Tuscany: Arezzo province and the Siena area

So happy the forum reopened last October!!! I’ve started reading again (posts, travel journals) and chiming in on a few discussions. Now I’m stepping it up by writing a new travel journal—I’ve already posted a few between 2018 and 2020.

My latest trip was to Italy from August 27 to September 26, 2024. As the title says, it was a wander through Tuscany in parts of the region that aren’t the most visited. No Firenze-Siena-Pisa trilogy, no San Gimignano; there’ll be a quick detour into Siena, but I’ll skip the best-known sights. That choice, plus traveling in September, should help dodge overtourism. It worked out—crowds were light, sometimes very light, the whole way. Here’s the practical rundown: - a long trip outside peak season (ah, retirees!) - solo camping (caravan) - a mix of activities (hiking, mountain biking, sightseeing) in places that aren’t always packed with tourists. Still, I don’t feel like I ended up in some hidden-away spots. Not sure if this will draw any readers.

DAY 1: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 The heat was intense on the drive in across the plain; two big storms—more rain and hail than lightning and thunder—threw the weather off, the first near Imola, the second on the four-lane road up the Savio valley. I left the Cesena-Roma four-lane at the Verghereto exit and climbed up to Balze (1,100 meters). The campsite is even higher (1,200 meters), in the forest near the source of the Tevere (Tiber). Staying up here will cut down on driving for the first part of the trip: a route through the Appennino (Apennines) on the border between Toscana and Emilia-Romagna. The temperature was surprisingly mild for the altitude, the air thick with moisture by late afternoon. I drove back down from the campsite to Balze (2 km on the road) to grab groceries (it’s doable) and scout tomorrow’s hike. .

The endpoint of the planned hike is just a few meters from this sign (the trail crosses this road about 3 km from Balze). I realized Balze and the source of the Tevere (Tiber) are actually in Emilia-Romagna, not Toscana. I always thought the Tevere (Tiber), which flows toward Roma (Tyrrhenian side), started in Toscana! I’ll come back to this quirk in Day 3’s write-up.

I'm a fan of the white roads of Crete Senesi and Val d'Orcia. I'll definitely be following this trip with great interest...

Hi Noëlle, I’m giving a nuanced answer here: yes, there will be walks in the "Crete Senesi" toward the end of the trip, but no to the Val d'Orcia since I stayed within a 30 km radius around Siena, and the Val d'Orcia is a bit farther south.

Day 2: Wednesday, August 28, 2024

The weather is perfect; off we go for a hike from "Passo di Viamaggio (970 meters)" to "regional boundary near Balze (around 1,000 meters)". The hike starts on a road up to another pass (Passo di Frassinetto); then I climb through a wood on a trail that reaches a grassy hillside. I have to cross this gently sloping hillside by eye to reach the hamlet of Valdazze. I arrive just as the postman is passing by—Italian mail delivers to even the most remote spots. From the hamlet, a drivable track leads near a tower (like a TV relay) that’s very close to "Monte della Zucca (1,260 meters)", the highest point of the hike. There should be remnants of the Gothic Line at the summit. The Gothic Line was a German defensive line set up during the summer of 1944 to stop the Allies’ advance toward northern Italy. It roughly stretched from Massa-Carrara to Rimini, making the most of the terrain. Actually, all I saw was a tiny trench covered in humus and leaves. The descent, a bit trickier than the climb, follows a ridge that curves in a large arc to the finish. The path only goes back up for the last 500 meters to reach the road. From this ridge, you can see the village of Balze (zoomed-in photo).



The hike ends at the regional boundary sign photographed yesterday. In the photo below, you can see the end of the large arc that crosses the ravined areas in light gray (the lower part of the descent).



I still have to bike back to pick up my car at the hike’s starting point.

The hike (5 hours of walking, breaks included for me, route between 900 and 1,300 meters in altitude, heat tempered by the elevation, not a single hiker encountered on the trail) takes place along a ridge, more or less defined, separating the Tiber basin—which flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea at Ostia—from the Marecchia basin, which flows into the Adriatic Sea at Rimini. It’s a hike along the watershed.

DAY 3: Thursday, August 29, 2024

Hike: regional border near Balze - locality "I Sassoni".

From yesterday’s hike endpoint, I head up to the "poggio dei 3 vescovi" (hill of the three bishops). The landscape is open with hay meadows and/or pastures. The places named "poggio" (hill, knoll) on maps are high points characterized in this part of the Apennines by open landscapes. They differ from the mountains (the peaks), which are higher and, in contrast, covered in forest, thus associated with a closed landscape (background of the photo).



The trail then continues toward Balze, with the upper Tiber Valley on the left, flowing toward the hamlet of Colorio, then Valsavignone and Pieve Santo Stefano.



At the edge of Balze, the trail climbs, reaches the top of the cliffs (see yesterday’s photo), and enters a forest—a beech forest I won’t leave for the rest of the day.



The trail passes by a waterfall on the Tiber, just a trickle of water, goes around the campsite, and arrives at a parking lot. Here begins the section leading to the source of the Tiber: the trail is well-maintained, busy, and winds through a magnificent beech forest. Near the source, a stele has been erected in the center of a small basin "to the glory of the river" (translated inscription: "Here is born the sacred river of Rome’s destiny"). The structure dates back to 1934; you can see an imperial eagle and wolf heads, symbols from Roman antiquity reused extensively during the Fascist period.



The river’s flow at the basin’s exit is quite weak at the end of August.



The pass (Passo Fumaiolo, 1350 meters) is nearby; you reach the road where there’s a hotel-restaurant, plenty of parking spaces, and lots of people enjoying the cool mountain air (a few fir trees among the beeches in this area). I take two detours (not very interesting), one to climb up to "Monte Fumaiolo" (1408 meters), the other to visit a small ski resort. I think it’s worth mentioning in the past tense because I saw a ski lift gate that no longer seems operational, and the ascent trail overgrown with shrubs. There might still be cross-country skiing opportunities and definitely snowshoeing options on the trail network. I then continue downhill through the beech forest to the place called "I Sassoni" at the forest’s edge.

I come back to what surprised me on Day 1: the Tiber (Tevere) has its source in Emilia-Romagna, not Tuscany. Today, I learned why. Well, that wasn’t the case before the Fascist period. Mussolini was Romagnol (born in Romagna), and for a few kilometers, the Tiber’s source was in Tuscany. He must have wanted to associate the Tiber and Il Duce (grandeur, etc.—megalomania) by making them "born" in the same region! Since he couldn’t change Mussolini’s birthplace or the Tiber’s source location, he changed the administrative regional borders! A personal decision by Mussolini. I don’t know the details of this story—I heard it on the spot.

Day 4: Friday, August 30, 2024 Hike: place known as "I Sassoni" – Verghereto.

The view from "I Sassoni" (the name of the place likely comes from the huge rocks in the foreground) is clear; I’ve just left the beech forest on the Adriatic side, and the valley you can make out several kilometers away is the Savio Valley. The more distant ridge (Alpe di Serra) marks the boundary between the two regions.



Today’s hike is mostly downhill; there won’t be any beech forests since the altitude is too low. After about an hour of walking, the trail reaches a gullied area: the "marne di Montecoronaro" (or calanchi di Verghereto).



