Fortezza Medicea Restaurant

Europe abounds with medieval castles and fortresses, and many of them have once been prisons, while some serve such a purpose even today. The Fortezza Medicea ("Medici Fortress") in the ancient Tuscan town of Volterra is a good example, but it comes with a gastronomic twist that few get to enjoy.

It was originally built in 1342 by Gualtieri VI di Brienne, Duke of Athens, in an attempt to secure control of Volterra amid a quarrel between its predominant families. His reign only lasted for a single year, however, as one of the families managed to seize power from him the very next summer.

A little more than a century later, Volterra was thrown into chaos after alum mines were discovered within its territory. Led by Lorenzo de' Medici, the Florentine Republic mounted a siege on the town and succeeded in conquering it. In 1474, a stronghold called the Rocca Nuova ("New Fort") was built, expanding the original fortification.

Located on the highest hill overlooking the town, the Medici Fortress was meant to serve as a massive watchtower. The Florentine garrison was stationed up there, so that they could easily monitor the situation should any rebellion occur. A curtain wall was added to the fortress, too, connecting the Rocca Nuova and the Rocca Vecchia ("Old Fort").

Today, the fortress complex is used as a high-security penitentiary that houses convicts who have been sentenced to more than seven years. So, despite its historic appeal, it's not open to the public—except for a few occasions.

Cene Galeotte, more commonly known as the Fortezza Medicea Restaurant, was founded in 2006 as part of the prison's new rehabilitation program. It is operated inside the prison by its inmates, who are appropriately supervised, and all visitors have to pass a background check and several checkpoints. All cutlery is plastic, understandably, but the menu is far from prison food and comes with a selection of fine Italian wines.

The restaurant derived from a first-of-its-kind idea held by Maria Grazia Giampiccolo, director of the Volterra Prison House, who originally offered 30 of its inmates the opportunity to pursue a professional culinary path once their terms had ended. They are duly paid for the hours worked, and the entire proceeds of the restaurant go to the Il Cuore si Scioglie volunteering foundation. It attracted international attention when it first opened, and continues to prove its popularity, often fully booked for weeks straight.