Sovana: archeo - trekking of Via Cava of San Sebastian

After visiting the first sector of the necropolis (Road Ildebranda, Tomb Hildebrand), I suggest you to walk on the footpath running along the road SP22 towards Sovana. After about two hundred meters you reach the second sector of the necropolis that includes the Church of San Sebastiano, the Tomb of the Mermaid (Tomba della Sirena), the Tombs in Semidado and the Via Cava di San Sebastiano.

It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and sports clothes.

Journey time: approx 30 minutes

Difficulty: Medium (not accessible to the disabled)

Pass the river Calesini on a wooden bridge and continue behind the church of San Sebastian on a rather steep path up to a junction on the right you reach the Via Cava di San Sebastiano on the left, while the route allows a visit to the monumental tombs of Semidado and Tomb shrine of the Mermaid, where the route ends.

Sorano: archeo - trekking by Vitozza etruscan settlement

To reach the archeological settlement of Vitozza in the countryside, you have to drive to San Quirico, a fraction of the most populous town of Sorano, which is about 5 km from this archeological settlement.

When you arrive in the main square of San Quirico, there are two options: you can leave the car there and continue on foot following the indications or, you can drive until you reach the parking lot of the sports field and continue on foot.

It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and sports clothing.

Journey time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes

Difficulty: Medium (not accessible to the disabled)

To reach the settlement itself, you have to walk about 1 mile through a shady and flat trail. Once you get to the guesthouse (masonry building),  along the right side and behind it there is a crossroads: you can choose both paths because it is a ring circuit. Following the path upwards, you reach the ruins of the castle1, and the ruins of the Chiesaccia and the Castle2, the Colombari and the caves. Following the flat path you visit the caves, the 2nd castle, the Chiesaccia, the columbaria and 1 castle. From the Columbaria starts a not equipped path leading to the Sant’Angiolino area and the headwaters of the River Lente.

Sovana: archeo-trekking in the Route Ildebranda

On the Strada Statale 22 (road 22), about a mile after Sovana towards San Martino sul Fiora – Saturnia, on the right side of the street is the parking lot near the access to the first sector of the Etruscan necropolis, where are located the monumental tombs: Ildebranda (Hildebrand), Demoni Alati (Winged Demons), Pola (Pula), Tifone (Typhon) and the Vie Cave (typical etruscan roads cut into the tufa): the Via Cava of Cavone and Via Cava of Poggio Prisca.

It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and sports clothing.

This visit needs ca. 40 minutes

Open: from may to october

Difficulty: Medium (not accessible to the disabled)

Just past the ticket, follow the path left uphill to a fork, keep left here some steps you ride in dirt and still leads the monumental tombs of the most important, first of all the Tomb Ildebranda.

Continuing on the path you can admire the Tomb of the Winged Demons (the latest discovery) and the Tomb of Pula. From here you can go back and follow the signs for the Via Cava di Poggio Prisco and the Tomb of the Typhon.

Again reached the ticket proceeds will go to the left in the most important Via Cava: The Via Cava of Cavone. We recommend a visit to the swastika and the Etruscan inscription engraved on the left wall and indicated by a stone panel leaflet.

Website: www.leviecave.it

(only in Italian language)

winter in Tuscany

Every year, around december 8th, in the medieval village of San Quirico d’Orcia, there is the Festival of Oil

If you love tuscan extra virgin olive oil with its strong taste (as I do!!), I suggest you to plan a visit in Tuscany in this period and, why not? to do a walk for the streets of San Quirico during the Festival of Oil… there you will have the possibility of tasting the delicious Fettunta (Fettunta is a bread slice with new extra virgin olive oil and salt) It is so simple… and so special.

I have to be honest: I  normally don’t find the celebrations themselves  exceptionally wonderful … but in any case,  San Quirico is so cozy, the Orcia Valley is so magnificent, food and wine here are -as usual-  superlatives… and december is a nice opportunity for tasting tuscan recipes and extra virgin olive oi, in particular, at its best, when it’s new! (because you as you know, for oil it is not valid the rules of red wine and the freshest is the oil, the best is for the taste)

Here is the program of Festival of Oil 2010:

Festival of Oil 2010 San Quirico d’Orcia

Saturday, December 4

10.00 a. m. – City Center - Opening Stand

10.30 a. m. – Palazzo Chigi – Opening of exhibition “The oil in the landscape of Val d’Orcia” with drawings and writings made by secondary school children of San Quirico d’Orcia

10.30 a.m. – Palazzo Chigi – Opening of exhibition “In Val d’Orcia chasing butterflies and dreams …” Photos by Tiziana Bindi

10.45 a.m.  – Oil Trekking - walking in San Quirico d’Orcia discovering the secrets of bruschetta with oil and olive oil tasting at the new park Carlo Sorbellini

11.00 a.m. – Piazza della Libertà – issuance and cancellation of special post stamp “2010 Oil Festival” in collaboration with Poste Italiane

3.30 p.m. – Palazzo Chigi - oil-based massages

3.30 p.m. – Old Town – Street Band in concert

4.00 p.m. - Palazzo Chigi – Laboratory of creative entertainment for children

9.30 p.m. – Piazza della Libertà – CAMILLOCROMO in concert

Sunday, December 5

10.00 a. m. – City Center - Opening Stand

10.45 a.m.  – Oil Trekking - walking in San Quirico d’Orcia discovering the secrets of bruschetta with oil and olive oil tasting at the new park Carlo Sorbellini

