Historic villages

Civitella is a small village overlooking the Val di Chiana and offers a breathtaking view of the entire valley. Civitella still retains its medieval origins: the disused tower, the main square, the remains of the walls that surround it. In more recent times Civitella is also remembered for the sad massacre of a large part of the population that occurred during the Second World War. In the village you enter through the Sienese gate, the only one left. After the door you enter the grid of roads among which via Martiri di Civitella stands out. On the street overlooks the renovated Palazzo Pretorio of the 14th century, characterized by a porch. The other buildings also have arcades that characterize the whole street. A Hall of Remembrance is also housed here, in memory of the Nazi massacre of '44. To the north you reach the beautiful Piazza Alcide Lazzeri with the medieval cistern and the Church of Santa Maria Assunta erected in 1252. To his left we find the monument to the massacre. To the south, crossing Piazza Beccattini with the homonymous palace, you reach the castle, erected in the 11th century and surrounded by a solid wall circle with a powerful keep. The castle, transformed by the Wehrmacht into a headquarters during the Nazi occupation, was half destroyed during an Allied bombing in 1944. From its stands you can enjoy wide views of the Val di Chiana and the Val d'Ambra.

Lucignano is a smallborgo of Etruscan origin, it is in the Middle Ages that it takes on relevance given itsposition, being on the border between the nascent powers of Siena, Florence, Arezzo and Perugia which, on several occasions, alternated in thecontrol of the town. The historic center of Lucignano, enclosed by alove murariaelissoidal of the fourteenth century, it is beautiful and particular. Entering from Porta San Giusto, the visitor is proposed twolife: the poor street, where in the past the humblest families lived, characterized by small stone houses; the rich way, where thepalaces renaissance style of the ancient noble families. In the highest part of Lucignano, there is Piazza del Tribunale, where they overlook: the Town Hall, seat of theMuseumpreserving the famous Golden Tree, a 2.60 metre high reliquary built between 1350 and 1471; the Church of St. Francis, in gothic style, which boasts manyFrescoespreziosi del XIV e XV secolo; la Collegiata di San Michele Arcangelo, che si trova all’estremità sud della piazza, presso la Costa della Collegiata, costruita nella seconda metà del ‘500 e caratterizzata da un’imponente scalinata elissoidale progettata da Andrea Pozzo.

Adjacent to Cortona is Castiglion Fiorentino, which stands on a hill about twenty km from Arezzo among the typicallandscapes val di Chiana. Like the other hills in the surroundings, on which riseCastlesand cinte murarie, the high-end that houses Castiglion Fiorentino has also been fortified. The Castiglionese Cassero is the first recognizable structure of the village. TypicallyMedieval, the building retains the characteristics it acquired around the 11th century, when a castle was built in the area. The city experienced feudalism, the Domination of Perugina, Aretina, Florentine and the Napoleonic era. The many monumenticivil and religious that shape the village, including the Church of Sant’Angelo al Cassero. Dated 12th century, numerous works by the architect are collected hereGiorgio Vasari, whose work restored the Loggias located behind the Town Hall, built during the Perugia domination in the 1300s.

Fortezza racchiusa traantiche mura, costruite tra il IV e il II secolo a.C., Cortona è ricca di monumenti di elevato interesse storico-culturale risalenti a epoche differenti: domina l’art etrusca, romana e medievale. La sua piazza principale, ottimo punto di partenza per untourdella città, è Piazza della Repubblica, dove è locato il Palazzo Comunale (XII secolo). A pochi metri di distanza c’è Piazza delduomo, dove spicca la Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, innalzata sui resti di unapieve romanica of the 11th century, inside which you can admire the famous painting on canvas "Adoration of the Shepherds" by Pietro da Cortona, dated 1663. In front of the cathedral there is theMuseoDiocesano, dove sono raccolte numerose opere tra cui l’“Annunciazione” delBeato Angelico. Cortona è anche un museo a cielo aperto. Ilarchaeological park it is itinerant and winds through the alleys of the city and outside the walls. To remember the breathtaking view of the Valdichiana and Lake Trasimeno.

Pienza is just over 10 kilometers from Montepulciano. There is only one way to reach itscenic road between the Sienese hills between the Val di Chiana and the Val d'Orcia. Unlike the surrounding countries, thehistory of Pienza is not linked to the Etruscan and Roman civilization. The center of the structure of Pienza is Piazza Pio II, overlooked by the main buildings of the city: the Cathedral of the Assunta and Palazzo Piccolomini, from which aamazing view throughout the Val d'Orcia from Montalcino to Monte Amiata. The historic center of Pienza has been declared World Heritage Site by Unesco: during the walk through the streets of Pienza, stop in one of the many restaurants and cellars to taste its delicacies, first of all thepecorino, perhaps accompanied by an excellent glass ofvino.

The ancient village of Montepulciano stands on a hill, straddling the Val di Chiana and theVal d'Orcia in the province of Siena. The walls of Montepulciano, built during the 4th century, enclose theOld Town, which is proposed as a succession of ancient buildings belonging to noble families and churches. The streets of the medieval village are teeming with little onesrestaurantse youwine bars, dove è possibile assaggiare la cucina tradizionale e il Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Montepulciano è anche terra diterme. La struttura termale, costruita a fine anni ’60, sfrutta le acque solfuree che scorrono nel sottosuolo. Se volete prendervi un momento di relax, questo è il luogo ideale.