The path runs just to the right of the ridge and leads to a viewpoint above the village of Montecoronaro: the Madonnina del Crestone.



If you look closely (above the center of the photo), you can spot the village of Verghereto (the hike’s endpoint). You’ll notice that these badlands are common in this part of the Apennines on this side (Romagna); the same goes for the other side (Tuscany). The descent continues along the trail to the village (Montecoronaro), then on the road to the pass (valico di Montecoronaro).



This is where, on the Via Tiberina, travelers crossed from the Tyrrhenian side to the Adriatic side between Rome and Ravenna (SS3bis, or Strada Statale 3bis). The route between Pieve Santo Stefano and Bagno di Romagna (a mountain road) never allowed heavy traffic, so it became a provincial road. The SS3bis is now a dual-carriageway that crosses the mountain via a series of tunnels and viaducts; directly above the pass, the SS3bis runs through a tunnel.

To reach Verghereto, the trail descends, passes near another gullied area, crosses the Savio (dry at this time), then climbs back up to the village, which is the main town of the commune (800 meters above sea level).

Day 5: Saturday, August 31, 2024

Hike: Verghereto - Passo dei Mandrioli.

The first kilometer of the trail is downhill to the bridge over the Savio River. From there, you’ll climb 500 meters to reach the ridge at "Passo Rotta dei Cavalli." During the ascent, a section near a ravine (recognizable by the light gray terrain) opens up the view toward Monte Comero.



A little higher up, the trail enters the forest and arrives at the mentioned pass (Passo Rotta dei Cavalli). From there, it takes about 2 to 2.5 hours of walking to reach "Passo dei Mandrioli." The trail stays close to the ridge (the watershed line) with no major climbs or descents, at an altitude between 1150 and 1250 meters. The forest covers the ridge and both slopes—a beech forest interrupted only by two small fir plantations (each about 100 meters long).



Walking for 2.5 hours (8 to 10 kilometers) with nothing but beech trees all around was an unusual experience for me—I haven’t seen anything like it in France. Accepting such a closed, wooded landscape with just one species over such a long distance isn’t something you take for granted. At times, you wonder: *Will I ever get out of here?* I found it stunning, but I can see how it might feel oppressive for some people (though I didn’t feel that way myself).

This wraps up the hiking days from the Balze campsite. The starting and ending points for the next hikes are too far away, so I’ll continue the route from Casentino (the upper Arno Valley), where I’m heading in two days.

Day 6: Sunday, September 1st

To switch things up from hiking, I’m visiting Sansepolcro in Tuscany’s Valtiberina (Tiber Valley). I have to descend about 10 km to reach the SS3bis (a dual carriageway), then drive around 20 km south. By the time I arrive, it’s already scorching, and the day will be as sweltering as the previous ones—being at 350 meters above sea level makes it feel much hotter compared to the mountains. Today, unusually, the cathedral bell tower is open to visitors, which gives a great view showing just how small the town is. The main square (Piazza Torre di Berta) is already set up with bleachers for the "Palio della balestra," a historical reenactment featuring a crossbow competition taking place next Sunday.

The duomo (cathedral) houses a rare crucifix, the "Volto Santo," dating back to the Carolingian era. In the 8th century, Christ is depicted wearing a tunic.



While wandering around, I come across the entrance to the ABOCA Museum, a museum themed around "plants and health." A tree has been placed inside a dodecahedron—is this an illustration of the relationship between nature and mathematics, or perhaps a tribute to the town’s famous son, whose birthplace is just a hundred meters away?



Piero della Francesca was born in the early Quattrocento (around 1410?) and died (in 1492) and is buried in Sansepolcro. He lived here when he wasn’t working elsewhere. His nearby birthplace reflects his family’s wealth. He was one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance but also a mathematician, known as much for his scientific work as his art during his lifetime. He may have studied polyhedra, which could explain the tribute. His hometown dedicates a museum (Museo Civico) to him, housed in a historic building, the "Palazzo della Residenza." This museum holds major works by Piero della Francesca. We’ll start with his portrait, painted by Santi di Tito (a painter born in Sansepolcro) in the second half of the Cinquecento, long after Piero della Francesca’s death, so it’s based on other paintings, drawings, or engravings. Santi di Tito depicted the scholar and humanist more than the painter.



The first major work by Piero della Francesca in this museum is the Polyptych of the Misericordia. Its creation spanned about ten years, starting in 1445. Since the polyptych was dismantled, the panels have been arranged to reconstruct it.



The central panel features the Virgin with her mantle open and arms outstretched (a symbol of protection).



Finally, the panel just to the left of the central one, depicting Saint John the Baptist.



More to come later...

Day 6: Sunday, September 1st (continued)

Here’s a detached fresco depicting San Giuliano, discovered in a church in Sansepolcro in the 20th century. This San Giuliano is richly dressed, in the style of the Quattrocento; all the Saint Juliens recognized by the Church lived much earlier, but Piero della Francesca drew inspiration from the society of his time.



The second major work by Piero della Francesca is *The Resurrection of Christ* (1463); it was painted here, on a wall of the great hall (or council chamber) of the Palazzo della Residenza, a civic building.



Two close-ups: one of Christ, one of a soldier.





And now, for a bit of fun—it’s said that Piero della Francesca included a self-portrait in each of these two major works. See if you can spot them... I didn’t find them in person at the museum, but I’ve chosen photos that make the search easier, in my opinion. Solution tomorrow on Day 7.

During my visit to Sansepolcro, I focused on Piero della Francesca’s paintings, but I also saw other things I haven’t mentioned. I preferred taking the traditional Via Tiberina over the expressway on the way back. Between Sansepolcro and Pieve Santo Stefano, it overlooks Lake Montedoglio (and the expressway, glimpsed in the photo), an artificial reservoir created about forty years ago for irrigation and downstream water supply.

Day 7: Monday, September 2, 2024

The self-portraits of Piero della Francesca. In "The Resurrection of Christ," you can see the faces of two of the four soldiers guarding the tomb. I’ve zoomed in on the one on the left, bareheaded. If we look closely at his face and then move to the central panel of the Polyptych of Mercy, under the Virgin’s mantle on the left side, we find the male figures. Only one has his face turned toward the viewer (almost full-on), and his features match those of the bareheaded soldier asleep in front of Christ’s tomb. Here are Piero della Francesca’s two self-portraits.

Today, I’m changing campsites. I’m heading to the Casentino (upper Arno Valley) via Pieve Santo Stefano, Chiusi della Verna, and Bibbiena. Since I’ll be doing more sightseeing than hiking in the Casentino, staying at a campsite in the valley seems better than one up in the hills. I find a spot in Pianacci, on the edge of Bibbiena and Soci. I try to head up into the hills in the afternoon, but it’s raining, so I don’t push it. Instead, I head down to the valley to Poppi, where the Castle of the Counts Guidi is located. The village is built on a hill near the Arno River. As soon as I enter the old part of town, I find myself in the main square, occupied by the Oratory of the Madonna del Morbo (protection against the plague).



A street leads up to the top of the hill in front of the castle, a large quadrangle with a tower (rebuilt in the 19th century) and a protruding entrance. This façade has a slight resemblance to the Palazzo Vecchio: Arnolfo di Cambio worked here before designing the palace in Firenze.



Elegant bifora windows.



A grand staircase—or rather, a set of staircases and 15th-century galleries—connects the different levels from the courtyard.