3.30 p.m. – Old Town – EXTRA DIXIE JAZZ BAND in concert

3.30 p.m. – Palazzo Chigi - oil-based massages

4.00 p.m. - Palazzo Chigi – Laboratory of creative entertainment for children

4.30 p.m.  – Piazza della Libertà – Ceremony of the “As good as Oil” prize reserved to farms producing olive oil. Jury  formed by specialized journalists of Wine and Food

Ore 6.00 p.m.  – Palazzo Chigi – Mini wine tasting course – by Giampiero Cresti, OTA

MONDAY ‘December 6

10.00 a.m. – City Center – Opening Stand

TUESDAY ‘December 7

10.00 a.m. – Old Town – opening stand

4.00 p.m. – traveling the great puppet show

WEDNESDAY ‘December 8

10.00 a.m. – Old Town Opening Stand

2.30 p.m. – Old Town – Entertainment with the Company of the DUO and Trescone MOTOFOLK

3.30 p.m. – Palazzo Chigi - oil-based massages

4.00 p.m. – Palazzo Chigi – the extra virgin 2010 “The City of San Quirico d’Orcia rewards the memory of the Mayor of Pollica Angelo Vassallo. Withdraw the award on his son, Antonio Vassallo

6.00 p.m. – Palazzo Chigi – Mini wine tasting course – by Giampiero Cresti, OTA

During the festival of oil (Festa dell’Olio) in the historic center of San Quirico d’Orcia you can taste the best products of Orcia Valley and all oil excellences of the Siena territory.

The Italian Operatic Experience

Tonight I’ve discovered a very interesting opportunity for all those singers and collaborative pianists wishing to live a really rare experience of international study in the beautiful Tuscany: the Italian Operatic Experience.

It is a summer international school located in Montecatini Terme offering 5 weeks programs specially adressed to singers and collaborative pianists, with daily classes for refining all aspects of the critical skills needed to expand educational development, “bridging-the-gap” from young amateur singer/pianists to young professional artists in opera.

All singers and accompanists receive individual instruction in vocal technique, Italian language, and culture, lyric diction for the stage, styles and performance practice, movement and character development.

I will let you know more about this school because I really think that studying music and the opera is a very deep, lively way of knowing one of the best sides of Italy and its culture..

The Italian Operatic Experience

web site

Don Giovanni, Opera at San Galgano, Chiusdino (Siena)

Since many years, in the summer, the Abbey of San Galgano is the location of concerts in collaboration with the renomate siennese Chigiana Academy. In the scenic open air Cathedral of San Galgano, under a blanket of stars, take place every summerlays, operas, concerts, musicals and ballets.

Inside the Abbey, 800 seats to accommodate the public.

Performances at the Abbey of San Galgano start at 9.00 p.m.

Bookings/tickets: Ph. 0039 055 5978308/ 0039 055 5978309

For more informations and the programme:

Opera Festival

Multipromo Opera festival

via San Francesco, 3

50014 Fiesole (Fi)

info@festivalopera.it

web site

Piscina of Camping Le Soline, Casciano di Murlo (Siena)

If it is summer and you wish to dip in a  pool…  I suggest you to go to Camping Le Soline in Casciano di Murlo (Siena). This swimming pool in the area of Murlo is big and has a beautiful panoramic position …

Of course you can choose to stay in the camping with your tent, roulotte or camper or in a bungalow but you can also go there just for their swimming pool paying a daily ticket for the swimming pool. Last year the price was 7,50 euro/per person and you can stay there the whole day. In the camping there are also a café and a restaurant.

This is a great idea especially if you’ve got children and you want to let them play in the water for a day..:-))

Swimming pools of Camping Le Soline

web site

Horse riding, Siena, Tuscany

When people ask me, if they can do some horse riding I always suggest to call Giorgio, wherever he is at the moment (and at the moment I think he should always be by Fattoria Casa Bianca…) but it is not necessary the accomodation at the Fattoria  for  horse riding with him.

He is a real chavalier, a patented instructor, he is born in the territory and knows and loves very much the territory and he’s very very nice! Let’s book a walk with horses for you and your friends / family with him… and then tell me! you can book only a morning / afternoon or a whole day with stop at an osteria.. he knows a lot of places and will show you the real Toscana: if you love horse riding or wish to try, do not hesitate!

Giorgio Ciacci

Handy: 0039 338 40 76 001

if there is the voicemail message, leave a message : he will call you back!

]]> http://www.inlovewithtuscany.com/horseriding-in-the-siena-territory.html/feed 0 43.1124992 11.3367224 http://www.inlovewithtuscany.com/forza-mens-sana-basket.html http://www.inlovewithtuscany.com/forza-mens-sana-basket.html#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:33:20 +0000 admin http://www.inlovewithtuscany.com/?p=372

If you love basket,  maybe you already know, that in Siena there is a wonderful basket team: the Mens Sana Basket! at the moment, I think it is the strongest italian basket team.

It is sponsored by the siennese bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

In the past, I had the opportunity of knowing the President (Minucci), both the previous coach (Recalcati) and the knew coach (Simone Pianigiani) and many of the players: they are really a great team…

Maybe, if you are in Siena and wish to see a nice show and an even nicer cheering stadium, you can check if there is a basketball game at the Mens Sana Palace in the period in which you’re there…

Mens Sana Basket

web site

Greve in Chianti, market on wednesday

If you love to go to the market, I suggest you to go on wednesday in Greve in Chianti in the main square Piazza Matteotti. It is pictoresque and funny and then you can go to the historical butcher Antica Macelleria Falorni in Piazza Matteotti.