Siena and Florence
Finocchieto’s proximity to these two urban centers allows a great
deal of flexibility, with activities to appeal to a broad range of interests.
They are each reachable by car and the regional train: Siena (25 km),
Florence (85 km). Each city warrants more exploration than even the
Italian visitor can afford, but as such, provide plenty of stimulation
for everyone: art and architecture, history, literature, restaurants,
boutiques, gardens, busy piazzas, and quiet streets. Explore on your
own or draw from our network of excellent tour guides to suit your particular
interest. For one, the ideal day in Siena might involve lunch with an
elegant signora in her palazzo overlooking the Campo, before accompanying
her on a tour of the Duomo and its connected museum. Another might prefer
an active tour of the city’s outer walls and citadels with a guide
versed in the military history of the region. Simply let us know where
your interest lies and we will find a guide to suit.
Murlo and the Etruscans
A spotless town on a high hill, Murlo (8 km) is Bibbiano’s nearest
neighbor. The locals claim, with the backing of various DNA tests, to
be direct descendants from the Etruscans that founded their settlement
here at the confluence of the Ombrone and Arbia rivers. Near Murlo,
Poggio Civitate is the excavation site of an Etruscan patrician residence
in the sixth and seventh centuries BC. Largely intact at the time of
its unearthing, its architectural detailing illuminates elements of
both the Etruscan Orientalizing Period and the Archaic.
San Galgano
Open to the sky and elements, the roofless remains of this Cistercian
abbey are located about 40 km from Finocchieto. To those interested
in art and architecture, this is an extraordinary opportunity to observe
both the supportive skeleton of the building as well as its decorative
elements in broad daylight, an impossible feat at permanently dark,
fully intact churches. Take a moment to consider the pendentives designed
to support the now-collapsed vault and the persistence of Italian Romanesque
style despite the full realization of French gothic style everywhere
else in Europe.
A short uphill climb from the abbey sits the smaller church that was
the site of Saint Galgano’s transformation, consecrated in the
1180s. Here was the site of Galgano Giudotti, a noble son of Siena’s
hermitage. Its rib-less dome derives inspiration from Etruscan and Roman
tombs. The attached church was built to house the Saint’s remains
and the famed spot where Galgano supposedly thrust his sword into stone,
where it remains today. Also curious are a pair of petrified hands,
supposedly those of one who tried to remove the sword, a warning to
those who try to undo its function as a symbol of the Cross.
Bagno Vignoni and other local terme
Tuscany has more natural sulfuric springs than anywhere else in Italy.
Finocchieto is a short drive from several terme, including Bagno Vignoni
(20 km), San Filippo (35 km), Bagno di Petriolo (25 km), and Rapolano
Terme (25 km.) Since ancient times, these warm springs were praised
for their healing powers. Catherine of Siena was sent to Bagno Vignoni,
a spa town set around a piazza of steaming water, for treatment. These
natural springs were tamed and often enclosed by resorts which reached
the height of fashion at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Now it is possible to visit these spa towns for a range of treatments,
or one can trek to the outdoor sources for a dip in the waters that
stay warm year-round. For more information on the spas, see the “Terme
e Benessere” section at www.turismo.toscana.it. The
Adler Spa at Bagno Vignoni maintains a website.
San Gimignano and Monterrigioni
Two of the most recognizable skylines in Italy, the towns of San Gimignano
(60 km) and Monterrigioni (40 km) are short drives to the north of Finocchieto.
San Gimignano is home to Tuscany’s only DOCG white wine, Vernaccia.
It is notable for thirteen medieval tower-houses, erected by influential
families in the era of the Guelfs and Ghibellines. These are all that
remain of what once numbered seventy, earning San Gimignano the nickname
“the medieval Manhattan.” The Palazzo del Publico holds
a good collection of painting from the Sienese school and offers access
to the Torre Grossa. At 200 steps, this tower offers the highest vantage
point over the town and an excellent view of the surrounding countryside.
San Gimignano also boasts what might be the best gelateria in Tuscany:
the Gelateria di Piazza, offering such flavors as bitter chocolate with
ginger, saffron (for which the town was long famous), and of course,
Vernaccia.
Monterrigioni (40km) is recognizable for its thick medieval walls studded
with fourteen square towers. Dante mentioned this Ghibelline fortress
in Divine Comedy. Inside is a tiny village of one main street, a Romanesque
church, and plenty of charm.
Volterra
Originally a Stone Age settlement, Volterra (70 km) is surrounded by
Etruscan and medieval walls. It is also home to a number of Roman ruins.
Today, Volterra is famous for its alabaster work, a craft that is nearly
three millennia old. Alabaster shops line its streets. The city also
boasts a number of impressive palazzi, a Pisan style Duomo, a Pinacoteca
with works by Signorelli and Ghirlandaio. The citadel above town is
an oasis of green and fabulous views, and the perfect spot for a midday
picnic.
