Ready, steady, go! The castle Castelbrando in the province Treviso is already waiting for us with a “birthday week end” packed with relax and culinary delicacies.
After a one hour drive (by car from Venice), the castle appears finally in front of us: Castelbrando rises on the hilltop of Cison di Valmarino and literally dominates the valley with its tiny villages. Castelbrando is actually one of the oldest castles in Europe and doesn’t only distinguish itself by a breathtaking view, but also by its services: a spa, two restaurants (Fucina, Sansovino), a museum, a conference room, … and medieval style rooms and suites.
Arrived in the hotel (we parked our car in the hotel’s garage for 5€/day) and having stored our luggage in our room (where we found a gift for the birthday “boy” and a stunning view over the foothill of the Alps), we headed to the spa. (The visit to the spa – 2.5 hours – has to be booked in advance.)
The spa is tiny but has everything you need to relax: a tiny swimming pool with a jacuzzi, a Finnish sauna, a hamam, a Kneipp area and a relax area. Furthermore, the spa offers different types of massages (partner, hay …) that have to be booked in advance too. There’s nothing better than relaxing in the spa when it’s cold and rainy outside having a hot tea in the relax area. I only missed some fresh fruit to make the stay perfect.
We found a wellness kit in our room, but in case you decide to do a spa day only (without staying overnight) you can rent a bathrobe and towel for €8/person in the spa. Admission fee to the wellness area is €20/person.
After this relaxing ouverture we continued our soirée with a dinner at the restaurant Sansovino (a beautiful and elegant hall decorated with frescoes and located in a wing of the castle). As I booked the „Happy Birthday“package, 2 courses and a birthday cake were included in the price of our stay – drinks excluded. The dishes were excellent and the wine too, a Refosco from the vineyard Ornella Molon.
Unfortunately we already left the day after, but not without having a good start into the day with a rich breakfast in the teatro Sansovino (a hall that can also be booked for weddings or other events): The buffet was composed of fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, bread, cereals, yoghurt, fruit juices, cakes, … there’s also a „do it yourself-coffee-machine“ but we preferred ordering our cappuccino at one of the signore who welcomed us in the breakfast room and prepares the tables. We only left one hour later.
You find all the packages, current offers, details on the spa and information on events organized by/in the hotel on the website of Castelbrando.
Visitors have to park in the valley and take the cable car to the castle. You find all the details on the guided tours here.
You should really have a look at the packages that are great value for money!
Castelbrando
Via Brandolini 29
31030 Cison di Valmarino (TV)
Tel +39 0438 9761
www.castelbrando.it
