If you love walking in nature, if you love walking for many kilometers, if you love to spend a day in the woods, the ring of Mount Amiata is the trekking route for you. Indicated on the CAI map with the number 601, the ring, as the word itself says, runs all around Mount Amiata…
The Botanical Garden of Mount Amiata hosts the most interesting and surprising floristic species of the Amiata volcano. In an area of about one hectare, surrounded by woods alternating with open spaces, there are herbaceous species from all over the territory, whose coexistence is made possible thanks to the particular geo-morphological and pedo-climatic conditions of…
Protected by the grandeur of Mount Amiata and caressed by sea breezes, we find a summit that has unique characteristics: Mount Labbro (sometimes called Mount Labro). It is a mountain that only reaches 1193 meters but which has, however, the typical volcanic cone formation. At its highest point, a singular tower was built there. During…
Snow situation on Mount Amiata Date: 03/09/2023. Snow situation Amiata. A new snowfall on Monte Amiata. We have about 15 cm to the summit and 10 to the Macinaie meadow and to the Secondo Rifugio Amiatino. In the hope that March will still give us a few more sprinkles of snow, we leave you with…
Monte Sante marie: our landscape is our landmark Tenuta di Monte Sante Marie is a big organic farm in the heart of Tuscany, among the arcadian clay hills east of Siena (“Crete Senesi”) made famous by great photographers, popular “hero” bycicle races such as “Eroica” and “Strade Bianche”, rallies, pilgrimage routes (such as the newly…
The Fattoria dei Barbi is located in Montalcino, a few kilometers from the famous abbey of Sant’Antimo, in the heart of the Val d’Orcia, and since the late 1700s it has been owned by the Colombini family. With an extension of over 300 hectares in the lands of southern Tuscany, the Fattoria dei Barbi is…
How many times, maybe watching a romantic movie, have you stopped to dream of a fairytale wedding against the backdrop of a fantastic landscape? And how many times, visiting Tuscany and in particular the Val d’Orcia, have you said to yourself that without a doubt it is one of the most beautiful places in the…
In the village of Santa Fiora there are many panoramic points where it is possible to admire the natural landscape that characterizes the valley of the Fosso Formica. At the ridge of the aforementioned valley, it is possible to see a stone in particular that rises among the trees. This is a magical monument, surrounded…
Vivo d’Orcia is a town immersed in the green of chestnut, fir and beech trees. In addition to the uniqueness of the Hermitage, there are other natural features that can only be admired in this small Amiata village. We begin our journey by noting that in the wooded area of Vivo it is possible to…
The first historical mention of Vivo d’Orcia, occurs in a Latin text where the river, precisely the Vivo, and the hermits are mentioned: “… quibus obnoxia fuere monasterum et eremus ad Vivum …”. What today is mistakenly called Eremo was actually a monastery of the Camaldolese, however, the church called Ermicciolo, was the actual hermitage.…
The year 2020 will certainly remain in history also due to its complementary effects to the health crisis, marking a sharp and sudden break with the past. A radical change that will have repercussions in the years to come, in the economy, in society, and also in the real estate market. The lockdown period marked…
Tourists who will stay in Mount Amiata will be immersed in nature and history but there is also a very particular place that will capture them spiritually: we are talking about the Merigar. Literally the meaning of Merigar is “The residence of the mountain of fire”. Romantically, we can think that this refers to the…
If I told you that monuments can also be green, would you believe it? Well, the famous Quercia delle Checche (Oak tree) was named the first green monument in Italy in 2017 by the Ministry of the Environment. Its appearance, precisely monumental and imposing, strikes the eyes of travelers. The peculiarity of this oak lies…
Contignano is a small village belonging to the municipality of Radicofani, immersed in the fascinating Val d’Orcia. It has very ancient origins, like all the villages in the area of Mount Amiata. The first villas were built since Roman times. The Aldobrandeschis took over the lands of the village which were in turn ceded, in…
For nature lovers and for those who love being immersed in the peace of a refreshing forest, Mount Amiata represents a more than pleasant destination. The flora is very luxuriant and numerous plant species (also protected) grow there. In the shade of this forest, animals roam undisturbed. Considering these natural uniqueness of the area, an…
The Cathedral Santa Maria Assunta better known as Cathedral of Pienza is located in the city center of Pienza next to Palazzo Borgia and Palazzo Piccolomini. The complex rises on the ancient Pieve si Santa Maria.It was built by Bernardo Rossellino commissioned by Pius II. The structure in many respects is inspired by the Gothic…
The Abbey of Sant’Antimo is an ancient monastery located in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, part of the municipality of Montalcino in Tuscany. Immersed in the lands of good wine there is a place of worship full of mysticism and history, it is the Abbey of Sant’Antimo. Let’s start immediately with a peculiar aspect as there is a…
On the way to Montalcino is the Sanctuary of Madonna of rescue. A stop at the Sanctuary to invoke the Madonna of rescue is a must for all pilgrims visiting the Val d’Orcia. The building was built in 1330 in place of the small church of Porta al Corniolo where an ancient panel depicting the…
The most visited and photographed church in the Val d’Orcia is undoubtedly the Chapel of Madonna di Vitaleta which is nestled in the Tuscan countryside on a hill surrounded by cypress trees a stone’s throw from San Quirico d’Orcia . We recommend that you visit the evocative Chapel in different seasons of the year to…
The Collegiate of Saints Quirico and Giulitta is located in the center of the town of San Quirico d’Orcia, in “Piazza Chigi”. The current building was built, in the 12th century, to replace an ancient church. The church has a Latin cross plan with the presence of a single nave and apse chapels. The main…
