RENOVATING A RUIN: Buying & Restoring a Castle in Italy (Episode 43)
This episode I'm sharing someone else's experience of renovating in Italy with the beautiful abandoned property in the village of Trequanda: Castello Cacciaconti. I speak with some Americans who fell in love with this historic place in Tuscany and decided to take on the monumental challenge of restoring a castle and transform it into a celebration of food, music and visual art. Hope you enjoy.
You can find my contact details, postal address, recipes and other info on my website:
www.kylieflavell.com/
If you would like to support my work, you can find my Patreon page here:
/ kylieflavell
Every day I get so many emails and comments asking why you can’t locate the music I use or find it using Shazam. I purchase music licenses for almost all the music you hear in my videos. I buy them them from various royalty-free production music sites and most of the time they don’t list the performer because it’s music made only for film productions with an audio watermark throughout the entire track, unless you purchase the single-use license for $50-100 per track. I use a lot of opera so often I’ll reference the opera but I won’t be able to direct you to a recording of that specific performance that you could stream or buy on iTunes or Spotify. Hope that clears things up and thank you for appreciating quality music.
Please don't follow me on Facebook as that person is not me - they have stolen my identity for the past few years. You can follow me over on Instagram for daily inspiration from Italy and around the world to make you dream, learn a language, cook, travel, move to a foreign country, film, edit or pursue your passion:
/ kylieflavell
#Italy #Tuscany #renovating
Thank you for watching. For those of you asking about staying in the renovated house in Trequanda, you can find this property here: ifiordalisi.com/
Please keep us posted about their progress!
In American money is it unaffordable?
How I loved hearing you interview people again! You have such a gift! This is such a beautiful project and I thank you for bringing it to this community as only you can do! Spectacular Kylie!
They should start a Channel! I would certainly subscribe and it would generate some money. There must be some young person in town that could start his film career.
Do you reply at all in comment section ?
What a beautiful thing to do for Italy. I would love to follow their progress.
I look forward to future updates as well. Love this cultural enrichment in Kylie’s inimitable style. Beauty is it’s own reward.
what they do for italy ??
Kylie, thank you. We sat at our kitchen table in Tremezzina drinking herbal tea wiping tears from our eyes as we listened to your conversation with Jim & Vincent. Moving to Italy isn’t always easy but here we certainly do live with beauty and a sense of humanity that we’d lost back in Australia. Our dream is to one day create a group of older people who can develop a co-housing community in a charming Italian Villa somewhere in the countryside. Who wants to grow old in some kind of sterile age care facility when you can live a full life with a small community of like minded people who appreciate the beauty of Italy and its culture. I’m sure there must be others out there for whom this style of living must also appeal. Vincent’s comments about the importance of beauty being one of the most important things to live with in life were just so lovely.
What a wonderful idea. Are you thinking of Australia with an Italian villa or Italy? I think we have lost our sense of belonging …. to a tribe, a community, a village. I’m a widow with 3 children and 7 grandchildren so I’m finding my way after a period of loss and grief but I love your idea.
@@sarahhudson6212 Thanks. We’ve recently retired to Italy from Australia where we feel a much greater sense of belonging than we did living in Australia. Of course nothing is perfect but the Italians can teach us a lot about ‘community’ and living in a village. The idea we have is to create this kind of connection amongst a group of people living together in a ‘marigold hotel’ style villa We’re a couple without kids so we’re also thinking a lot about future proofing our lives, security and remaining connected as we age. All the very best wishes as you find your way.
I think it’s a truly wonderful idea and I wish you very Marigold success! If I didn’t have family in Australia I’d be living in Europe in a flash but my plan is to visit for a few months every year. I was born in England so feel very European still … you’re so right. Nothing is perfect but I do believe the Europeans can teach us a lot about community, respect for senior citizens and the finer things in life such as food and wine! Enjoy your retirement … I think what youve done is wonderful!
@@rowandowland1391 My daughter and granddaughter never visit me (almost never), so I ask myself ...why not! ??
