The first element that will impress your look is certainly the panorama. Delicate hills, covered by vineyards and often divided from the silvered green of the olive trees, are the result of the patient work of the farmers in all the times.
And here and there, at the end of the cypress ways, large stone farmhouses with the ancient outside “loggia” and the typical roof lie on a natural countryside in which are not industries but only small villages. Around cereal and sunflower fields are the woods where a roebuck can always move across the street, and there are also the rugged and savage Sienese Crete and Calanchi of Sienese.
The countryside has an old civilisation that is the result of a sage and right mix of nature and culture. It is possible to discover the remains of the paleolithic civilities on the Grotte di Belverde near Cetona and on the Bolsena lake or of Etruscans in Chiusi as in Sovana and Orvieto, and the testimonies of the gothic-Cistercians architectural of the Abbey of San Galgano. These are only any of the important examples of that small part of Italy that has to be travelled slowly, through secondary ways to discover fortresses and castles, even riding horses or following the Francigena way, the old road of the medieval pilgrims headed for Roma. Once arrived into this area you will have a lot of choices to make...
“Spa”
Would you prefer to relax and to care about your body? Thanks to ancient extinct volcanoes, of which this region is rich, here are many thermal swimming pool and establishment: San Casciano dei Bagni, Bagni S.Filippo, Bagno Vignoni and Chianciano Terme.
"Naturalistic excursions"
If then your passion is the horse, this is the ideal place for you. Selected companies offers unforgettable excursions on horseback along ancient footpaths. Expert guides will accompany you through wonderful ways where you will discover colours and scents of the woodlands, enjoying the magical landscape of Monte Amiata, the Sienese Crete and the Nature Park of the Val d’Orcia. But you could probably be more interested to natural walks around the Bolsena and Trasimeno Lakes, or on the cool Monte Amiata, or among the woods of the Monte Cetona or the Nature Reserve of Monte Rufeno.
"Traditional cooking"
If you’re tempted by good cooking and excellent wines , you only have to make a large choice because here you will eat well everywhere. In a short distance there are Montepulciano, homeland of the Nobile Wine and, in one of the most renowned wine areas of the world, Montalcino, temple of the Brunello Wine. To not talk about the local extra virgin olive oil, about “tartufo”, or “pasta” made at home like in the past times, “pici” and “pappardelle”, and also about the “ribollita” or the delicious meat cook on the fire, or the local “buglione”.....For the people interested, experienced cooks will come directly to your villa and will prepare an unforgettable menu made of typical local dishes!
"Local Traditions"
If then you’re attracted by popular traditions, you will only have to make a selection. Not only the “Palio” of Siena, but also the “Giostra del Saracino” of Arezzo, the “Bravìo” or “Palio of barrels” in Montepulciano, the “Sagra dei Pici” of Celle and the so many festivals, sagras, traditional markets and fairs of the antique trade can be found also in the smaller and unknown villages. The art lovers will easily reach suggestive cities of art : Siena with its Duccio’s treasures, Arezzo with its history of the Vera Croce of Paolo della Francesca, Perugia with the Fontana Maggiore, Viterbo with the Pope Palace, the renaissance Pienza, jewel city of Pio II Piccolomini. Firenze and Roma are both just a short distance away!