The upper floor houses a beautiful reception hall, the festival salon. A significant library, created in the 19th century, contains many old books. Its display cases feature an original edition of Diderot and d’Alembert’s *Encyclopédie* (is this a rotating exhibit?). The Chapel of the Counts Guidi was frescoed by Taddeo Gaddi. He painted "The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple" (mid-14th century) on this wall.



I finish the visit by climbing to the top of the tower. Downstream, about 5 km away, is Bibbiena; upstream (photo), at the same distance, is Pratovecchio. Closer, at the foot of Poppi’s hill, lies a small plain: the site of the Battle of Campaldino (1289), where the Florentines (Guelphs) faced the Aretines (Ghibellines) and emerged victorious.



Leaving the castle, I stay on Poppi’s hill and follow Via Cavour (with its arcades) to the abbatial church of San Fedele, visible in the photo above. The interior has a Romanesque appearance, achieved by removing Baroque additions to restore its presumed original look (20th-century restoration). Among the notable artworks (poor photo quality), there’s a "Madonna and Child Enthroned" (circa 1280) by an anonymous painter known as the "Maestro della Maddalena." Jesus is depicted as an adult, not a child—a symbolic choice I’ve never seen before, and I’m not sure what it means.



Back to Pianacci.

Day 8: Tuesday, September 3, 2024

The weather is sunny and warm in the valley, which will be pleasant at higher altitudes. I’ll resume my hike and split the day into two parts: morning from Passo dei Mandrioli to Badia Prataglia, and afternoon from Badia Prataglia to Prati della Penna. Starting at "Passo dei Mandrioli" (the pass), the trail descends through the forest on the Tuscan side—still beech trees, then a fir forest, and then beech trees again.



It leads to a sawmill by the road, and the rest of the way to Badia Prataglia (the village) is on the road. After lunch, I set off again from Badia Prataglia. I climb for about twenty minutes in the sun before reaching a beech forest that covers the entire area up to "Passo Fangacci" (a refuge or forest cabin).



You can drive up to this pass from Badia Prataglia (partly paved road, partly dirt). There’s still half an hour of walking left, still through the forest. The trail switches to the Romagna side, which is steeper. It arrives at another pass, clear of the forest—like a big meadow: Prati della Penna.

Day 9: Wednesday, September 4, 2024

The beautiful weather is drawing me back to the mountains for a hike. Today’s climb to yesterday’s endpoint (Prati della Penna) takes a different route that passes through Camaldoli. Camaldoli is a monastery in the forest (about 800 meters altitude) and a hermitage in the forest (about 1,100 meters altitude). The forest is part of the Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona, and Campigna National Park, established about thirty years ago (Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi). Since I’m coming up from the valley, I reach the monastery first. There are so few people that the tours before the 11:15 AM one were canceled today... so I join the late-morning guided tour. While waiting, the foresteria (monastery guesthouse) is open to explore, with its two cloisters.



The guided tour takes us through the cloister, the church (dei Santi Donato e Ilariano), and the convent buildings (Chapel of the "Madonna del conforto" (Virgin of Comfort), ante-sacristy, sacristy, monks’ choir, refectory, etc.). Giorgio Vasari stayed at the monastery starting in 1537, at the age of 26. He came here (to the countryside) during a period of depression following the assassination of Alessandro de’ Medici by his cousin Lorenzo de’ Medici (Lorenzaccio). Introduced to court life in Firenze, he knew both of them. The monks commissioned works from him during his stay. Between 1539 and 1540, he painted the "Deposition of the Cross," the central panel of the main altar’s altarpiece. During the church’s 18th-century restructuring, the painting retained its prominent place.



A close-up of the Virgin Mary’s group at the foot of the Cross.



The pharmacy has a separate entrance. Inside, besides the shop, you’ll find beautiful cabinets, many utensils, and in the chapel, another Vasari painting, "The Agony in the Garden."



The forest area around the monastery—and the hermitage—is a fir plantation established and maintained by the monks. It’s the only part of the forest where I saw a large area wooded with a species other than beech. I have a picnic near the hermitage but don’t visit it, mistakenly thinking it wasn’t open to the public. I set off on a short hiking loop starting at "Prati della Penna" (yesterday’s endpoint). I descend through the forest to the hermitage, then the trail climbs back up to the ridge separating the two slopes (Tuscan and Romagnol). When I reach the ridge, the weather changes quickly, and it starts raining. I find shelter—a poor one under the beech trees (no nearby cabin)—until the shower passes. I get pretty wet but not soaked to the bone. After the rain stops, I decide not to go further and return to the starting point by following the ridge, descending back to "Prati della Penna."



This pass is a large clearing in the forest, but it’s not enough to open up the landscape to more distant horizons.

Day 10: Thursday, September 5, 2024

I start by heading to Bibbiena (the largest town in the Casentino) to pick up some tourist information and take a quick tour of the town, strolling through the streets of the historic center, lined with numerous "palazzi". Palazzo Marcucci-Mazzoleni: decoration above the windows (Seicento).



I enter the "Propositura dei Santi Ippolito e Donato" (a church with special privileges ) with a beautiful interior that houses several works of art, including a triptych by Bicci di Lorenzo (1435).



The main street in Bibbiena is named (via Dovizi) after the eponymous cardinal who lived during the Renaissance and had the building constructed: Palazzo Dovizi, early Cinquecento.



I then take the road to Chiusi della Verna, passing through it to climb up to the Sanctuary of La Verna (Santuario della Verna), a place linked to Saint Francis of Assisi. We’re in the mountains, at over 1,100 meters above sea level, in the "Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi" (at the southern edge of the national park). Among the many hikes you can do, you can go to Monte Penna, but I stay within the sanctuary. From the square (called "Il Quadrante"), you can see the porch and the bell tower of the small church "Santa Maria degli Angeli" as well as the buildings of the old part of the monastery. Construction of this church began during the lifetime of Saint Francis of Assisi, or so it’s said.



It contains an enameled terracotta by Andrea della Robbia (before 1493): Cristo in Pietà. This one is polychrome, but the della Robbias made many in blue and white. The "della Robbia" family is a family of Florentine sculptors specializing in enameled or glazed terracotta. The family workshop produced many pieces found throughout Tuscany, especially in churches.



From the square (Il Quadrante) in front of the large church, the view of the surroundings (Alpe di Catinaia) is expansive. This large church (basilica) was built later, at the end of Santa Maria degli Angeli (visible on the right); you can see the bell tower and the start of the portico.



The ceramicists of the "della Robbia" family also received commissions for the large church and other places in the sanctuary. This "Annunciation" is one of the masterpieces by Andrea della Robbia.



The portico adjoining the large church extends into a corridor called the Corridor of the Stigmata, at the end of which is the spot where Saint Francis of Assisi received the stigmata in 1224 (the miracle of the stigmata). At the entrance to the corridor, there’s another enameled terracotta, a Pietà by Santi Buglioni (1532-1535). Santi Buglioni was a ceramicist who lived after the della Robbias, in the Cinquecento.



Finally, at the end of the Corridor of the Stigmata, a chapel was built that houses another enameled terracotta by Andrea della Robbia: Crucifixion (around 1481). Its dimensions (6m x 4.20m) are such that I wonder how it was made and/or transported, then installed in situ. To be continued in the next post.

