Discovering Tuscany

Discovering Tuscany

Travel History and Local Traditions

 A Trip to Tuscany is a unique experience and must definitely include an in-depth visit to Florence, the capital of the Renaissance, day trips to beautifully landscaped small villages perched on the hills that have so much inspired painters and more recently film directors and producers.

One of the most interesting cities is undoubtedly Siena, in the southern part of the region, a medieval city of ancient origins which still preserves its treasures intact, so much so that it is among the Unesco Heritage site.

Tuscany also boasts a remarkable winemaking tradition; some of the most important Italian wines are produced in the province of Siena, such as the world renowned Brunello di Montalcino.

Local Typical Food products are also very important; just think of the famous Florentine steak and panforte and ricciarelli, typical Sienese sweets.

You will be welcomed by local guides and escorts, with knowledge of local places and traditions

Trips range from 2 nights and 3 days for city itineraries to one week for broader programs and 14 nights and 15 days for journeys across multiple regions, designed and customized for thematic groups, family holidays and business trips.

Siena is world-renowned for the Palio, a breathtaking horserace featuring local neighborhoods, known as Contrade, famous for their ancient traditions

A Knowledge Tourism that features local customs, values ​​and traditions to better appreciate:

Museums that reveal an archaeological, historical and artistic heritage, the rediscovery of local treasures and traditions through art, literature and architecture that preserve the memory of the places and local realities visited.

Characteristic ancient villages shaped since ancient times by the skilful hand of man and ancient agricultural practices.

Local Gastronomy, the result of ancient traditions and linked to the territory.

Traveling in the company of people who live and work in the places you visit

Italian text courtesy of Costanza Riccardi

A Tuscan Countryside Medieval Castle and Arms Museum

Monteriggioni stands on a hilltop surrounded by olive trees and vines. Its castle dates-back to the early 13^th century; it was built by the Republic of Siena as a defensive outpost against Florence. The Medieval Town maintains its original architectural features and is unique among Tuscany’s borghi. The stone outer wall is 570 meters long and features 14 rectangular towers; they made a great impression on Dante Alighieri who defined them as giants in hell. Walking on top of the walls provides a spectacular view of the countryside, the Chianti region and the Elsa Valley.

The Arms Museum houses faithful reproductions of medieval and renaissance weapons and armor as well as siege machines and techniques. Each room is devoted to a specific moment in Monteriggioni history. Visitors can wear the armor and handle the weapons.

The Church is located on the main square and is the best-preserved property in the borgo. Also built in the 13^th century, it consists of a single interior space with a rectangular end. Its elegant façade displays a doorway with a stone arch topped by a round window while the renovated interior has plastered walls and domed vaults; the bell dates to 1299. The church is also home to a 17^th century painting of the Madonna and Rosary which the town celebrates every year in October.

Porta Franca is the main entrance to the borgo; it stands below a tower with a pointed arch and facing towards Rome. In the past it likely had a drawbridge over a moat. To the left of the arch is an inscription commemorating the founding of Monteriggioni in the 1220s, while a plaque on the right celebrates the new Italian state in 1860.

Porta di Ponente is the gateway facing Florence. Some battlements incorporated in the walling above indicate that the defensive wall was probably lower. Similar battlements in the facing of the walls on the east side. To the right of the entrance, which used to have an outer protective wall, a plaque quotes lines from Dante that mention Monteriggioni.

In Medieval Times, on the southwest side of the outer walls, there was a third gateway, later walled in; the upper part is still visible from the outer road. In the 16^th century, the base of the outer walls was reinforced with an earth rampart in response to the introduction of new and more powerful firearms.

A Medieval Travel Experience in Tuscany