| La Casetta nel Bosco is located at the center of an area rich in art, history and landscape, as a few others. Below we offer some daily routes, among the many possible, grouped by type and with incomplete descriptions, deliberately sketchy, partly to give our guests the pleasure of discovery, but mostly because it is impossible to condense into a small space is a heritage as rich. | • WHAT TO SEE • MORE |
Art: Pienza, Montepulciano Pienza - The ancient Corsignano rescheduled in the form of "Ideal City" by Pope Pius II, a native of the place. Of particular interest is the cathedral, the square, the Palazzo Piccolomini, the Diocesan Museum, the Romanesque church of Corsignano ... Montepulciano - defined not by chance "the pearl of the ‘500”, deserves a long and relaxing visit. Of great interest Piazza Grande with all the buildings that surround it and the Civic Museum. Of great interest is the Church of S. Biagio, just outside the historic center. |
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Immediately outside Pienza Val d'Orcia which overlooks the castle and then that was the Hospital of St. Maria della Scala in Siena, Montichiello, Palace Massaini ... In Montepulciano wine cellars and vineyards of the prized Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. |
STORY 1: Chiusi, Cetona Chiusi - was one of the most important Etruscan cities. Preserve unique archaeological finds in the world. To see the National Etruscan Museum, the Epigraphic Museum, housed in the charming underground, the Etruscan tombs scattered throughout the area ... Cetona - A beautiful medieval town on the slopes of the mountain. To see the Museum of Prehistory and, upon completion, the prehistoric caves of Belvedere just a few minutes drive from the city center. Absolutely amazing to see the church of St. Mary in Belvedere. |
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In Chiusi: the churches of S. Francis and St. Secondiano, the Cathedral Museum with beautiful codes Benedictine Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. Nearby Lake Chiusi and the picturesque Umbrian hills with Città della Pieve, Carnaiola Monteleone, Montegabbione, Fabro ... A Cetona, the mountain. |
STORY 2: Cortona Cortona - Beautiful town of Etruscan origin. To see the Etruscan Museum, the Archaeological Park, the Tanella of Pythagoras, the Etruscan and medieval walls, and the entire historic center dominated by the medieval fortress of Girifalco where you can enjoy a beautiful view over the Valdichiana. Outside the walls of Renaissance churches Liming and S. Maria Nuova. Nearby, towards Lake Trasimeno, between Cortona and Tuoro, the site of the famous battle between the Romans and the Carthaginians of the consul Flaminius of Hannibal. |
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Along the road to Cortona, the ancient abbey of Farneta which remains the church with a beautiful crypt. On the mountain slopes of the beautiful convent of Cortona cells, the church and convent of Santa Margherita, the Palazzone, the Romanesque church of S. Michael the Archangel. Not far away, towards Castiglion Fiorentino (which is worth a visit in part), the mighty medieval castle of Montecchio, who was leader of the English John Hawkwood (known to us as Giovanni Acuto). |
Historical convents 1: Monte Oliveto Maggiore Great Benedictine complex in picturesque location, in the unique landscape of the Crete Senesi, a short distance from the small village of closures. It contains works of art of great interest. Fantastic cloister with frescoes by Sodoma and Signorelli. Beautiful library, refectory ... |
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The monastic complex is located at the center of an area between Asciano, S. Giovanni d'Asso and Buonconvento. This is the heart of the Crete Senesi offering a unique and always different, depending on the season, and the light of day. |
Historical convents 2: S. Antimo Beautiful complex Benedictine unfinished, built around a small church, which still exists, was founded by Charlemagne on the occasion of his trip to Rome. The church stands alone, outside the town of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in a very suggestive location. Beautiful light in the morning and in the late afternoon. |
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Montalcino, with its historic old town, with its mighty fortress, with its superb wine: the "Brunello di Montalcino". We are on the border of the Maremma, a few kilometers to the beautiful valley of the Ombrone river. Grosseto and the sea are less than 50 km |
Historical convents 3: S. Galgano Fantastic Cistercian complex that is isolated in Val di Merse. Its partly dilapidated conditions are of great beauty. On a small hill near the monastery, is the Hermitage of Montesiepi, a unique two-tone circular church which houses medieval frescoes and a mysterious sword stuck in the rock. |
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We are in the wilderness of what were "the Sienese Maremma" at the time of the Republic of Siena, with castles, ancient streets and so on. This is the area of Pia dei Tolomei, but also of the mines of the Etruscans and Romans. |
Ancient roads 1: Roman road "Via Cassia Consular" Crossed the Chiana Valley, the route is reserved for specialists, but it can be an excuse for a visit to the villages of the valley, following the path "Roman" from Chiusi to Graecos (Acquaviva), for Manliana (Torrita di Siena), for Mensulas (Sinalunga ), for Novas (plane of Sentinum), Umbro flumen (Rapolano Terme) ... |
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The area is full of small towns, more or less. We let our guests the pleasure of discovery by yourself. |
Ancient roads 2: Via Francigena Today it is called "Strada Statale Cassia". We propose in section S. Quirico - Radicofani, which runs through the Val d'Orcia. A unique landscape with interesting old towns beginning with S. Quirico, Bagno Vignoni (the baths of St. Catherine of Siena), the castle of Spedaletto (ancient granary of the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena), Castiglioni d'Orcia, Radicofani |
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After visiting Radicofani can be expected to go back bypassing the Mount Cetona Celle sul Rigo, S. Casciano dei Bagni, Sarteano. Or overcome what was once the border with the State of the Roman Church, to Acquapendente, Lake of Bolsena and Orvieto return, highway, exit Valdichiana. Also interesting is the return via the Monte Amiata |
These are just some suggestions, but the area offers many interesting and important centers from neighboring Petroio, with the terracotta museum, Castelmuzio with the Romanesque church of S. Stefano in Cennano and the monastery of St. Anna in Camprena with frescoes by Sodoma. And then Trequanda Montefollonico, Lucignano, Monte San Savino ... [see photo gallery "surroundings">] Reached by car in half an hour: Siena, Arezzo, Perugia, Orvieto And then FLORENCE and ROME in less than two hours We point out again the Lake Trasimeno in less than half an hour, and, more or less at the same time the lakes of Chiusi and Montepulciano, with their wildlife reserves. |
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| La Casetta nel Bosco, Az. Agricola Luciano Bernardini, Località Macchiaine di Sopra, 53048 Sinalunga (Siena) p.iva 00791780521 |