Day 10: Thursday, September 5, 2024 (continued)

After lunch in Chiusi della Verna, I head to Caprese Michelangelo (formerly Caprese), the birthplace of Michelangelo Buonarroti. Caprese had placed itself under the protection of Florence; the Republic appointed *podestàs* (citizens of Florence), who took turns every six months to administer, dispense justice, and so on. Michelangelo’s father was *podestà* in Caprese at the time of his son’s birth (March 6, 1475). On the castle grounds stands the Michelangelo Birthplace Museum, where he was born in the *podesteria* (the *podestà*’s residence), a rather beautiful building.



The *podestà* carried out his duties on the ground floor; he lived on the first floor, where Michelangelo’s birth room is located. The museum displays a triptych by Giuliano Amidei (*Madonna col Bambino*; around 1480) from an abbey in the area. The painter included a rare detail in this *"Virgin and Child"*: a cardinal flies from the child’s hands toward a cherry offered by a figure.



The museum also features documents about Michelangelo’s birth and plaster casts of some of his famous sculptures.

Now, let’s move to the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Michelangelo painted a scene on the ceiling depicting the creation of Adam.



Adam is leaning against a sloping rock with a mountain in the background. As with many works of the Italian Renaissance, art historians have studied the landscape depicted here. Some theories suggest it may be inspired by Chiusi della Verna;



This rock is just a few meters from the *podesteria* in Chiusi della Verna, with Monte Penna—near the sanctuary—and its distinctive shape in the background. Michelangelo may have drawn inspiration from a landscape in the Casentino region he knew well to paint the creation of Adam. You have to ignore the houses and vegetation around it; the resemblance is striking, and some experts wonder whether Michelangelo worked from memory or from sketches. In Chiusi della Verna, this site is called the Rock of Adam.

Just after leaving Chiusi della Verna, the road to Bibbiena passes at the foot of the sanctuary. Having been there this morning, I can identify the large church on the right and the building housing the Chapel of the Stigmata on the left.

You’re a hard one to keep up with, I must say... You visit places that are off the radar for most French tourists, and on foot, you take paths that are just as mysterious to the average person. A map with your route would’ve made this travel journal—packed with fascinating cultural details—much easier to follow. It’s like a treasure hunt; I have to ask Google where the place you’re talking about is just to see if it’s accessible from where I’m staying... But I’m hanging in there! I’m delighted to rediscover the terracotta works of the Florentine Della Robbia family, who invented glazing. I have a soft spot for the blue-and-white pieces—they really highlight the delicacy and expression of the sculptures. I restocked my photo collection at the Bargello Museum in Florence last year. As for the bird in the Madonna and Child paintings, it’s not a cardinal but a goldfinch, which symbolizes Christ’s crown of thorns because it feeds on thistles, as its name suggests. My "knowledge" on this is brand new—I’d seen so many goldfinches in paintings at the Uffizi and finally looked up why! Keep up the great work, and thanks for this original cultural journey.

Hi Noëlle, Thanks for your input. When you're writing a travel journal, you're so immersed in the places, the stages, and the whole area you've visited... that you forget the reader doesn’t have a map of Tuscany—or a more detailed one of this part of Tuscany—right next to them. I’ll try to improve the journal’s readability by including maps with routes created using Google Maps.

For the sequence of hikes, I’d planned from the start to summarize the entire route, its origin (where I found it), etc., and to do that once I’ve finished the hike. Patience—it’s coming on day 12.

For the rest, I’m catching up on the days up to day 6, meaning everything I did starting from Balze.

My way of hiking means I always cycle back via the road from the endpoint to the starting point of the hike to retrieve my car, which I leave at the starting point.

Here’s what that looks like for the route from Passo di Viamaggio to Passo dei Mandrioli (days 2 to 5). The red dot represents Passo dei Mandrioli (Google Maps doesn’t print the name of the endpoint. Why?). It’s the road route from the red dot to Passo di Viamaggio that was traveled and is shown below.



The map really shows that these are mountain roads.

Here’s the route from Balze to Sansepolcro (red dot). The Tevere (Tiber) flows due south in its upper course.



I’m adding a third map because there are only villages or mountain passes in days 1 to 6 of my journal (except for Sansepolcro, which is a small town). The red dot is Passo dei Mandrioli.



The presence of Florence, Arezzo, the Republic of San Marino, and Rimini on the map should help locate where you are in the absence of a major city.

I’ll do the same for days 7 to 10 in another post. After that, I’ll resume writing the journal, including the maps in the narrative—one map every 2 or 3 days, or even a dedicated map for certain days.

It’d be great to get some feedback so I can see what these maps add (or don’t).

I’ll provide two maps to clarify the routes for days 7 to 10.



Useful map for days 7 and 10.

Day 7. Camping accommodation between Bibbiena and Soci. The red dot marks the Castello dei Conti Guidi in Poppi. Route: Soci – Poppi and back in the afternoon.

Day 10. Route: Soci – Bibbiena – Sanctuary La Verna (Google spells it in English) – Chiusi della Verna – Caprese Michelangelo. Return via the same route, except for the stop at the sanctuary.



Useful map for days 8 and 9. Driving routes.

Day 8. The red dot is at Soci. Route: Soci – Badia Prataglia – Passo dei Mandrioli – Badia Prataglia in the morning. Route: Badia Prataglia – Rifugio Fangacci – Prati della Penna and back to Badia Prataglia in the afternoon. Return to Soci in the evening.

Day 9. Route: Soci – Camaldoli – Hermitage of Camaldoli – Prati della Penna and back.

Day 11: Friday, September 6, 2024

I started my sightseeing day in Bibbiena by visiting the archaeological museum. It's a local museum showcasing artifacts found in the Casentino (the upper Arno Valley), and I mainly focused on the Etruscan period. Some terracotta antefixes from a temple are on display, including one with a woman's head.



This is a decorative roof element (made of clay), and its position is better illustrated by a diagram than by words. The edges of the roof were decorated this way.



The other Etruscan pieces I noticed were bronze objects from the Lake of the Idols (Lago degli Idoli). This lake is located high up near the source of the Arno, and since its discovery in 1838, over 2,000 small votive bronze objects (mainly statuettes) have been recovered. It's believed the lake served as a sanctuary, but an open-air one with no trace of construction (the site has been excavated several times). No decent photos possible due to reflections in the display cases.

I continued and finished the walk through the streets I started yesterday morning. The Palazzo Vecchietti-Poltri is built on the ruins of a castle, of which only a tower remains.



A few steps away, a panoramic terrace overlooks the Casentino. You can see the Castle of Poppi (visited 4 days ago) and, in the distance, the Pratomagno mountain range.



Map for days 11 and 12.



In the afternoon, I followed the Arno Valley up to Pratovecchio. Just after the bridge over the Arno, a small road on the left leads up to the "Pieve di Romena" (Parish Church of Saint Peter), built in the 12th century in pure Romanesque style. It's set in the countryside in a lovely setting. Three naves, sculpted pillars, and an impressive apse (best visited in the morning for the lighting).



Continuing up another small road, I reached the Castle of Romena. Accessed via a cypress-lined avenue that evokes Tuscany—since I started my trip in the mountains of the Apennines, this was the first time I’d seen it on this journey—I couldn’t resist photographing it.



