Topped with a lion holding the Medici shield, but originally the column was crowned by a she-wolf suckling human twins, the civic symbol of Siena. This town changed alliances through history.
Its late-Gothic facade features a terra-cotta sculpture group by the architect Michelozzo, a favorite of the Medicis in Florence.
The bell ringer at the top takes the form of the character Pulcinella, one of the wild and carefree revelers familiar from Italy’s commedia dell’arte theatrical tradition.
It’s named for a famous Montepulciano-born 15th-century poet who was a protégé of Lorenzo the Magnificent de Medici and tutored his two sons.
Its interior is elliptical in shape and full of 3-D illusions (don’t miss the side chapels and the cupola—all painted on flat surfaces).
The production of hand-hammered copper vessels like these is a dying art; in this shop, you can see works by Cesare, who makes them in his workshop just up the street.
Survey the square, the town’s four great powers stare each other down. Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo del Capitano, the Palazzo Tarugi, and the Palazzo Contucci.
Climbing the town hall’s tower rewards you with a windblown but commanding panorama from the terrace below the clock.
Great art inside.Don’t miss beautiful blue-and-white, glazed-terra-cotta Altar of the Lilies by Andrea della Robbia, behind the baptismal font & a late-Gothic Assumption triptych by Taddeo di Bartolo
Hometown of Pope Pius II, the town of Corsignano was transformed—in only five years’ time—into a jewel of Renaissance architecture. It was renamed Pienza, after Pope Pius.
Pienza’s architectural focal point is its main square, Piazza Pio II, surrounded by the Duomo and the pope’s family residence, Palazzo Piccolomini.
Fabio can give you a quick taste of three types of pecorino: fresco (young, soft, and mild), medio (medium), and stagionato (hard, crumbly, and pungent).
Church of San Francesco, the only important building in town that dates from before the Pius II extreme makeover.
Pius invited prominent cardinals to occupy the real estate in his custom-built town. The Borgia clan, who built this palace, produced one of the most controversial popes of that age, Alexander VI.
Renaissance is about leaving behind dark ages, it’s all about light. This a perfect example. Enjoy the light .
Without being amazing this is still the best small-town palace experience in Tuscany.
The church is decorated not with saints and angels, but with geometric and flowery motifs as well as mysterious creatures.
Take into consideration that the 50-minute tours are offered April-Oct Wed at 15: 00, 16: 00, 17: 00, and 18: 00, Sat-Sun and holidays at 11: 30, 15: 00, and 16: 30.
Hot water,free parking,free toilets,dressrooms and there is alsi a small coffee place.It is Awesome place.Must visit for sure!
Known since Roman times, these hot springs were harnessed for their medicinal properties in the Middle Ages.
Pueblo donde nació Américo Vespucio, el explorador naturalizado castellano por el cual el continente americano lleva su nombre.
Montefioralle, it is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Over the centuries, the village spread beyond the walls to occupy the lower slopes of the hill, creating Greve in Chianti.
If you’re not a wine lover, you may find Montalcino (a.k.a. Brunello-ville) to be too touristy.
From the big gravel parking lot, you have a fine view of one of the iconic cypress-lined driveways of Tuscany.
Save the money on the parking by parking below and walking uphill to the castello. Please support our local businesses Grazie!
Near medieval castle worth a stop. Interior is a few shops and museum areas. Waking the walls is not the most impressive.
This strategic hilltop was a seat of great regional power in the 12th century. During this time, Rocca d’Orcia was one of a chain of forts that watched over pilgrims walking the Via Francigena to Rome
Built during the 12th century as a hospice for pilgrims walking the Via Francigena to Rome.
Delizioso piccolo borgo medievale dalla peculiare attività teatrale che diventa un teatro all'aperto grazie anche ai suoi abitanti. Meravigliosi tramonti con vista su Pienza dal belvedere.
More than 2,000 years ago, Volterra was one of the most important Etruscan cities, and much larger than we see today.
It’s safe, and you pop out within a few blocks of nearly all recommended hotels and sights.
Volterra Card cost € 14 card covers all the main sights, except for the Palazzo Viti.Without the card,the Etruscan Museum and Pinacoteca are € 8, and the Palazzo Priori and Archaeological Park are € 5
Claudia Meucci offer a great 1h, English walking tour for € 10. The walk touches on Etruscan, Roman, and medieval history, (daily April-Oct,Mon/Wed at 12: 30, other days at 18; meet in alabaster shop
Etruscan arch was built of massive stones in the fourth century B.C. Volterra’s original wall was 6km around—twice the size of the wall that encircles it today.
Inspired the more famous Palazzo Vecchio in Florence it was built about 1200, and claims to be the oldest of any Tuscan city-state.
The simple 13th-century facade conceals a more intricate interior (rebuilt in the late 16th and 19th centuries),
This museum makes it easy to appreciate how advanced this pre-Roman culture was.
A clever system of pipes drained rainwater from the nearby rooftops into the underground cistern. Water was then collected in the well.
If under attack, tower owners would set fire to the external wooden staircase, leaving the sole entrance unreachable a story up.
Easily a must-see in San Gimignano. Walls are completely covered in frescos, full of colour. Stunning windows too.
This museum is inside the Torre Grosse of San Gimignano. It has 2 stunning works by Fra Lippi, the Angel & Mary during the Annunciation as separate, circular pieces.
This enlightened place uses top-quality ingredients, many of which come from their own farm. They also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options
The square and its buildings are the color of the soil upon which they stand—a color known to artists and Crayola users as “Burnt Sienna.”
Built in 1340 and one of the tallest secular towers in Italy. Its name comes from a hedonistic bell-ringer who consumed his earnings like a glutton consumes food.
This a copy of an early 15th-century work by Jacopo della Quercia, you can see the original one at at Santa Maria della Scala.
If you’re into medieval art, you’ll find this museum delightful. It walks you through Siena’s art from the 12th through the 16th century, when a revolution in realism was percolating in Tuscany.
The cathedral is Romanesque in the base with pointy gothic arches and a full Renaissance interior
It operated for centuries as a hospital, foundling home, and pilgrim lodging. Now a great museum!
To see the Duomo, Duomo Museum, Crypt, and Baptistery, consider the € 13 Opa Si Pass.To add an escorted visit into the dome and rooftop (described next), pay € 15 for the Opa Si Pass + Porta del Cielo
This square celebrates the creation of a unified Italy (1860) with a 19th-century loggia sporting busts of the first two Italian kings.
This Gothic-Renaissance loggia was built around 1420 as headquarters for the union of merchants. Siena’s nobility purchased it, and eventually it became the clubhouse of the local elites.
It’s amazing to think this bank has been in business on this square for over 500 years. It opened in 1472.
Saint Catherine’s incorrupt head and thumb were entombed in the Basilica of San Domenico at Siena. 🙏