@@rowandowland1391your view on life is beautiful and you’re most certainly right, more people do long for a more connected, slower pace in life. My husband and I have thought about moving to the Tuscan region in Italy for years- we currently live in the USA and constantly feel the pull that somehow- we are meant for so much more than what the hustle and bustle has to offer. Kylie’s videos are most certainly an escape for me. Would love to connect if you ever want a pen pal or just a friend! God bless & have a wonderful day
Preserving and renovating the history and beauty of these places is so important and the fact that it is in relatively decent condition after sitting empty for a quarter of a century is a testament to the craftsmanship and materials used. Bravo to these people dedicated to this project.
What an amazing castle. I hope they can recreate the magic there.
Renovations on a property this size and complexity is indeed a labor of love! Hopefully, the investors will think about putting in apartments that will be available to not only foreigners but too Italians as well. Thus making the space available to those willing to invest their time fostering and building community in this little village. This allows the local population to be involved in the development of their community making it welcome and hospitable to all!!
Yes, I was thinking the same thing - converting the spaces into European apartments that people can own while sharing communal gardens, shops, etc.
They should have a KZhead channel to follow the progress! I’m sure there is an opportunity for a videographer in this project. I would love to watch for the next 3 years. It wouldn’t hurt to generate some money for the project either
I would certainly subscribe to such a channel!
I am disappointed there is not one!! I was looking forward to watching it!!☹️
There will be a way to follow the restoration of Castello Cacciaconti - We're in the process of developing it! - Jim dawson
@@user-eh1zo3yh4c I, too, would love to follow along. What a wonderful project is in the works. Thank you for sharing!
Agreed! If they need a social media manager, I volunteer! haha
God Bless their passion for doing things for others. I wish everyone was like them. Great video.
Agreed 🙏
Kylie, I am so impressed with how they thought through the process of even approaching such an overwhelming renovation by listening to the people, allowing their love of visual and performing arts to shape their vision, and then to peacefully settle into the business of building support for the project. It will be a wonderful adventure to see it take shape. I wish them success in every step of the way!
Wow what an amazing place. So loved listening to their hopes and dreams of restoring this truly beautiful castle. Please follow this inspiring journey and share it with us all. X
I’m from Seattle too! I love this project. We used to travel around when we first visited but now we usually hunker down in a town for weeks. It’s so beautiful, like living in a breathing museum. I love what Vincent said about the difference between USA and Italy-spot on.
The older I get I feel it more and more the difference, and I’m 75 now.
They have done such a beautiful job with the small house
I love how time has weathered away places and spaces but echoes of thier soul still remain if you choose to listen and be present even through the lens. Wow such an amazing story and hoping they keep some of the old with the new. Its a huge undertaking though im glad there are 4 heads to bounce ideas off. It always inspires me the energy of Italy and now I'm on my trip here I always feel at home. Will feel a new energy in Trieste tomorrow and then will feel the romantic of Florence on Wednesday 😊 thank you for bringing your light into this epic space of historic time ❤ xxxx
Oh you’re finally here. Hope you enjoy everything - especially your night at the opera!
@KylieFlavell can't wait for phantom 😍 will let you know how it goes xxx
Beautiful episode, thank you much!
Thank goodness for such souls who wish to restore and preserve glorious buildings. Wishing you well in your endeavours. 🤞💕🙏
The castle appears to have excellent bones, amazing structure, and is just waiting to be restored. What a wonderful project, blessings to these men and their wives and team their commitment is palpable and one can already envision the castle once restored. Please continue to show the progress, this is delightful to watch !!!!
I love seeing this happen! My two young sons, ten years ago, ventured with me to northwestern Tuscany to visit the relatives in the two adjacent villages from where their great grand father & mother left over a century ago. Lovely and charming little rocky villages alongside the river, each with a central medieval tower (for refuse in case of attack) atop the central hill, the villages were nearly emptied of young people. One son is speaks Italian well, which was wonderful upon entering the relatives homes, seeing the familiar faces on the walls, and appreciating their gardens and warmth before venturing to place flowers on the mausoleums for each family. hopefully, they may soon be rediscovered, too.
I love four hour dinners. The laughter and conversation centered around good food good wine and good people. It harkens back to a time when dinner was an event. What a lovely idea, they're really on to something.
In Italy we need people like them. God bless you
I was in Trequanda and Montisi just 3 days ago, filming a property and I fell in love with these authentically beautiful little villages instantly! What a wonderful passion project! All my best of wishes to them all! 😍🤗
This is so wonderful. I see the beauty in ruins. It’s like the ruins are crying for someone to see their potential and hope that someone comes along to undertake restoration.