And I lingered a while around the castle grounds.



It sits atop an elongated hill, the summit of which was flattened to create a parade ground. At either end of the parade ground are the preserved ruins—towers that served various functions. It’s all in ruins (not much to visit), but the location is stunning, offering views of the entire valley and the mountains. You can see why the castle had strategic importance in the Middle Ages for controlling the valley. Like the Castle of Poppi, it belonged to the Counts Guidi family. In the center of the photo, you can see a block of buildings, and to the far right, behind a row of cypress trees, a prison tower separated from the previous block by the parade ground.



Back to Soci.

Day 12: Saturday, September 7, 2024

The weather is gorgeous this morning, so I’m heading out for a day of hiking in the Apennines. It’s my last hiking day, and the only one that’s an out-and-back route. The start and finish point is "Passo La Calla" (the red dot on Day 11’s map), a pass at 1,300 meters above Pratovecchio-Stia. The route is simple: the trail follows the Apennine ridge. It’s a series of climbs and descents (sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, sometimes right on the ridge) with a clear viewpoint at Poggio Scali and miles of beech forest. I hike as far as the spot where I got caught in the rain three days ago (above the Camaldoli hermitage).

The view from Poggio Scali faces the Romagna side.



The beech forest along the trail.



We’re right in the Casentino Forests National Park (parco nazionale delle foreste casentinesi). These beech forests are a UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests." I’d love to come back here in the fall (the colors change, then the leaves fall).

The round trip is pretty long but not difficult, and I got back to "Passo della Calla" early enough to visit the Wool Art Museum in Stia.

Before that, though, I’m reflecting on all the hikes I’ve done. Wanting to hike in the Apennines, I chose a tiny section of the "Sentiero Italia": a trail that runs the entire length of the Alps, then along the Apennine ridge (from Trieste all the way to the tip of Calabria).

More info at sentieroitalia.cai.it

Here are the four stages I did (I’d downloaded a GPX track): SI L02N Passo di Viamaggio - Balze SI L03N Balze - Verghereto SI L04N Verghereto - Badia Prataglia SI L05 Badia Prataglia - Passo della Calla

Since I wasn’t hiking from hotel to hotel with a backpack, I split it differently: shorter stages with bike rides along the road from the endpoint back to the start to pick up my car.

Another site with info on the "Sentiero Italia" is vasentiero.org It seems more recent and better for descriptions, maps, and accommodations. The route is in the opposite direction, with stages numbered 166, 167, 168, and 169.

The Wool Art Museum in Stia is housed in the former wool mill that operated from the mid-19th century to the second half of the 20th century. That’s what makes it so interesting—while the millennia-old craft of wool work is on display, it’s also an industrial archaeology site. I photographed machines I’d never seen anywhere else, like carding machines.

First carding machine.



Second carding machine.



These two carding machines were used one after the other in the industrial carding process. The next step in wool processing is spinning. The machine below is probably a wool-spinning machine (to be confirmed, since I didn’t find the info in my notes). The fixed frame is on the right, and the wool there looks like what comes out of the second carding machine. The mobile part (on the left) moves back and forth, guided by wheels on a rail. I didn’t see it in action and can’t quite picture what happens in the upper part.



This last machine is a warping machine. It unwinds bobbins to arrange the threads side by side and create the warp—just before weaving.



The fabric produced is "panno casentino." Its production was revived for high-end clothing (there’s a shop on-site). It has a "brushed" or "fuzzy" look, achieved with a machine called a finisher (or finishing machine) that rubs the fabric.



Oh! What a coat made of "panno casentino"! It’s the model Audrey Hepburn wore in the film "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" (1961), adapted from Truman Capote’s work. This fabric had its moment of glory.

Day 13: Sunday, September 8, 2024

I’m changing campsites to stay near Arezzo, 8 km to the west, next to the village of Ruscello. Since there’s less than 50 km between the two campsites, I’ll have the afternoon to start exploring Arezzo. During this part of the trip, I’ll visit Arezzo and the surrounding areas: the Valdichiana, a bit of the Valdarno, and a return to the Valtiberina. The red dot is Ruscello. Maps for the excursions around Arezzo will come later.



Arezzo is built on the side of a hill; a good first approach is to leisurely climb the hillside up to the main square (very well-known): Piazza Grande. It’s quadrangular and sloped (since it’s on the hillside); here it is with the "Logge Vasari" on the right (Arezzo is Vasari’s hometown) and the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici on the left.



Once you cross it, here’s the view from above along the same diagonal (at ground level).



I’ll have a chance to return on a sunnier day. When you climb to the top of the hill, you arrive next to the Duomo (Cattedrale di San Donato; Saint Donatus Cathedral). It’s a Gothic cathedral whose construction took a long time, finishing in the 20th century in the... Neo-Gothic style. Here’s an example with the chevet (end of the 13th century) and the bell tower (mid-19th century, with the upper part completed in the 20th century). The locals in Arezzo nickname it "Il Matitone" (the big pencil) because of its distinctive shape.



The interior contains many works of art; among them, I chose the Ark of Saint Donatus (Arca di San Donato), placed behind the high altar, entirely in white marble, sculpted throughout the Trecento by several artists. This monument holds the body of San Donato. Here’s the front with its profusion of scenes and pinnacles. In the background, you can glimpse the stained-glass windows of the cathedral’s chevet, a major work of Italian Renaissance stained glass (Guillaume de Marcillat, around 1525).



The back, mounted on Corinthian columns, depicts scenes from the life of San Donato.



Piero della Francesca painted a Mary Magdalene (around 1460); he must have slipped away to create this fresco, which is the only trace of him in Arezzo outside of the Church of San Francesco (see tomorrow’s post).



Finally, this statue (unknown 13th-century artist) comes from the old cathedral that was located outside the city walls.



More from the day in the next message.

DAY 13: Sunday, September 8, 2024 (continued)

Right at the foot of the steps in front of the cathedral’s façade, the episcopal palace (a beautiful 13th-century building) is open for visits, with a museum on the ground floor and the reception rooms upstairs. From the same period as the cathedral’s *Virgin and Child* (13th century), several polychrome wooden crucifixes are on display.



Among the paintings, I was struck by an *Annunciation* (Andrea di Nerio; around 1350). I often choose this subject to compare different periods and painters on a common theme.



To wrap up the museum, Giorgio Vasari, who was very attached to his hometown, painted a processional banner for the "Peducci" company (1549). On one side, the chosen subject is the preaching of Saint John the Baptist.



The reception rooms were frescoed in the early 17th century by Teofilo Torri. The one below (whose name and function I don’t recall) is adjacent to the grand Hall of Justice.



End of day 13.

Day 14: Monday, September 9, 2024

A beautiful day, not too hot, in Arezzo. I park near Pescaiola station and then get around by bike and on foot. The most famous and influential personality from Arezzo is Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574)—painter, architect, and the man who "invented" art history. He regularly returned to stay in his hometown and bought a house there, which he decorated himself (likely with some help, as was common at the time). "Casa Vasari" is therefore an artist’s home from the Renaissance, a rather rare testament to that era.

My photo choices (for the rest of the post) will be very selective and arbitrary; I’ll skip parts of monuments, or even entire monuments, to show only what remains most vivid in my memory when I write with several months of hindsight.

