In the area south-east of Siena lies a spectacular area, one of the most beautiful in Tuscany, known as the Crete Senesi, a lunar landscape composed of expanses of clay, hills and depressions dotted with small villages, isolated farmhouses and white roads lined with long rows of cypress trees.
This particular corner of Tuscany, not too far from the Val d'Orcia, straddles the territories of the municipalities of Asciano, Buonconvento, Monteroni d'Arbia, Rapolano Terme, Trequanda and Montalcino, all in the province of Siena, characterised by a succession of biancane roads, or typically dome-shaped reliefs created on the hillsides and deep, knife-edged furrows in the soil, formed by the erosion of the clay soil.
Crete Senesi, the Perfect Itinerary
Asciano
Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
Buonconvento
Rapolano Terme
Serre di Rapolano
Trequanda
Monteroni d'Arbia
Asciano - Monte Sante Marie
Nature Train
Olivera Travertine Quarries
Site Transitoire
Montalcino
San Giovanni d'Asso
(Photo: © Paolo Trovo/Shutterstock)
Crete senesi, what to see and do
The name 'Crete' derives from the clay that emerges from the ground, giving the landscape a special grey-blue colour, a morphological characteristic resulting from the sediments of the sea that covered the entire area three million years ago and that in the Middle Ages gave the whole area the nickname 'Desert of Accona'.
The landscape of the Crete Senesi features cultivated fields alternating with barns, stone cottages, olive groves, vineyards, rows of cypress trees and panoramic viewpoints such as those found along the road from Siena to Asciano, amidst ups and downs and curves that open up the view of breathtaking glimpses characteristic of the Crete.
But the Crete Senesi are also a land of spas, art, culture, spirituality, excellent food and genuine hospitality, a slice of Tuscany full of hidden treasures that deserves to be rediscovered and appreciated. This is why we have created a series of hints and suggestions so that you don't miss out on the best places to visit in the Crete Senesi.
(Photo: © Marco Saracco/Shutterstock)
Itineraries and panoramas
Thanks to their peculiar conformation of soft landscapes, the Crete Senesi are an ideal territory to explore with long walks, bicycle, motorbike or horseback rides along postcard-perfect scenic routes.
It is no coincidence that along the white roads of the Sienese area the historic cycling event of the Eroica has been held for years, an epic race that has become part of the legend of two wheels, attracting cyclists and enthusiasts from all over Italy to pedal on dusty white roads shrouded in myth.
Those who would like a more comfortable but equally vintage means of transport to discover the landscapes of the Crete can opt for a trip on board the vintage carriages of Treno Natura to watch the landscapes unfold from the window amidst the puffs of the steam locomotive on a fascinating journey.
Verdant natural slopes, white roads and ancient mule tracks lead through the Crete's most historically and naturalistically important sites, such as the Olivera Travertine Quarries and the Serre Quarries in the Rampolano Terme area, or the approximately 7 km route from Asciano to Monte Sante Marie.
The panoramic road SP 438 that connects Asciano to Siena in about 30 km is one of the most beautiful and suggestive thanks to its countryside, villages, and hillside farms at the end of rows of cypress trees. The Via Lauretana from Taverne d'Arbia to San Giminianello via Asciano is full of fantastic viewpoints where a photo stop is a must.
In addition to enjoying extraordinary views, driving along the Leonina Road one comes across an unusual and magical place, especially at sunset when the reddish light enhances the contrasts: the artistic Site Transitoire created by artist Jean Paul Philippe, who has installed a series of elements in the middle of the Crete countryside.
The Pecorile road in Aciano is a path through the highest hills of all the Crete and a diversion leads to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, which stands on a cliff surrounded by a centuries-old forest of cypresses, pines and oaks.
It is a 14th-century Benedictine abbey, one of the most important in Tuscany, which houses a variety of works of art and an incredible library containing around 40,000 ancient volumes, the marvellous Chiostro Grande with its large frescoed arches and a 16th-century pharmacy.
The villages of the Crete Senesi
Asciano
The first stop on the tour through the villages of the Crete Senesi is undoubtedly Asciano, a characteristic medieval centre enclosed within ancient defensive walls and surrounded by spectacular scenery.
The village stands out for its monuments and museums, such as the Museo civico archeologico e d'arte sacra inside Palazzo Corboli and Museo Cassioli dedicated to 19th-century Sienese painting. Standing out in the town are the Basilica of Sant'Agata, the Mencia Tower, the Church of San Francesco and the beautiful fountain in Piazza del Grano. Some of the most beautiful paths radiate from Asciano into the Crete Senesi territory. Just outside the village, you can also reach the chapel of Saints Fabiano and Sebastiano, while in December the municipality hosts the renowned Asciano 'Il Tartufo Bianco delle Crete Senesi' (The White Truffle of the Crete Senesi) Market Fair.
(Photo: © Paolo Trovo/Shutterstock)
Buonconvento
Buonconvento is a medieval village located on the ancient route of the Via Francigena that passed through the centre of the town within its defensive walls.
Buonconvento is on the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy and boasts buildings of historical and artistic importance such as the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the Palazzo Podestarile with its clock tower, the Palazzo Comunale, the important Museum of Sacred Art of the Val d'Arbia that preserves various works of art inside the Art Nouveau Palazzo Ricci Socini, and the Ethnographic Museum of Sharecropping dedicated to Tuscan farming culture.
Rapolano Terme
The village of Rapolano Terme, thanks to its precious thermal waters with powerful curative properties, guarantees moments of absolute relaxation to be spent in its two thermal baths fed by sulphurous water springs that gush out at a temperature of 39 degrees.
In addition to the thermal baths, Rapolano boasts the parish church of San Vittore, the church of San Bartolomeo and the pretty fortified hamlet of Serre di Rapolano with its town gates, the Palazzo Gori Martini, the Church of Saints Lorenzo and Andrea and the ancient Grancia, inside which there is also a museum dedicated to agriculture and olive oil.
(Photo: © Marco Ciccolella/Shutterstock)
Trequanda
Situated on the border between the Crete Senesi and the Val di Chiana, Trequanda is a village on the Italian Touring Club's prestigious Orange Flag list. In the village, there is a medieval fortress, the Church of Saints Peter and Andrew and the Pieve di Santo Stefano in Cennano just outside the municipality.
What is the best time to visit the Crete Senesi?
The landscape of the Crete Senesi changes a lot according to the season and at any time of the year it offers unique and memorable suggestions. If in the colder months an atmosphere of suspense reigns with banks of fog revealing colours in grey-blue tones, in summer and spring everything is illuminated by the rays of the sun, which first colours the fields green and then turns the bales of wheat and hay harvested in the hills into gold.
Italy