What an interesting and relevant initiative. Italy is a fundamental part of the western cultural heritage.
Well-done, everyone involved. What a legacy these people will leave.
Lovely castle and the guys that are renovating it are so amazing and inspirational.
Will so look forward to you visiting again Kylie and letting us see the project in motion.
How interesting! I do hope you can return and we can follow this project! Wonderful to help bring life to this small village! Thank you for sharing this.
Absolutely beautiful episode
What a fantastic idea bringing together music, art and culinary.Loved the video!
One of my favourite episodes from you so far! Loved it from the first second. The type of content I love to consume! Imagine buying and restoring a castle in Italy! My gosh how impressive is that! Plus the way you always put the videos together, so professional and with such a grace, love it! I sometimes talk about you with my friends and tell them what an inspiration you are for me! Even because we had similar lives and similar interests and we both now live around Florence :) Keep them coming, you rock! Much love xxx
Glad you enjoyed it. ♥️
This was a beautiful episode. I am so happy to see people who want to restore pieces and parts of Italy and it’s history. I would love to follow the progress of this project.
Totally and utterly fantastic. Breathing new life into these beautiful places ❤
Beautiful on every level: aesthetics and community and shared passion❤
What an amazing, beautiful project. Being an artist myself, I can see this coming to life once again. It's just been waiting to be revived. What an outstanding, heartfelt thing to do. I absolutely LOVE it ❤
Beautiful town. I can't wait to see the renovating in the castle. Their home is lovely.
They are really wonderful gentlemen
You should do a whole series on these types of projects. In addition to being interesting, you have reached a point where you have a platform large enough that you can influence change in these type of projects. I think you will look back on this video in a few years and realize that you started something very special.
What an amazing project this is going to be. I think there will be many people around the world who would love to be able to go and stay in such a beautiful live there with such a calm and relaxing environment and may be learn something new.
I’m so excited. Under the Tuscan sun is my favorite book/movie. I feel connected to Italy but have never been there. I’m not even Italian. Thank you for this beautiful journey🙏💕
So inspiring, thanks for sharing. The world needs more people like yourself, Guido, Jim and Vincent to save these beautiful old places. I would love to see regular updates, so please do share. ❤
What an amazing project! Hope to see more. Wishing them much success on this endeavor. I imagine a resort, restaurant, concerts,...creating jobs for the community, etc. Love this, and thank you for sharing.
I love this idea. Food, music, and the visual arts. What a match.
They need to start a KZhead channel so we can follow the progress and they could make additional money. Would be great to see the renovation of such an amazing building.
OMG! Kylie I really enjoyed watching this episode of Renovating a Ruin. The beauty of those huge homes. If only the walls can talk. I can't wait to see this come to fruition.
Grazie mille Kylie per questo bellissimo film! I've visited Trequanda many times, and it really is a little gem; from the ancient walls to the small piazza. It's so lovely and encouraging to see Italiophiles take on this huge and beautiful project. Sono bravissimi! I will look forward to visiting the renovated castello in the future. Grazie ancora!
Videos like this make me so excited to visit some day! Also from WA state so it was fun to see a fellow Washingtonian making a difference in a different part of the world.
Several Washingtonians here. Fascinating video and beautiful surroundings -I would love visiting this area. So quaint and these are places I’d like! Thank you Kylie!!
Will they be documenting this on social media anywhere?
amazing story! I hope you follow this story and keep us updated.
Kylie the man on the right reminded me of your Poppa Jack Flavell ❤ a lovely quiet thoughtful man like him and with moustache and the eyes lighting up with that old twinkle!❤
Kylie your best show yet since your single days when you did more documentary work. This is what many of your followers love. Keep up the good work. Tuscany is a big area and people are curious about what is happening there. 🙏🙏👍❤️
Thanks Kylie, that was lovely and so inspiring.
Kylie, thanks for this Episode. It was extremely enlightening and beautiful. Take care, be safe,God bless and love to you 3. 🖖🏼🤟🏼
Thanks for the love Kylie. I'll be looking forward to follow up episodes on the "Castello". 🙏🏼
His HOME is amazing!!! What an incredible eye for detail. The castle will be fascinating to watch come back to life.