The Chamber of Fame and the Arts is worth seeing for its architecture and paintings (overview below).



On the ceiling, Fame, seated on a globe, blows a trumpet.



Between two lunettes decorated with portraits of painters, Poetry is absorbed in her creation.



The largest room, entirely decorated with frescoes, is the Hall of the Triumph of Virtue. At the center of the coffered ceiling, allegories of Virtue, Fortune, and Envy.



Surrounding the fresco above to complete the ceiling’s decoration, four paintings represent the four ages of life, including childhood.



Leaving "Casa Vasari," I head up toward the cathedral and quickly arrive at a square where the Church of Saint Dominic (Chiesa di San Domenico) stands. Gothic in style, it has an elegant façade, with the bell tower adding an asymmetrical touch. Inside, besides numerous frescoes, there’s a large painted crucifix by Cimabue.



In the afternoon, the flags on the tower of the Palazzo dei Priori (now the town hall) flutter in the wind (photo taken on Via Andrea Cesalpino).



More from the day in the next message.

Day 14: Monday, September 9, 2024 (continued)

A few meters further down, I’m standing in front of the Basilica of San Francesco. This church, the most famous in Arezzo, is also a national museum and houses an exceptional work: the frescoes by Piero della Francesca in the "Cappella Bacci." This chapel is named after the wealthy family who commissioned the frescoes.



The chapel’s vaults were painted by Bicci di Lorenzo, who passed away shortly after. That’s when Piero della Francesca was called in. He created a pictorial cycle illustrating the "Legend of the True Cross," the story of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Piero della Francesca didn’t arrange the scenes in chronological order; instead, he used the chapel’s symmetry to place them. For example, there are two large battle scenes, positioned symmetrically along the chapel’s axis. I’ve picked 5 frescoes and will stick to chronological order.

Adoration of the Sacred Wood and the meeting between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba arrives at a wooden bridge and kneels, sensing the prophecy tied to this wood.



The Queen of Sheba meets Solomon and shares the prophecy with him; all the figures in the scene are richly dressed in Quattrocento fashion.



The Dream of Constantine.

On the eve of the battle against Maxentius, Constantine has a dream and hears a voice telling him to fight under the protection of the Cross. A night scene that made history in the art world.



Constantine’s Victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

On the right (damaged fresco), Maxentius is already fleeing. On the left, Constantine’s army looks more like they’re parading than fighting—a spiritual victory without bloodshed?



Between the two armies, the Tiber River, where the battle takes place, is depicted in detail (houses, trees, reflections, ducks). The background landscape (with more relief) led some experts to suggest that Piero replaced the Roman countryside (the actual location) with Tuscany: the upper Tiber Valley where he was born. It’s not entirely convincing when you look at the fresco.



Discovery of the True Cross

I photographed the left half of the fresco, then the right half; the two halves depict different scenes (same principle as the first fresco I chose, Queen of Sheba and Solomon). Three crosses are unearthed in a field (I only see two); they’re presented to Helena, Constantine’s mother. The setting is the countryside with Jerusalem’s walls in the distance, but the landscape is Tuscan, and the hilltop town is Arezzo. The figure to the right of Helena and her court dwarf, dressed in white and facing the viewer, is believed to be Piero della Francesca (a self-portrait within the pictorial ensemble).



A dead man rises from his coffin, a miracle that identifies the True Cross. Now we’re in a city (architectural construction); the figures are dressed in Quattrocento fashion, as in the other scenes.



Battle Between Heraclius and Khosrow.

I’ve focused on part of this large fresco, where Christian cavalry intervene decisively in the battle.



This series of frescoes is world-renowned as an absolute masterpiece of Renaissance painting.

In the late afternoon, I cycled a stretch of the "sentiero della bonifica," which runs alongside the Valdichiana’s main drainage canal (from Chiani to I Ponti).

Wi-Fi issue fixed. I’ll get back to writing my travel journal.

Day 15: Tuesday, September 10, 2024

For this new day in Arezzo, I’m visiting the MAMM (Museum of Medieval and Modern Art), housed in a 15th-century palace, the "Palazzo Bruni Ciocchi" (courtyard with portico below).



The museum has around twenty rooms organized in chronological order; the selected photos follow this sequence.

The *Madonna di Montelungo* (circa 1250) was painted by Margarito d'Arezzo, born in Arezzo around 1220, one of the first known Tuscan artists. He signed his paintings (see the bottom of the photo).



Two centuries later, Parri di Spinello painted a *"Madonna della Misericordia"* with a predella (1435–1437). He was the most prominent painter in Arezzo between 1420 and 1450.



Giorgio Vasari also created a *"Madonna col Bambino"*, rendered in a very different style (1536–1537). The painting is known as the *"Pala di San Rocco"* because it was commissioned by the *"Compagnia di San Rocco"* (a confraternity).



19th-century painting reflects the Italian Unification with Carlo Ademollo’s work: *The Battle of San Martino* (1861). The painting was completed two years after the battle (1859), which is known in France as *Solférino*. San Martino is where the Sardinian troops fought, while the French troops were closer to Solférino (two neighboring villages in Lombardy).



In the afternoon, I return to *Piazza Grande* (different photos from Day 13, taken under a bluer sky). The apse of the parish church, *Santa Maria*, overlooks one corner of the square.



The *"Logge Vasari"* face south, forming a lovely arcade with café and restaurant terraces that weren’t too crowded this afternoon.



More from the day in the next post.

This detailed report makes me want to go discover Arezzo and this part of Tuscany that I don’t know yet.

Day 15: Tuesday, September 10, 2024 (continued)

Here are the "Logge" and the Santa Maria church in the same photo; between them is the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici, which I’m going to visit.



The visit starts in the palace’s audience hall, where the fresco of the "Madonna della Misericordia" (1448) is located. The painter, Parri di Spinello, is the same artist behind the painting on the same subject in the museum. Since the commission was paid for by the Fraternità (we know the amount), the people under the Virgin’s cloak (there’s quite a crowd) are Aretine benefactors and/or members (of the Fraternità). Many of them, according to the provided details, have been identified.



Some of the paintings on display are historical testimonies, like this view of Piazza Grande, signed by Cristoforo di Donato Conti. It dates back to the Settecento, a century when "vedute" were all the rage. The square hasn’t changed much since then.



I’m looking at this model as another historical record—the oldest architect’s model I’ve ever seen. Vasari had it made in 1572, the year he was commissioned for the project. The model, limited to two arches, may have been used to convince the city officials of the project’s modular nature. After Vasari’s death (1574), construction continued on this principle (completed in 1595), with the ground-floor shops being sold in modules as work progressed.



The view from the panoramic terrace is a sweeping one over Piazza Grande and a circular one over the city of Arezzo.



The parish church "Santa Maria della Pieve" is located very close to the square (access via Corso Italia). It houses the large polyptych by Pietro Lorenzetti (1320), known as the Tarlati Polyptych, as it was commissioned by the Bishop of Arezzo. The painter wasn’t from Arezzo but from Siena. The Virgin’s cloak is very unusual, as the painter depicted parts of it as fur (but what kind of fur?).



I end the day with this church and its bell tower. A symbol of Arezzo, it’s called the "bell tower of a hundred holes" because of its twin windows on all four sides. Photo taken on Via Bicchieraia (facade under renovation; the bell tower is also clearly visible from the panoramic terrace, as mentioned above).

