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anghiari

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montecalvello

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Walking in Tuscany
             
 
 

Walking trails in Tuscany Surroundings
       
   

Walking in Tuscany | Walking From Montepulciano to Montefollonico



   
   

Montepulciano is perched on a hill and the entire town slopes at a steep gradient culminating in the magnificent Piazza Grande which houses the Communal Palace and the main cathedral. The town offers many interesting medieval and Renaissance churches, and buildings to explore along with narrow side streets and alleyways that take you to magnificent viewpoints of the surrounding countryside.
A steep 20-minute downhill walk from Porta dei Grassi takes you to the photogenic Tempio di San Biagio, a travertine Renaissance church designed by Sangallo in the XVI century.

 

   
   
Klik voor het volgende hoofdstuk
 

Montepulciano

 

One of the highest of the Tuscan hill-towns, Montepulciano is built along a narrow tufa ridge, with a long main street and alleys that drop away to the walls. The Piazza Grande is built on the highest point of the ridge.
Start in Montepulciano’s Piazza Grande and take the panoramic path to Porta dei Grassi, where you will encounter the Tempio di San Biagio. Then take the Via dei Canneti until you reach the intersection with Via delle Colombelle. The path follows the mountain ridge and leads you through the Nobile vineyards to the oratory of Sant'Anna in Via dei Colli, in the foothills of Montefollonico. Stop in Montefollonico for lunch. Return by the same route.

Approximate distance: 6km
Time: 2+ hours

The trail is generally pretty well marked by Italian standards with white and red blazes.

 

From Montepulciano’s Piazza Grande, go down Via Ricci until you get to an intersection of three streets. Turn left under an arch where you should see a sign, “San Biagio”, and keep walking down, straight ahead as your road zigzags down to an arch, a former city gate.


 
   

Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Biagio

 

The unusual Basilica di San Biagio built by Sangallo in the XVI century [Photo, Josep Renalias]

 

Through the Vines to the Oratory of Sant’Anna

   
Loop around the church and walk around it down the country road to get to the trail. When you reach the trail sign you take a left on a dirt road – which is the "white road" shown on the map of the region. You follow this dirt road through vineyards and farms with beautiful vistas on your left and right. You will be able to see Montefollonico perched on a hilltop for almost the entire hike.

After quite a bit of walking, you will pass over two dried stream beds (one of which is describes as a stream in Walking and Eating in Tuscany-it may be a seasonal stream). After the second streambed, you will see a dirt road going up a hill to the right. You follow this dirt road straight up the hill. It will seem like this is taking you slightly out of the way when you look at the village but it is the correct way. You will come to an old chapel near the top of the hill and there will be another trail sign for folks who are going in the opposite direction. You take a left on the raod by the chapel and stay on it, ignoring diversions as it curves up the hill. After some climbing, you will pass the great restaurant La Chiusa on the left. The road will turn right--follow it straight away through small residential area and you will come upon the old portal to the walled town ahead and to the right.


  Podere Acerone placed between Montefollonico and Montepulciano

Far from busy roads and from the usual tourist trail, the splendid isolation of Montefollonico is probably what makes it particularly charming and appealing. Located between the Val d’Orcia and the Val di Chiana valleys, southeast of Siena, the town holds very ancient origins.
The name itself derives from the Latin word fullones, name given by the Romans to cloth workers, used to wash clothes and fabrics right here.
The first evidence of the area being inhabited dates as far back the Neanderthal man with the Lithic tools found in the area of "Il Tondo" (now the public garden). In the following centuries we have accounts of a territorial dispute in the year 715 for the ownership of the church Pieve di San Valentino. The history of the village as such began in the 13th century with the foundation of the church Pieve di S. Leonardo by the Cistercian monks from the monastery nearby, who by dedicating themselves to fulling wool gave the village its name Mons a Fullonica. After various events Montefollonico was incorporated into the Tuscan Grand Duchy in 1555.

