TUSCANY...South of Siena
 

In the heart of the Sienese countryside you can find a perfetc landscape, made up of hills, cypress trees, oak woods, olive groves and vineyards.

Our trip now takes us to the splendid lands south of Siena where the spectacular natural scenery matches with art, architecture and history. We can observe forests of oak trees, olive trees and grape vines (that are used to produce Brunello wine along with other Tuscan wines) on the hills, and splendid suburbs and charming isolated monuments.

 
Foto: Cristiano De Scisciolo (www.cdsweb.it)
 

San Quirico d'Orcia

 
   

San Quirico d’Orcia, a suburb created on Via Francigena, offers its tourists restaurants with excellent dishes, wines shops and workshops where you can purchase the specialities of Siena. The medieval centre is conserved in its entirely and is extremely charming. The Gate of the Cappuccinis is the only gate of the hamlet that is conserved in its entirely, with the typical tower structure. The Collegiata Church, built between the 7th and 8th century, is the most important monument. The principal doorway is from the Romanesque period. Don’t miss to visit the Hori Leonini, splendid gardens of the Renaissance that occupy a vast public area including the ancient bulwarks of San Quirico.
The Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta is a sacred building that is found in Vitaleta (locality of San Quirico d’Orcia). This is where the statue of the Madonna, attributed to Andrea della Robbia and believed to have been bought in 1553 in a workshop in Florence, comes from, which is now found in the church of Madonna di Vitaleta. This church was first referenced in a document writing in 1590, and was then redesigned externally and internally in 1884 by the architect Giuseppe Partini.

 
   

Pienza

  
   
It was Pope Pius II, Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who created this ideal city as per a list of saints from the Renaissance. The cathedral, dedicated to the Assunta, occupies the southern part of the16 Pius II square, and around it are the principal monuments erected by Rossellino. Next to the cathedral is the Piccolomini building. The palace, constructed to receive Pius II and his court, was inhabited by his descendents until 1962. Corso Rossellino is the main street lined with buildings and homes from the Renaissance period.
Passing through the perfectly-cobbed streets, you can find many handmade crafts, as well as many food shops where you can purchase local specialities. If you are also looking for festivals, don’t miss in the second Saturday and Sunday in May the Flower Festival, an important exhibition of plants and flowers.
 
   

Montalcino

  
   
The street that you need to take in order to arrive in Montalcino is spectacular and rises on a hill. It passes through beautiful olive trees and famous grape vines that produce Brunello wine, a wine that is world-renowned. The name of this city derives from the Latin word mons (mountain) and ilex (oak), which means “mountain of oak”.
The fortress of Montalcino was built by the people of Siena, which used it as a last bulwark for defence against the advancement of the Florence army, resisting until 1559. This is an important example of medieval architecture, built back in 1361, and you enter it from the wine shop “La Fortezza”, where you are able to drink a nice glass of Brunello.
 
   

Castiglione d'Orcia

 
   
This historical town was remarkably glorious in medieval times. The main square is dedicated to the painter Lorenzo il Vecchietta, who was born nearby in 1412. The Palazzo Comunale faces the square. The viewpoint provides a magnificent panorama of the surrounding valleys, culminating in the peak of Monte Amiata and the woods that adorn its slopes.