Day 16: Wednesday, September 11, 2024

This morning in Arezzo, there’s a very busy market in the streets at the foot of the hill; you have to weave between the stalls to reach the archaeological museum (Museo Gaio Cilnio Mecenate in Italian). This Roman, originally from Arezzo and advisor to Emperor Augustus—named Gaius Cilnius Maecenas in Latin—is the origin of the words "patron" and "patronage" through his actions. The museum is next to the Roman amphitheater, with its arena clearly visible, though nothing remains above ground.

The collections are divided between the Etruscan era (the Etruscans were very present in what is now Tuscany, especially to the east and south) and the Roman era. Taking photos in archaeology is always tricky (display cases, reflections).

During the Etruscan era, the finest ceramic pieces were imported from Greece. Here’s the Euphronios krater (Attic origin, around 510 BC) depicting a battle between Hercules and the Amazons.



A red-figure amphora, also of Attic origin (dated around 415 BC), is decorated with "Pelops and Hippodamia on a quadriga." Here are the figures on the chariot.



And now, the four horses.



Still from the Etruscan era (around 600 BC), the torso from Marciano (a village in the Valdichiana) is sculpted from *pietra fetida*, a soft limestone often used by the Etruscans for funerary monuments.



Moving on to the Roman period and Arezzo’s splendor: from the 1st century AD, for over 100 years, Arezzo was the largest production center of *terra sigillata* (a fine red-glazed tableware) in the empire. Here’s an example of a two-handled cup featuring knucklebones players.



This was mass-produced in workshops that signed their work (over a hundred workshops). Example with the signature of C. Volusenus (1st or 2nd century AD).



The Arezzo medallion is a curiosity made using *chrysography* (engraving and painting on gold leaf between two glass plates—don’t ask me for more details!). It dates from the imperial era, 3rd or 4th century AD. There are only about ten such medallions in the world produced with this technique.



More from the day in the next post.

Day 16: Wednesday, September 11, 2024 (continued)

In the afternoon, I head to the very top of San Donato Hill (Arezzo’s hill), where the Medici Fortress (16th century) was built. Coming from the city, you access it through a gate leading to a long interior corridor within the thickness of the fortification. Since it’s military architecture, all the walls are bare in these spaces. Don’t expect anything more than a walk along the ramparts.



The views from the ramparts aren’t directed toward the city (to the southwest) but toward the other directions. The photo gives an idea of the Arezzo surroundings, with the mountain called "alpe di Catenaia" in the background to the north. The terrace planted with umbrella pines visible a few hundred meters away is a large public garden: "parco il prato".



I head back down to the city and visit the "Badia di Santa Flora e Lucilla", a church located not far from San Francesco. Vasari transformed it architecturally; in the 19th century, a monumental altar created by Vasari for his family’s chapel in the "Pieve di Santa Maria" (see yesterday’s post) was moved here, where it now serves as the main altar.



In this church, you can see a "Visitation" by Giovanni Antonio Lappoli (1524). The information I read—either on-site or in documentation given in Arezzo (I can’t remember)—described the painter as mediocre, a better musician (and more interested in music) than painter, and cited the following criticisms: 1-stereotyped, inexpressive faces 2-drapery that reveals a clear lack of technique. I’d never encountered such a harsh presentation of what’s on display, but I have to admit, upon observation, there’s some truth to those two points.



Back to Ruscello.

Day 17: Thursday, September 12, 2024

The weather is uncertain in the early morning; I leave fairly late, hoping for an improvement that never comes. The day turns out rainy (showers) and really cold for September. I’m heading to the Arno Valley and had planned an outdoor activity.



I make my way to San Giovanni Valdarno. I pick up some brochures late in the morning, then head up to Castelfranco di Sopra, which will be the starting point for a hike in the "Balze"—"area naturale le Balze" on the map. The red dot marks Castelfranco di Sopra. The route takes me past the ravines and characteristic cliffs of this area. I also have to take shelter from the rain for quite a while.



Among these distinctive formations, there are erosion pillars like the one in the center of the photo below. I only saw what’s on the loop starting from Castelfranco di Sopra, but there are other sites if you head toward Loro Ciuffenna.



Now, here’s Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous painting: the *Mona Lisa*.



When you look at the landscape behind the model’s right shoulder, you’ll notice it looks a lot like what I just saw—the "Balze" of the Upper Valdarno (I find the resemblance really convincing). Experts have suggested that Leonardo painted this landscape (which he knew) as the background for his painting. But given how famous the *Mona Lisa* is, there are countless theories about the background (both in Tuscany and other regions of Italy). Leonardo may have combined several landscapes from different places or even painted an entirely imaginary one.

As for the other parts of the landscape, the multi-arched bridge near Mona Lisa’s left shoulder can’t be found exactly in the "Balze." However, there’s apparently one about 20 kilometers away that might fit. The lake surrounded by jagged peaks, near the model’s face, simply doesn’t exist in this part of Tuscany.

Back in San Giovanni Valdarno, I visit the "Museo della Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie." I pick out two works before moving on to what the museum is really known for. Mariotto di Cristofano was born in San Giovanni. Here’s a detail from a *Christus patiens between the Madonna and St. Lucy* (around 1420).



He’s not the only painter born in San Giovanni. Masaccio was born here too, along with his brother, nicknamed "Lo Scheggia." The latter, also a painter, specialized in furniture painting for the upper classes. The museum displays a side of a wedding chest, a typical example of this work: the story of *Trajan and the Widow* (around 1430–1440).



But people come to this museum for one specific reason: it houses one of the three *Annunciations* painted by Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro, Fra Giovanni da Fiesole, Fra Angelico, or Beato Angelico) around 1430–1440.





Next, I visit another small museum, the "Museo delle Terre Nuove," located in the Palazzo d’Arnolfo. There, I learn why San Giovanni has a rectangular plan within its walls—a layout I’d noticed when arriving in the center. San Giovanni was built from scratch by the Florentines for political reasons. They distrusted the local nobility (feudal lords) and wanted to attract part of the population to new towns to reduce the nobility’s influence. Many of these "new lands" (or towns) were designed with a rectangular plan. In one of the palace’s rooms, there are round paintings intended for a Medici villa, by a painter born here: Giovanni Manozzi, known as Giovanni da San Giovanni (early 17th century). *Bacchus and Ariadne.*



When I leave, I find myself in the square facing the basilica.



And after seeing San Giovanni’s plan in the museum, you immediately realize that at the far end of the square (the middle of one side of the rectangular enclosure), there should be a gate (the layout seems odd anyway). In fact, there *was* a gate. Then a miracle happened. In 1478, a 75-year-old woman (Monna Tancia) knelt under the gate in front of an image of the Madonna. Her infant grandson was an orphan (his parents had died of the plague), and she was then able to nurse him, saving him from certain death. An oratory was built, then a chapel (or vice versa), and later a church, which became a basilica… and now there’s no gate at the far end of the square.

Late return to Ruscello.

Day 18: Friday, September 13, 2024

Cold, windy day, but quite sunny. I’m visiting two medieval villages in the Valtiberina: Monterchi and Anghiari. Here’s a little map of the loop I did (and no, it’s not from Google).