Montefollonico is known as the town of the Vin Santo (holy wine), a particular type of sweet wine that is drunk with desserts, particularly with the traditional cantuccini biscuits. Offering the Vin Santo is the traditional welcoming of local people to visitors, one of the most ancient acts of Tuscan hospitality.
“Lo gradireste un goccio di Vin Santo” – Would you like a drop of Vin Santo? is the annual festival dedicated to Vin Santo, taking place at the beginning of every December. Every year, the village is pervaded by a legendary medieval atmosphere, animated by musicians, jugglers, and fire dragons, that will lead the visitor on a journey beyond time, to a fantastic world of kings, dames and knights…

The Cantine Innocenti

 


San Leonardo e Santa Caterina D'Alessandria


Montefollonico, Porta Triano

The estate lies between Montepulciano and Montefollonico and consists of about 32 hectares of which 12 ar specialized vineyards, situated between 330 and 350 metres above sea level on medium-textured clay soils of pliocene origin.
The cellar buildings, dating back to end of the 13th century, are in the small, well-preserved medieval town of Montefollonico.
The original features of the architectural style and the interior have been maintained as far as possible so that the visitor can enjoy the typical atmosphere of an old Tuscan cellar.
A narrow alley-way which now forms part of the building leads to a terraced garden on the ancient walls, where tastings can be held and from which a spectacular view over the whole of the Val di Chiana can be enjoyed.
The owner, Vittorio Innocenti, who gave up teaching philosophy many years ago to dedicate all his time to the estate and the cellars, is helped by his wife Maria Rosa, theatre historian, his son Tommaso, who is currently finishing a course of study enabling him to take over the management of the estate, and his brother Mario, responsible for the care of the vineyards.

Schedule a wine tasting with Mr. Innocenti. The winery is inside the Montefollonico walls. The garden in the back offers a great view.

The Cantine Innocenti di Innocenti Gonzi Tommaso
Via Landucci 10/12, 53040 Montefollonico Siena | tel: 0577 669537 website: www.cantineinnocenti.it

Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | Wines in Tuscany


 

The convent of Santa Maria de Folonico, better known as Conventaccio, belonged to the Benedictine monks, probably linked to the monastery of Abbaddia San Salvatore which since the 11th century had properties in the area. The abbey building had a considerable size. There are remains of the crypt and the nave of the church with Gothic arches. From the "Conventaccio", a path leads to the Pieve di S. Valentino (parish church of St. Valentine).

 

   

Photru gallery Montepuciano

Montepulciano

 

   
San Biago, Montepulciano, foto storica     Teatro della Società dei Concordi

San Biagio, Montepulciano, foto storica

 

 

Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi, Montepulciano

 

  Teatro della Società dei Concordi
Chiesa di San Biagio

 

 

 
San Biagio outside   Montepulciano - Madonna di San Biagio - Interior3   Chiesa di San Biagio, interno

San Biagio, esterno

 

 

San Biagio, cupola

 

  Chiesa di San Biagio, interno



Galleria fotografica Montefollonico | Ruderi del monastero di Santa Maria

 

 

TorritaDiSienaMontefollonicoPanorama2   TorritaDiSienaMontefollonicoPanorama   Montefollonico, Porta del Triano

Montefollonico

 

 

 

 

  Montefollonico, Porta del Triano
Montefollonico, Porta Nuova   Monastero Santa Maria interno   Monastero Santa Maria sud-est
Montefollonico, Porta Nuova  

Ruderi del monastero di Santa Maria, Montefollonico. Particolare del portale che si apre sul muro perimetrale (visto dall'interno).

 

   Ruderi del monastero di Santa Maria, Montefollonico. Vista da sud-est
   
 

Borgo dell'Eremo
and Chiesa di San Marcello
 


Trekking Val d'orcia

Restaurants in Montefollonico | The best restaurants in Montefollonico

 



Hidden secrets in Tuscany Tuscan farmhouses | Podere Santa Pia


         
Rocca di Tentennano
Podere Santa Pia
 
Podere Santa Pia
 
Abbadia San Salvatore




Pienza

Montalcino

 

 

San Quirico d'Orcia

 

 

On a clear day you can see Corsica

Podere Santa Pia, view from the terrace. To the south is the little isle of Montecristo (on the left), the name of which captured the imagination of Alexandre Dumas. On a clear day you can even see Corsic (on the right), 250 km away


Sources:
Walking From Montepulciano to Montefollonico; ETC | Walking_From_Montepulciano_to_Montefollonico_ETC-Montepulciano_Tuscany.html