Mulino Bianco really exists and is in Tuscany!

Raise your hand, or rather, click on your mouse if you have never eaten baiocchi, macine or tegolini biscuits! As I imagined, there aren’t many of you! So most of you will have understood that I'm talking about one of the most famous confectionery houses in Italy: Mulino Bianco. Yes, the symbol of the happy family, where everyone is always happy... even at 7 in the morning of a normal workday. Well, even if the perfect Mulino Bianco family might not exist, the mill of its advertisements really exists and is located right in Tuscany!

In fact, although Barilla had adopted the mill symbol as a trademark of its confectionery industry as early as 1977, it was only in 1989 that a real mill was used for commercials. It was Armando Testa’s idea, the founder of one of the most important advertising agencies. After touring Italy far and wide, finally at Chiusdino, just under 40 kilometers from Siena, he found what he was looking for.

It was a mill that dated back to 1200 and was built by the monks of the Abbey of Serena. It was then used mainly for grinding grain but also for some tissue processing procedures. When the team that had to shoot the spot, a real 'dream team' composed of Tornatore, Morricone and Gianna Quaranta, made the first surveys they found that the mill was in pretty bad conditions. But just like in the world of cinema, a bit of plastering is all you need to make it look like the dream place everyone adores! Now it has been perfectly restored and is called 'Mulino delle Pile': besides being used for Barilla events, it is a farm stay with a great pool where you can stay to enjoy some total relaxation. For the record, the mill is not ‘bianco’ (white) at all, but is completely made of stone!

Who knows if 'normal' families become like the ones in the commercial after spending a few days in it? Maybe! Moreover, the area where the mill is located, the Merse Valley, part of the Chianti area, is wonderful: its landscapes offer an incredible sense of peace and serenity. Why not enjoy this atmosphere by participating in one of our Chianti tours? Surrounded by hills, cypress trees and ancient castles, your stress will disappear like a bag of ‘baiocchi’ biscuits at snack time!