

Today, the owning Gostner family are responsible for bringing the castle into its new incarnation as a hotel. Matriarch Karoline combined her skills as architect, builder, interior designer to oversee this large-scale renovation.