Tour Siena and its province
The Sienese territory, which for about 10 years I have the privilege to show to Italian and foreign tourists,
it allow me to introduce known and unknown places in a large part of the province.
Siena , where is easy to “get lost” through the narrow streets and hidden alleys of the city.
Already from far away you can recognize the Torre del Mangia (Tower of the Eater) and the Public Palace, seat still nowadays of the City Hall.
The Piazza del Campo, at the center of the town and where it happens twice a year , July the 2nd and August the 16th, the traditional horse race, the Palio.
Ten out of Seventeen Contradas (districts) compete to win the final prize, the Drappellone( The Big Drape), painted every time by a different artist,
but always dedicated to the protector of the city, The Virgin Mary. In the highest top of the city the Duomo is located, the most important church and caracterized by its romanesque-gothic style decorated by white and black marbled stripes.But the city is also sourrounded by a splendid countryside: from the house tower of San Gimignano, Colle Val d’ Elsa, the city of the cristal, the castle of Monteriggioni, the Hills of Chianti, Asciano and its Crete Hills, Montepulciano, the Poliziano’ s city, the Orcia Valley with the utopic and Renaissance village of Pienza, wanted by Pope Pius II, Montalcino, the land of Brunello wine, and San Galgano, the Cistercian abbey that has the sky as roof and “the sword in the stone”, just to mention the best known locations.
Monteriggioni and Abbadia Isola
A visit of 1 hour and a half that starts from Abbadia Isola(Abbey Island ),one of the most ancient romanesque abbeys which is located few kilometres North of Siena and to the begining of the Val d’ Elsa. Founded around the 11th century by the noblewoman Ava Lambardi, owner of the close castle of Staggia. After the visit to small village we are going to move towards the close Castle of Monteriggioni, built around ‘300 as a defence of the Republic of Siena from the attacks of the enemy Florence. The walking is going to be inside and we are going to reach also the top of the walls all around the castle from where it is possible to see a good view of the Val d’ Elsa and the Montagnola.
San Gimignano
A visit of about 2 hours is going to take us inside the first Unesco site which the province of Siena have always had since 1990. The tour starts from Porta San Giovanni, the southern entrance to the walls of the village. Then we cross all the main street until reach Piazza della Cisterna (Cistern Square), the central spot of the town where you can see some of the fourteen house towers remained almost itact and which rappresent one of the few example of a tipical medieval town. Later we are going to go to Piazza del Duomo, dominated by its Cathedral and also by the Government Palace and its “Torre Grossa” (the Big Tower), the tallest in San Gimignano. Then we are going to finish our tour in direction of the church of Saint Agustin, which has inside frescos made by the fiorentine painter Benozzo Gozzoli.
Montalcino and Saint’ Antimo
A visit of 2 hours starts from the center of Montalcino, from Piazza Cavour and we go in direction of Palazzo Pretorio, seat of the ancient government of the town. We are going to walk towards the Fortress, we are going to see the church of Saint Vigilio, called of the siennese. Later we continue to walk towards the fortress, built by siennese people in the ‘300 from where you can see good view of all Montalcino. Later we are going to move in direction of Saint Antimo Abbey, it is about 10 kilometers from Montalcino. Saint Antimo Abbey is one of the most beautiful and biggest romanesque abbey in Val D’ Orcia and the legend says the abbey was founded by Charlemagne.
San Galgano and Hermitage Montesiepi
The walking of 2 hours consists in a visit the Abbey dedicated to Saint Galgano,nobleman native of the close villlage of Chiusdino. One the most particular Cistercian abbeys in Tuscany, built during the 1200 and nowadays roofless. Later we are going to reach on foot the Hermitage of Montesiepi, the circular church which preserve inside the “Sword in the stone” and a room completely frescoed with scenes made by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
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