5 hamlets to visit around Siena in Tuscany
5 hamlets to visit around Siena in Tuscany
Tuscany is not only Florence, Siena, Pisa or… wine (admit it!) but also dozens and dozens of small hilltop hamlets located all around these main towns. The province of Siena is a wonderland with a marvelous countryside and many great places to visit. Today I want to share with you some of these hamlets I’ve visited in last years.
Here’s the list:
- San Gimignano
- Montepulciano
- Pienza
- San Quirico d’Orcia
- Buonconvento
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Tuscany.
The distinguishing feature of this town are all those towers and tower-houses which, in its heyday, were 72! Today we can still admire 14 of these towers. San Gimignano is not only towers but also museums, churches, monuments and much more!
San Gimignano
Montepulciano
Montepulciano is definitely one of my favourite hamlets in Tuscany. This is a land of wine, you should taste the “Vino Nobile si Montepulciano”, and also a land of art and traditions. The best part of this town is the main plaza located in the top area of the city centre. This is one of the best plazas in Tuscany with many beautiful buildings as the Duomo and the Palazzo Comunale. Not far from the city center you definitely need to visit also the Chiesa di San Biagio, you’ll be not disappointed!
Landscape around Montepulciano
Pienza
It’s time to move into the splendid Val d’Orcia, one of the best countryside of Tuscany. Maybe you saw these hills in the movie “Gladiator” directed by Ridley Scott. Well, between these hills there are some beautiful hamlets you’ll love. Today I want to mention two of these places, the first one is Pienza. Pienza is a renaissance masterpiece created by the pope Pius II during the 15th century. All the best here is in the plaza dedicated to the pope where is located a wonderful cathedral and some pleasant palaces.
Pienza’s Cathedral (Photo by Stròlic Furlàn – Davide Gabino / CC BY)
San Quirico d’Orcia
San Quirico d’Orcia is the second hamlet in Val d’Orcia I want to talk about. A beatiful little town with some medieval churches and an amazing italian garden called “Horti Leonini”. Close to San Quirico d’Orcia, you can visit the Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta, a small lonely chapel in the countryside much loved by photographers and travellers.
Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta (Photo by Massimo Telò / CC BY)
Buonconvento
Maybe you heard about the travel of the former US President Barak Obama in Tuscany last year, well he went also to Buonconvento. Very good idea indeed! Buonconvento is a real gem, a medieval hamlet made of bricks full of art and good food.
Here you can visit a very interesting museum of Sacred Art, the Museo d’Arte Sacra della Val d’Arbia, where are exposed many important artworks as the Duccio di Buoninsegna‘s Madonna col Bambino.
The city gate of Buonconvento
