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

Pienza, Siena territory

When I first went to Pienza, it was winter and a terrific wind blowed along the roads.. so I couln’t deeply appreciate the beauty of the place.

The second time, it was spring.. and I found it one of the most interesting places to visit in the south of Tuscany, both because of the archistecture of the place and because of the splendid countryside around it!

I suggest a walk in this beautiful town.

The Pecorino Cheese is typical of Pienza.  The place where I always buy it, are two shops with a lot of kinds of Pecorino cheese, between Pienza and Montepulciano:

Fattoria Buca Nuova
Via Primo Maggio, 4
53026 Pienza (SI)
Telefono + 39 0578 748350

Fattoria Buca Nuova
Strada per Pienza, 34
53045 Montepulciano (SI)
Telefono +39 0578 758338

The website is the following: www.fattoriabucanuova.it but unfortunately, it is only in Italian.

I find also the same products by Coop Buonconvento but there is not all the variety.

tuscan countryside

If you’re planning to visit Murlo, a very little medieval village in the south of Siena territory, I suggest you to stop at the Pizzeria dell’Arco.

It is better to book!

I suggest you to book a table ouside on the terrace, both opened (in spring or summer months) or closed but not inside.. I don’t like it inside.

The place is very pleasant, with a very nice view on the hills, quiet and the food is good and not expensive: I suggest you to eat Antipasto dell’Arco (a mix of typical siennese antipasti/ starters /  hors d’oeuvres) and then follow with Pici, for example..

As usual, I suggest you to drink “vino della casa” which is always good and not too expensive..

Buon appetito and …let me know, if you appreciated the place!

Pizzeria dell’Arco

Piazza delle Carceri, 13

53016 Murlo (Siena)

039 0577 811092

murlo

I think that the territory of Murlo is simply the most beautiful in Tuscany  and that a walk in the medieval Castle of Murlo is obliged.

The Castle of Murlo  is really small and pictoresque: you can do a walk in its pictoresque roads, visit the Museo Etrusco and have a lunch or dinner at the Pizzeria dell’Arco, it is really a pleasant place, not too expensive with good food.  If you’re planning to go there, I  suggest you to book a table outside in the terrace or not to go..

After lunch you can do a walk around the castle walls …

A magnific territory and a pictoresque village!

Monte Oliveto Abbey, Le Crete senesi

Tour of the Crete + Abbazia di Monte Oliveto

a tour with beautiful views (from Buonconvento,

pasing through Asciano,

to Siena) with the deviation for the Abbey of Monte Oliveto

(and guided tour of the abbey with peintings of the Sodoma)

and a stop for lunch in Chiusure

by the very little and typical Trattoria Paradiso

Type of tour: driving tour

Monte Oliveto Abbey

Best period: spring

Interesting points:

driving tour -landscapes

Monte Oliveto Maggiore:

peinture, religious point,

shopping, cantine tour,

restaurant

Chiusure: pictoresque bourg,

osteria

Sant'Antimo Abbey, Montalcino (Siena territory)

Yesterday we went to visit Sant’Antimo Abbey: it is a beautiful romanic abbey of high historical and artistical value, wll known for the monchs’ gregorian chants.

I found the visit really interesting and the place itself is really beautiful! I strongly suggest a visit and afterwards, a walk in the nice medieval village of Castelnuovo dell’Abate.

Sant'Antimo Abbey, Montalcino (Siena territory)

Visit the website of Sant’Antimo Abbey: there is a lot of material

both in Italian and in English:

www.antimo.it

Pic Nic in the Amiata Mountain

Especially in the summer, we suggest you to take one day time for a pic nic in the beautiful beech forest of the Amiata mountain (2000 mt hight!). It is one of the biggest beech forest in Europe, someone says it is the biggest one and offers you a magical environment, fresh air, plenty of space, equipped areas for barbeques and a tick network of paths. In the forest it is also possible to look for mushrooms.

It is astonishing to find such a particular mountain place at 15 minutes from the sweet hilly landscape of the Siena territory and Orcia Valley!

The only beautiful village on the Amiata Mountain is Piancastagnaio

suggested activity: pic-nic

best period: summer

interesting points: walks, summer pic-nics in the fresh air and under trees shadow, winter sky