An Italian Cultural Art and Music Center. Bravo!
Well said Jim! I will be so excited to see what you, your wife and friends do with this project. Build it and they will come. Heather
New energy coming into Italy to revitalize these communities is a wonderful thing. Siena and vicinity is one of my favorite places on Earth. Hope to return there soon.
All it takes is time,determination,money and support. I wish them luck. What a challenge!
I love the idea of an artistic cultural centre in an authentic Italian village … I’ll be hopping on a plane from Australia as soon as the castle is open for business. Very exciting!
I do hope that the team involved in this restoration create regular videos of its progress! It seems like a very special project with some incredibly experienced people helping to bring it to life!
Being able to volunteer with restoration would be such an amazing chance. I am too old now but what a dream. Wow.
very grateful for what you are doing Italy has to many castles in need of love and care good luck to you
It's a great project and I hope they are successful in reinvigorating the village. I'd love to have a channel that follows the renovation efforts (trials and tribulations included), Kylie ... fancy a weekly trip to Trequanda 😉
Thank you so much for bringing this story to your channel, Kylie! Fantastic content. This such an exciting project grounded with such experienced and talented curators. As a fellow Seattleite and Italo-file, I can't wait to see this unfold. I have many friends whom live in the houseboat community here and it is indeed a tight knit and spirited group. No surprise their appetite has been wet for the grand connections of Italian culture and community. Loving the intersectional theme of music, art and food, too! 🎶 🎨 🥮🥫☕️ ❤🇮🇹
What a worthy and beautiful project that creates a community with common love of beauty and of Italy!!
Wow this was amazing....beauty for sure....the vision of these men will bring the castle back to life......
I soo agree with these gentlemen. I have no assets, I have no skills, as being an architect or an art historian, or even a craftsman, but I do have this deep seated yearning to be immersed in this history, this beauty, this lifestyle. I guess one could say I'm a Renaissance girl. I appreciate old things. Growing up in Germany, of course I had no sense for it, but now, living in the US I miss the ancient things that were all around me. If I could volunteer to be involved in this project I would. I'm such a dreamer, and am aching to do this... Also, is Guido part of this project in some form?
From what I’m hearing this whole episode is pulling the heartstrings ❤️. I’m 77 and I get a good feeling about it -I can clean and help cook. 😁
I’ll let them know! 😊 Yes, Guido is consulting on this project.
Fantastic editing and interview! Thank you for this Kylie!
kylie Ive watched this video 4 times. the whole spirit of this project from top to bottom is very much what I am all about. i subscribed to your channel in hopes of viewing any follow with Jim and Vincent and Castello Cacciaconti. nice work!
Absolutely Fascinating video. Wonderful to see The Great Motivaters/Renovaters of Our Time. ❤
I do love the interviews you do!!! Beautiful episode!!! Those men are incredibly inspiring and it sounds like their wives are incredible people too! Beautiful footage of the castle and town ❤👏👏👏
Please keep us updated on the progress, I am so inspired to jump in my car and drive from my home in Switzerland to see this for real, just a few hours away ! ❤
this video hit me harder than i ever really thought it would... I would love to visit this man and pick his brain and experience such a beautiful castle & scenery. (especially because im a huge medieval nerd ahaha)
Nice to see these two gentle respectful souls who are sympatico ❤ and show the nicer American who are intelligent and kind. Such a pleasure to hear them express their appreciation of Italian culture.
Oh Kylie, be still my heart❣️This was amazing and I can’t wait to see the progress as they move forward. I was planning the veggie gardens on the strip of overgrown land, I was brushing out the crumbling rendered wall for Lee (my hubby) to patch, I was sanding the shutters ready for paint, scrubbing the white wall to shine up those brick vaulted ceilings. It’s sad to see these beautiful villages left quite dormant and you see comments from people on property tour vlogs about it being a ghost town. 1stly most foreigners don’t understand the Italian work day and 2ndly the beautiful families in the villages are generally excited to see new people come and live there and end up treating them like family. ❤Michelle 🇦🇺
😊😊😊😊
That was fascinating to see. The ceiling decorations reminded me of the Alhambra in Granada and Egyptian decorations in temples. That alone would be wonderful a experience and discussion with Francesca. Your cinematography, as always was delightful. Thank you Kylie.
