Pienza
A tour that unwinds through the medieval alleys and the Renaissance buildings of one of the best preserved villages of all Tuscany. Ideal Renaissance city with its famous square, the Cathedral and the Palazzo Piccolomini. Our guided tour will retrace the history of the city observing the residences of the Pope Pius II Piccolomini, the Cardinals Borgia, Ammannati and Jouffroy d’Arras, the Church of San Francesco, the majestic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the romanesque church of Corsignano.
We suggest to include a pecorino cheese tasting to the visit, as it is the typical product of the city.
Possibility to include in our itinerary a visit to:
Diocesan Museum of Arte Sacra, which offers important examples of the Sienese figurative art, from the Bottega di Duccio di Boninsegna to the masterpieces by Pietro Lorenzetti, by Vecchietta and by Signorelli.
Masterpiece of the museum is the Piviale of Pius II of British manufacture embroidered and woven in silver. Jewelery masterpieces, dated between the 2nd and 15th centuries, are also preserved in this museum, Flemish tapestries, manuscripts , sacred furniture and painted wooden sculptures.
Palazzo Piccolomini with Renaissance gardens. The palace was the summer residence of Enea Silvio Piccolomini and it is one oft he earliest examples of Renaissance architecture, built in 1459 a.d. by the famous architect Bernardo Rossellino. The Piccolomini family has inhabited the palace until 1962 a.d.
Info and reservations
Montalcino
A walking tour through the streets of Montalcino, famous for its wine, the Brunelli. A visit designed for good wine lovers and for anyone who wants to get enchanted by the superb landscapes of the Val d’Orcia. Starting from the mighty fourteenth-century fortress, our route unwinds through the alleys and streets of the village, from the Church of Sant’Egidio to the Town Hall, from the arcades of the Piazza del Popolo to the little fourteenth-century churches and convents of Sant’Agostino and San Francesco. A journey so amazing as unique which meets its natural conclusion with a visit of the Cathedral and the Santuario della Madonna del Soccorso.
The visit can be combined with a Brunello wine tasting session or a visit to the Civic and Diocesan Museum of Arte Sacra, housed in the former Convent of Sant’Agostino.
Info and reservations
Sant’Antimo
A guided tour to discover the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, a masterpiece of Tuscan Romanesque architecture.
The complex, dating back to the year 814 a.d., has a structure that includes an deambulatory with radial chapels and finely decorated capitals, among them there is the one of “Daniel in the lions’ den”, a sculpture by the Master of Cabestany.
But Sant’Antimo is not just art is also silence, peace and prayer.
The canonical community gather there to raise hymns to God. Attending one of these ceremonies is a unique experience of intense spirituality.
May be combined with a Montalcino tour
Info and reservations
San Quirico
An itinerary designed for those who want to immerse themselves in the path of the pilgrims, whom since the 11th century used to make stops in San Quirico during their walk on the Via Francigena.
In our visit we will discover together the famous Collegiata Church of Sain Quirico and Giulitta, the church of the Madonna Vitaleta, the church of Santa Maria and the Renaissance Horti Leonini.
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Bagno Vignoni
This visit is an opportunity to discover one of the least known but most characteristic towns of the whole province of Siena. Bagno Vignoni is a small medieval village located in the Natural Artistic Park of Val d’Orcia.
Its main square consists of a large water tank, the natural evolution of a thermal-water source already used during the Roman times and around which the houses were then built along with the quaint Church of San Giovanni Battista.
A visit designed to get away from the most visited places for a few hours, combining the discovery of Siena’s history and the amenity of the most uncontaminated natural areas.
Option to combine the tour with San Quirico and Pienza
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Le crete Senesi
Several tours, one goal: to live and discover the “Crete Senesi”
Monte Oliveto Maggiore
Maximum duration 6 hours
A visit to discover one of the most important monasteries in Tuscany, famous all over the world for its charm and the priceless masterpieces that it keeps.
In our itinerary we will discover all the secrets of the monastery beginning with the splendid Abbey – Church of the Nativity of Mary of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. The church offers a harmonious contrast between the architectural style of the Gothic facade and the interior in late Baroque style.
The Chiostro Grande preserves the wonderful Renaissance frescoes by Signorelli and Sodoma which picture the life of San Benedetto. In the course of the itinerary we will explore other areas of the monastery: the majestic monastic library, the pharmacy and the Chapter House. Our tour will end in the Olivetani monks’ shop, which still produces delicious aromatic-herbal liqueurs, according to the rule “Ora et Labora”.
The tour continues to Buonconvento, a small town still enclosed within its medieval walls and reknown for its Art Nouveau decor, totally unusual in the Tuscan landscape. Its historical center, perfectly preserved, will leave a lasting memory in the hearts of all the visitors. Among the places to visit the Sharecropping Museum and the Arte Sacra Museum of Val d’Arbia.
Info and reservations
