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Province of Siena

The climate of Siena: when to go to Siena

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 fall 227 mm of rain, ...

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Video: San Gimignano

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 its medieval architecture almost intact where, in ...

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The Chianti Sculpture Park: art and nature meet

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 wooded area, which was home ...

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Gaiole in Chianti: ancient market place of Chianti

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 Chianti. The League of Chianti ...

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Badia a Coltibuono: a former monastic complex

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 remained property of the vallombrosani ...

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Montepulciano: a medieval town

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 Ages thanks to trade and ...

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Church of San Biagio: the masterpiece of Sangallo

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 of the church of San ...

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Poggibonsi: a modern looking town

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 area. Poggibonsi is an industrial ...

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Staggia Senese: a walled village in the Val d’Elsa

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 the right if you come ...

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Badia a Conèo: a Romanesque church near Colle

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, on the left you reach ...

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Colle Val d’Elsa: an important medieval village

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 Val d’Elsa, was originally developed ...

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Abbey of Sant’Antimo: a Romanesque masterpiece

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 also the landscape that surronds ...

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Montalcino: the place of production of a famous wine

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 that indicates the existence of ...

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Abbey of San Galgano: remains of a Gothic abbey

El ábside de la Abadía de San Galgano, Chiusdino, Siena. Autor y Copyright Marco Ramerini.

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 of this abbey, with Latin ...

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Chiusdino: a fortified medieval village

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 during the Lombard era, between ...

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Santa Maria della Scala: an ancient hospital

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 cathedral, who probably founded it ...

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The Medici Fortress of Siena: symbol of power

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 its construction was completed in ...

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Piazza del Campo: the square of the Palio of Siena

It is said Siena and you immediately think of the Palio. It’s almost impossible, in fact, speaking of this charming Tuscan town and not remember this competition on horseback of medieval origins, unique in the world for participation, passion and intensity with which it is lived by all Sienese. So engaging is the climate that you breathe, to call each year, ...

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Siena: a medieval jewel town in Tuscany

Siena. Autor y Copyright Marco Ramerini

Siena is one of the best preserved historical cities of Tuscany. Ancient medieval town built on three hills, is still surrounded by walls. The whole city, built around the Piazza del Campo, was conceived as a work of art that blends into the landscape of the Crete Senesi. Siena is a medieval jewel made of bricks and stones which houses ...

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Radicondoli: a medieval village in the upper Val d’Elsa

Radicondoli is a small medieval village which has about 1,000 inhabitants, the village is located on a hill 509 meters above sea level in the metalliferous hills (Colline Metallifere)  in the province of Siena, in the westernmost part of the province. Radicondoli was an ancient castle of Aldobrandeschi of which we have historical evidence since the twelfth century. The castle became later a ...

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Radda in Chianti: an agricultural center in Chianti

Radda in Chianti a medieval town of Etruscan origins – now the seat of the Consortium of Chianti Gallo Nero – is situated on a hill 530 meters above sea level between the valleys of Arbia and Pesa. The first documents that refer to Radda date back to the eleventh century AD. Since 13th century the castle was the domain of the Counts Guidi. ...

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Castelnuovo Berardenga: where Chianti ends

Castelnuovo Berardenga, is an interesting village of Chianti in the province of Siena. The municipality has about 8,900 inhabitants and  is located at the southern end of the Chianti hills at the point where begin the clay soils that form the Crete Senesi. Castelnuovo Berardenga is located on a hill about 350 meters high, between the Ombrone and the torrent Malena, the ...

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Ponte della Pia: a medieval bridge along the Rosia

A very suggestive medieval bridge linked by legend to the historical figure of Pia de’ Tolomei is located next to the road that connects Siena to Roccastrada. In fact, along the highway 73 that leads from Siena to Roccastrada. A few km after passing through the town of Rosia, and before the crossroads with the state road No. 541. The ...

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Sarteano: a walled village dominated by a castle

Sarteano, is an interesting medieval town situated at 525 meters above sea level in the southern province of Siena, the town is just 6 km from the highway (A1) exit Chiusi-Chianciano. At Sarteano was born in 1439 Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, who became Pope in 1503 for less than a month with the name of Pius III. Popular tourist resort, Sarteano maintains ...

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Bagni San Filippo: spas in the Val d’Orcia

Bagni San Filippo is a small spa village situated on the slopes of Mount Amiata 524 meters asl, in the municipality of Castiglione d’Orcia, in the province of Siena. The place name recalls the presence of San Filippo Benizi, prior of the Florentine religious order of the Servants of Mary, who in the twelfth century, according to tradition, took refuge in ...

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