I really admire the kind of people who take on projects like this, it's an incredible amount of work. And to do this in a foreign country is a whole other game. To renovate a project like this takes a lot of money and commitment, but the benefits to the whole community is priceless.
Looking forward to seeing this project go forward,thank you Kylie for sharing
Excellent video! Thank you for doing this. It's EXACTLY what I'm interested in and love!!! It's nice to see US Americans continuing their alliance with Italy in this cultural way. I'm house hunting in Abruzzo right now... Blessings from Texas!! :)
Magical. Would love to follow their progress. Thank you, Kylie, for another wonderful episode. ❤
It will be a tremendous challenge. But what a wonderful project. I can see it done!
Y se cumple el ciclo de la vida, preservar la belleza, restaurar lo que el hombre del pasado creo con una visión de grandeza. Aquí una historiadora del arte agradeciéndote de todo corazón por esta entrega. Mereces el Oscar de KZhead 😘
These two lovely gents remind me of the philanthropists of old, getting together to help and fund a project for the community and bringing life back to a beautiful village, how wonderful
JIMS HOME IS BREATHTAKING ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤! CHARM AND STYLE AND DECOR IS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY 👍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I would love to be able to stay there and help - with all their projects !!
Geçmişe sahip çıkarak geleceğimizi de sahiplenmis oluyoruz.tesekkur ..🇹🇷
I really enjoyed this interview & I hope you continue following them thru to the end. All thru this I kept thinking, will they find people who will do the work. Remembering how Kylie struggle with workers. Im glad theyre welcoming Americans to help them bc we have the drive & thats whats needed. Looking forward to seeing more!
How wonderful. Please do go back and film their progress. Just beautiful
What a fascinating project!
This reminds me Kiely of the other place you and Guido showed us that his family owns. It can be restored and the main building used as a B&B and the adjoining building as a eating place -
How beautiful! Every room has stunning architectural or decorative features "Learn what beauty means" is what I found when I traveled to Italy.
Dear Kylie, this was wonderful! I love all of your content but this is something special, such a warm interview intrecciato con cultura, it's great to see people who have such beautiful ideas and are finding a way to make them real, to give body to their dreams ❤
Please please do more of these - very rich.
Kylie, around 13:13, listening to Vincent talking 😢just brought me to almost cry as I felt that as a very creative individual who up til my early 20's was immersed in art..and lost my way mainly due to lack of support security and family instability that led to emotiinal struggle. Yes, now in my early 40's I am realizing the life and experiences will be a blessing and healthy for myself and others. Wow, I just appreciate you so much for bring such unbelievable content, and people, conversations and beauty of Italy . Thank you Love always to you and Guido and J.franco and all.Lia
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
fantastic, looking forward to see the renovation program !
Culinary, music and visual arts!
What an amazing slice of Italy, I hope the plan to document the process on KZhead and take us along for the journey. Can’t wait to see what this beautiful Castle becomes.
He said all!!! Another Exceptional video!
Hi Kylie, I just literally came across your video, and started watching. one thing you have said caught me, about teaching the Americans about Italy, being an American, I have often said if we as an individual do not seek out European or other cultures, we can go our whole lives oblivious to what the world has to offer, oppose to being European, and having each country border each other allowing travel to experience them. Most Americans are too busy working for a living, they forget to have a life. I love your channel, I am going back to episode 1, I am also very curious to see your first renovation. My boyfriend and I are considering our retirement in Italy, the only question we have is what beautiful Region to choose. Thank you so much for this lovely channel, and I look forward to following along.
These guys have the right idea and approach…it would be to our collective and eternal shame to let these beautiful monuments crumble into dust on our watch. Good job guys! May God bless your efforts ☦️🙏🏻
I loved this Kylie. I loved what one of the gentlemen was saying about culture, learning and new experiences as you get older, noticing the beauty in buildings and nature. I'm going to write everything he said down on paper so I can read it again...wisdom! x 😚
Yes, please do follow up with them because I want to see what happens and one day, visit it when its done!
As always Kylie your cinematography is stunning Greatly appreciate your work
Thank you so much.
@@KylieFlavell 😊😊😊😊☕☕☕💗💗💗🥰 Means so much to me