Locanda dell'Amorosa Sinalunga

SIENA

Siena is the city of the blessed Virgins and the "Balzana"; black and white; decisive, just as its heraldic symbol; passionate and contemplative; always climbing and descending; clear and at the same time obscure; steep and narrow streets; the red of the Piazza del Campo, the square of the famous Palio (on July 2nd and August 16th) appearing blinding and suddenly. In the alleys, in the museums and oratories of the Contrada, the spiritual songs of the Palio evoke very ancient rituals and modern allegories. Siena is also the Cathedral, the Libreria Piccolomini and the prestigious Accademia Chigiana; the enormous Medicean fortress that on the inside, at the Enoteca Italiana, harbors the most precious wines of Siena, Tuscany and the peninsula; sweet-smelling Trattorias, sweet spices and the sounds of the artisans. And these are the reasons why "Siena opens up its heart more than any other place".

SAN GIMIGNANO

The towered silhouette of San Gimignano rising from the hills of the Upper Elsa Valley, facing the land of Volterra and positioned right on one of the most important stretches of the mediaeval Via Francigena, is famous all over the world.
A similar renown can also be claimed by its Vernaccia wine, recently awarded the D.O.C.G., the highest acknowledgement and guarantee for quality in Italian oenology. Among the numerous activities and cultural events, the prestigious international festival which is held in the month of July should be noted.

MONTERIGGIONI

Land of the noble families of Staggio during the middle of the 1100s, it asserted itself as a Sienese castle for the garrison troops during the war with Florence. In 1554 it was conquered by the army of the Medici and became part of the historical events that took place in Tuscany. A precious and well preserved Medieval town where you feel the atmosphere of that period in the little square, the fortifications and the parish church that has maintained its Gothic Romanesque structure. To visit: the impressive city walls.

COLLE VAL D'ELSA

Spread over three gradients, Borgo, Castello and Piano (the Borough, Castle and Plain), Colle di Val d'Elsa is famous today for its production of fine handcrafted crystal, but it is also an important tourist destination. The Borough is entered through the monumental Porta Nova and winds its long and narrow way in a sequence of fine 16th and 17th-century noble houses to the magnificent, though unfinished, Palazzo Campana, which marks the entry to the Castle, the oldest part of Colle.
Here, the atmosphere suddenly changes: narrow paved lanes, fascinating tower-houses (amongst these stands the one where Amolfo di Cambio was born), steeply sloping streets and flights of steps. Piazza del Duomo is overlooked by the Cathedral and the picturesque Via delle Volte, the most characteristic corner of the town.