Arezzo
Another Etruscan settlement, Arezzo (60 km) is perhaps best known for
its monthly antique fair. Its skyline includes a number of tower houses
and a citadel, from which there is a long, beautiful views of the surrounding
hills. Arezzo is home to Petrarch, Giorgio Vasari, and a major site
in the life of Piero della Francesca. His masterpiece, the Legend of
the True Cross fresco covers the walls of the apse of San Francesco,
which one can visit on appointment. One can also tour Vasari’s
house to observe the eclectic collections of this true Renaissance Man.
Cortona
It is not difficult to surmise why Frances Mayes captured the imaginations
of so many in her bestselling accounts of life in Cortona. The town,
a series of terraced roads and sharp uphill alleyways surrounded by
medieval walls, abounds in Tuscan charm. Cortona (70 km) is a good spot
for restaurants, antique and linen shops, and people watching from its
busy piazzas. The Museo Diocesano houses two major works by Fra Angelico,
an Annunciation and a Madonna with Saints. Other artists represented
include members of the Sienese school: Duccio, Signorelli, and Lorenzetti.
There are also Etruscan excavation sites and a Museo dell’Accademia
Etrusca.
Pisa and Lucca
A city of pink and yellow building fronts along the Arno river, Pisa
(130 km) boasts the remains of what was once a major center. A major
maritime power, Pisa sided with Rome in the Second Punic War. Today,
Pisa is best known for the lacy white duomo, baptistery, and leaning
campanile in its “Field of Miracles.” Pisa was the central
workplace of the Pisano family of sculptors. It is also the home of
Galileo Galilei, who famously used the tower to test acceleration of
falling bodies.
The four kilometers of wide, tree lined ramparts surrounding Lucca
(150 km) make up one of the most pleasant strolls in Tuscany. Now a
park for pedestrians and bicycles, the ramparts offer a bird’s
eye view of the town’s Roman grid of picturesque streets. Within
the walls are several tower homes and ornate palaces, a number of Pisan
style churches, and a piazza set in an old Roman ampitheater where Lucca
holds its annual summer music festival. There is also a Pinacoteca and
a museum in the house where Puccini was born. Having first earned prosperity
for its silk trade, Lucca is still a good place for elegant shopping
along the Via Fillungo.
Umbria
Finocchieto is only an hour from the Tuscany/Umbria line, and therefore,
in good position for day trips to Perugia (80 km), Assisi (100 km),
and its charming hilltowns.
Our happy relationship with a wonderful tour guide born and raised
in beautiful Umbria means that you will be given access to the best
of the region. Fleuriana is invaluable in helping to plan tours of this
neighboring region, including city/art tours and hillside explorations
to towns like the quaint and picturesque Todi or Deruta, famous for
its pottery.
Shopping
Whether you’re looking for a unique souvenir, elegant housewares,
or simply have an interest in the arts, Tuscany is home to many ateliers
and art markets. Make a day trip to see the alabaster carvers of Volterra
or to wander the world famous monthly antique market at Arrezzo the
first Sunday of every month. A two hour drive gets you to Deruta, home
to Italy’s most famous ceramics, but its wares are widely available
in local shops. Sift through a huge collection of leather goods in Florence’s
San Lorenzo market, or find handmade goods in the leather school of
the Santa Croce monastery. Closer at hand, tour a local glassblowing
shop or visit the studios and shops of various local painters, sculptors,
photographers, and fabric makers. Nearby monastery Monte Oliveto offers
an apothecary full of handmade soaps and potions made by the monks with
local herbs. Near Pienza, three generations of family members turn out
beautiful wrought iron candelabras and other housewares, while in town,
a beautiful but hard to find store offers a huge selection of pottery
in its cave like vaults.
Local markets offer an astonishing array or products, but above all,
a chance to witness a true slice of Italian life. The region’s
largest market is held every Wednesday in Siena, its stalls snaking
for miles. Peruse the shoe row with more than twenty vendors, or bask
in the fragrance of the flower section. Naturally, this is an excellent
spot for fresh regional produce and some products from further afield,
like Sicilian sun dried tomatoes or fresh buffalo mozzarella from Campania.
Nearby Montalcino has its market on Fridays and local vendors assemble
outside Buonconvento’s walls every Saturday.
For many, a trip to Italy would be incomplete without a pilgrimage to
the Prada outlet outside of Arrezzo, which also carries styles by Helmut
Lang, Miu Miu, and Jil Sander. Our map will be sure to get you to this
oft-mentioned but hard to find store. If that’s not enough, Florence’s
mall is a great place to get incredible deals on Armani suits, among
other retailers like Gucci, Ferragamo, Fendi, Tods, Bottega Veneta,
Loro Piano, Sergio Rossi, Valentino, Ungaro, Hogan, Burberry, and La
Perla. Another outlet near Florence includes Max Mara and Versace Jeans.
Regardless of your interest, numerous opportunities abound and it is
possible to arrange a personally tailored excursion.
