Borghi di Toscana
The Parish Church of San Giovanni Battista in Pievascita is a splendid medieval parish church located in the Chianti countryside north of Siena. The state of abandonment of recent years has meant that part of the roof has collapsed. In the first part of 2022 the church was sold by the Diocese of Siena to […]
An ancient Romanesque rectory in good condition is that of San Michele in Rencine. Its origin is lost in the mists of time, perhaps it was built in the eighth century. The current church has a rectangular plan, the facade is particular and of great value and represents the oldest part of the church. Next […]
Upper between 400,000 and 200,000 years ago. It is located in the southern part of the region, in Maremma, and is visible from a great distance. For example, on clear days, it is clearly visible from the Florentine Chianti which is about 80 km as the crow flies. The mountain rises to 1,738 meters above […]
The hill of Poggio Imperiale is an area of about 12 hectares located west of the modern city of Poggibonsi. This is an area of high archaeological interest. In this place, between 1155 and 1270, was the site of the first urban nucleus of “Podium Bonizi”. Here, in 1155, Guido Guerra, of the Guidi Counts, […]
Monte Oliveto Maggiore is located about 30 km southeast of Siena. The abbey can be reached by crossing the characteristic territory of the Crete Senesi. The abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore above all for the environment in which it is located, but also for the buildings that are part of it and for the works […]
Castelnuovo dell’Abate is a small settlement located about 389 meters above sea level in the municipality of Montalcino, in the Val d’Orcia. This village retains its medieval aspect intact. The town dominates the famous abbey of Sant’Antimo from the top of a hill and is immersed in a beautiful countryside with hills covered with olive […]
Monticchiello is a small medieval town located halfway between Pienza and Montepulciano along a secondary road that joins the two locations. The town which is located at an altitude of 546 meters is still today partly surrounded by the ancient walls of the XIII century. The small village of Monticchiello is immersed in the beautiful […]
Autumn is the season of colors, and this also happens in the Chianti vineyards, that is the hilly area located between Florence and Siena. An area rich in history and art, but particularly beautiful for the union created by man and nature. When do the Chianti vineyards take on colour? There may be slight differences […]
The city of Siena is situated in a hilly area in the center of the Tuscany region. Siena is located approximately 350 meters above sea level and enjoys a type of Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot and relatively dry summers and relatively cold and wet winters. Rainy season for Siena is however autumn during which […]
Located in a dominant position on the Val d’Elsa, the medieval town of San Gimignano is one of the jewels of Tuscany. This spectacular Tuscan village is famous for its medieval towers that characterize its skyline. Because of this characteristic it has earned the name of “city of the beautiful towers”. San Gimignano is characterized by […]
The Chianti Sculpture Park is located in Pievasciata ca. 10 kilometres north of Siena and it is a permanent exhibition of contemporary installations and sculptures. It is a private initiative of Piero and Rosalba Giadrossi, both lovers of modern art. About 15 years ago they had the idea of an approximately 7-hectare virgin and already fenced […]
Gaiole in Chianti (2,300 inhabitants) is a small village of Chianti, that is positioned along the course of the current Massellone, the village has developed from the thirteenth century as a market place, becoming one of the capitals of Terziere of the Lega del Chianti (League of Chianti), with Radda in Chianti and Castellina in […]
The vallombrosana abbey of San Lorenzo a Coltibuono was founded around year thousands, it lived its maximum moment of glory between the 11th and the 12th century: but already in the successive century it began the decline. Even if in 15th century it had an ulterior development under the patronage of Lorenzo de’Medici. The Abbey […]
Montepulciano is a beautiful medieval and Renaissance town located on a hill 605 meters high in the south of the province of Siena. Founded at the beginning of the eighth century as a castle, on a hill that controlled the transits between the Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana. Montepulciano became rich in the Middle […]
The Church or the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio is located at the foot of the hill of Montepulciano, in the bottom of a driveway lined with cypress trees. This church was built by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder between 1518 and 1545 and is a masterpiece of the sixteenth century. The origin […]
Poggibonsi (29,000 inhabitants) is an important industrial town of Val d’Elsa, situated at 116 meters above sea level, in the province of Siena, of which is the second largest city by population after the chief town. The area where there is Poggibonsi was inhabited since ancient times, this is shown by the many archaeological finds in the […]
Staggia Senese is a small village with beautiful walls and an interesting medieval castle. This historic village is located in the municipality of Poggibonsi, from which it’s distant 4 kilometers. The town can be reached from Florence or Siena by exiting the Florence-Siena highway at the Colle Val D’Elsa Sud exit and continuing left (to […]
Just beyond Colle Alta, you reach the crossroads in Le Grazie, here you take the provincial road n ° 27 in the direction of Casole d’Elsa, a little more than a kilometer away, turn right following a small road bordered by two cypresses with indication Badia a Conèo. Continue for a couple of kilometers until, […]
Colle Val d’Elsa is located about 45 km from the exit of the A1 Firenze-Impruneta. From Firenze-Impruneta, take the Firenze-Siena highway towards Siena. You exit the freeway at exit Colle Val d’Elsa Nord. Colle Val d’Elsa is located less than an hour’s drive from the city of Siena, Florence, San Gimignano, Certaldo and Volterra. Colle […]
The Abbey of Saint Antimo is located about 18 km from Montalcino, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. To get there take the road that from Montalcino goes toward Seggiano and Monte Amiata, shortly before arriving in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, turn right and you soon reach the Abbey. HISTORY Sant’Antimo is truly a beautiful abbey built in travertine, beautiful is […]
Montalcino is situated on a high hill between the valleys of Ombrone and Asso rivers at 564 meters above sea level. From Siena are about 40 km, along the SS. Cassia in direction of Rome. A few km after Buonconvento turns to the right following the indications for the city. HISTORY The first historical document […]
The Abbey of San Galgano is easily to reach from Siena taking the state road n.73 in direction of Rosia and Frosini. Four kilometers before arriving to Monticiano turn to right on road n.441 for Massa Marittima and after 2 kilometers turn on the left for the road that leads to the Abbey. The remains […]
Chiusdino (almost 2,000 inhabitants) is located in the province of Siena, from which is 37 km away, it’s an interesting medieval village perched on a hill in the Colline Metallifere (Metalliferous Hills) 564 meters above sea level, overlooking the Val di Merse. The first evidence on Chiusdino date back to medieval times, it appears that […]
The current museum complex of Santa Maria della Scala, was one of the first European hospitals expressly built to accommodate pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena, and support the poor and abandoned children. The complex is located opposite the facade of the Duomo in Siena, and its creation is due to the canons of the […]
The Medici Fortress of Siena was built starting from 1560 by order of the future Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo I de’ Medici. This fortress is located in the heart of Siena, and was built where the old Spanish fortress was destroyed by the Sienese in 1552. The fortress was designed by Baldassarre Lanci and […]