Visiting the highlights of Tuscany is clearly something you have to do when coming to our beautiful region, but what if you decide to look for something off the beaten path? Well, there’s a lot to say about it too. Today we’re going to talk about four non-touristic villages which will let you experience the authenticity of our region.
Petroio
Our journey starts in Petroio, a small borgo close to Siena. Surrounded by olive trees, vineyards and green fields, Petroio lays on a hill and has a cone-shaped structure. You can walk through a coiled street to reach the top of the hill and enjoy the stunning landscape in front of you. Petroio is well-known for its production of terracotta, having a museum about this famous tradition. Petroio is indeed also called the “capital of terracotta” and it’s a real open-air museum. The potters are important people in the city because they keep the secrets of the local handicraft and, thanks to this special material, they can create unique objects you can bring home as a memory.
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Castelmuzio
3 km away from Petroio is home of Castelmuzio, another Medieval borgo which will leave you speachless. This Etruscan/Roman village has remained intact through the centuries and presents a fortified castle whose walls are made of tuff. Castelmuzio can be found on a hill too and overlooks the Trove green valley and Monte Lecceto. It’s a real piece of history: the entrance door, for instance, still has the old furniture, which has never been replaced. The machicolations used to fire stones to the enemies close by the walls are still visible too. Castelmuzio is a short walk and all the most interesting buildings can be found in the main square: the tower that hosts Palazzo Fratini, the Spedale di San Giovanni Battista and the Confraternita della SS. Trinità e di San Bernardino (a place where pilgrims found a bed where to sleep at night while they where walking through the Via Francigena). Something interesting about Castelmuzio is also that it is said to be the best EVO oil producer of all Tuscany! A good reason to have a look around the village, isn’t it?
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Montisi
The next village we want to share with you is 3 km away from the previous one. We’re talking about Montisi, a small Medieval town in the middle of nature. In Montisi time has stopped, and the life of its citizen is quiet and simple. Flowers decore every balcony and getting lost through the narrow streets will make you feel like you were in the Middle Ages. The best thing you can do here is going to one of the small restaurants in the centre and try some authentic Tuscan food, very different from the touristic dishes you find in bigger cities.
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Trequanda
The last stop is in Trequanda, just 6 km from Montisi and on the border between Val d’Orcia, Val d’Asso and Val di Chiana. This town was very important in the past: it was indeed considered the glass factory of Granducato di Toscana, but it produced brick, silk and hats too. A real trade centre of the antique times!
Would you like to visit these off-the-beaten-path villages? Contact our tailor-made section: we will plan a unique experience just for you and your beloved ones!
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