Monterchi is perched on an isolated hill, and the view over the surrounding countryside is lovely. It also gives a pretty accurate idea of this part of Tuscany.



Monterchi is enclosed within walls and has a strong medieval character. Here’s a house inside the walls.



Next, I head to Anghiari. This village overlooks the Valtiberina; it’s larger than Monterchi and belongs to the "I borghi più belli d'Italia" (Italy’s most beautiful villages) club. Ramparts, café terraces, and views over the Tiber Valley.



At one of the village’s high points, the Palazzo Pretorio (or Vicar’s Palace) is now the town hall. It’s a 14th-century palace with an L-shaped plan, and its façade is decorated with the coats of arms of the vicars and podestàs appointed by Florence.



Anghiari also has gates, staircases, sloping alleys, and towers...





There are also churches and at least two museums. The Palazzo Taglieschi houses the national museum in a maze of medieval houses; it’s an art museum, but there’s also ethnography. Here’s a Madonna from the 14th century, originating from the Valtiberina. The Virgin’s frontal position and braided hair tie her to a popular tradition.



I won’t show anything else from inside a church or museum.

More from the day in the next post.

Day 18: Friday, September 13 (continued)

There’s another museum in the village, the Museum of the Battle of Anghiari (1440). This battle saw the Florentines defeat the Milanese; it’s famous because of a lost painting commissioned from Leonardo da Vinci as a commemorative piece to adorn the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. From the rampart walk, you can see the battle site. According to the information provided, it took place in the plain a little farther than the last car visible on the road. There’s also a walk (not done) on the actual battle site. In the distance, you can make out the town of Sansepolcro.



Finally, there’s still the matter of finding an overall viewpoint of the village by switching hills. The Sant'Agostino church is built on the rampart with an apse resembling a tower.



A wider shot shows the entire rampart and the oldest part of the village, called "Il Borghetto."



Return to Arezzo via the Scheggia Pass.

For anyone passing through your itinerary, I’ve noted the site for Italy’s most beautiful villages. It’s saved in my favorites. Thanks!

Day 19: Saturday, September 14, 2024

I’ll be spending the day in Cortona. Since there’s so much to see there (at my visiting pace), the day will be pretty packed—early start, late return. The weather is still cool, but the wind has died down and the sun is out, so it feels much better. Cortona’s site is exceptional. The town sits on a hillside, but the plain at its foot is 400 meters above sea level, and the Girifalco fortress at the top is at 650 meters. So it’s not just a small hill—it’s a remarkable vantage point over the region, used and fortified since Etruscan times (likely one of the most important Etruscan centers). I manage to park near the Etruscan wall (5th century BC), which stretches about 4 km and runs all the way to the top of the hill. It surrounds the historic town and is really impressive when you think about how old it is.



In Cortona, there are two types of streets: the first follow the contour lines, and the second connect them, running steeply uphill. I enter the town through the "Porta Bifora," a gate in the wall, and climb a steep street up to Piazza della Repubblica, the central square. The "Palazzo Comunale" dominates the square: a clock tower and a grand Renaissance staircase built on medieval foundations.



Nearby, "Piazza Signorelli" is the town’s second square. This morning, both squares host a market that draws a big crowd—locals and tourists alike. It’s the only place on this trip where I’ve seen so many foreign visitors. I continue to "Piazza Duomo" (a viewpoint over the Valdichiana), where the diocesan museum sits across from the cathedral. It’s relatively small but features some major works.

Luca Signorelli (1450–1524), born and died in Cortona, is the town’s pride. He’s one of the great painters of the Italian Renaissance. *Communion of the Apostles* (1512) includes a close-up of Judas.





Another painting depicts Santa Margherita da Cortona, who died in 1297, and scenes from her life. The artist is anonymous but believed to be Sienese, from the Trecento. The saint wears a halo long before her canonization in the 18th century—proof that popular devotion moved much faster than the official Church...



This museum also has a second *Annunciation* painted by Beato Angelico (see San Giovanni Valdarno, Day 17, for the first one).





I prefer this one because of these differences: - The architecture where the scene takes place - The angel’s wings - The angel is static in the first one; here, he’s (almost) still in motion - The angel’s hands emphasize his words in this version.

Along the wall below the museum, "Via Janelli" is lined with medieval houses (I don’t have any documents dating them). I notice that they’re built in brick from the first floor up, while the "palazzi" are made of stone throughout.



More from the day in the next post.

Day 19: Saturday, September 14 (continued)

In the afternoon, I visit the MAEC (Museum of the Etruscan Academy and the City of Cortona), where I’m particularly drawn to the Etruscan section. This statue comes from the Sodo tumulus, an Etruscan burial mound at the foot of Cortona’s hill; it was part of the entrance to a podium-altar.



To better understand what this statue represents, I’ll describe what I saw later in the day when I visited the tumulus site at Sodo. You accessed the tumulus via a stone staircase, where the sculpture was part of the side ramps; at the top of the stairs was the podium-altar. This staircase has been reconstructed using some original blocks, but not the statues (originals are in the museum, reproductions at the tumulus).



Around much of the tumulus’s circumference, the retaining wall is original (6th–5th century BCE); the tumulus contains two tombs from that period.



Back at the MAEC, which displays many Etruscan artifacts, here’s an amphora made of "bucchero" (late 7th, early 6th century BCE)—a black, shiny, monochrome ceramic.



The funerary amphorae are decorated with small bronze pieces, like these dragon heads.



I end the visit with an impressive piece: a large bronze candelabrum. The photo doesn’t do justice to its size or the extreme complexity of the work—it’s definitely very heavy (16 burners, numerous figures). Archaeologists believe it may have been used to illuminate a place of worship.



Afterward, I take a walk around town in search of viewpoints, which are bound to exist given Cortona’s hilltop position. "Via Santa Margherita" runs along the city walls, and the view opens up when I reach the start of the Via Crucis. I’m on the southern slope of the hill, with Lake Trasimeno (Lago Trasimeno) in the distance, in Umbria.



Further south, in Tuscany, is Monte Amiata with its volcanic shape—still 1,700 meters high. In the foreground, the Valdichiana.

Day 20: Sunday, September 15, 2024

I’m heading back to Arezzo one last time to visit the Ivan Bruschi house-museum. It’s housed in a beautiful building, the "Palazzo del Capitano" (Palace of the Captain of the People), located on Corso Italia, right across from the "Pieve di Santa Maria." I’m a bit reserved about the interior—there’s a lot of stuff, but it’s not well showcased, and it feels like a real mess. A bank foundation (I can’t remember which one) put together a collection of paintings displayed in the house, which are better than the other objects. Here’s a way of depicting the Annunciation from the very end of the 16th century: Alessandro Allori (1591), a painter from the late Mannerist period.



Moving forward in time, we reach the middle of the 17th century with Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as "il Sassoferrato" after his birthplace. He’s famous as the painter of Madonnas, specializing in the subject, which he depicted hundreds of times—likely because he lived during the Counter-Reformation. His style is classical, with a lot of softness, balance, and serenity, which comes through in the painting on display.



A temporary exhibition has been open for a few days, dedicated to jousts and tournaments in Tuscany. I picked out a mannequin (Florentine-made, 1579).



In the city center, I also notice small signs marking the filming locations of the movie "Life Is Beautiful" (Roberto Benigni, 1998). I leave the city via "Piazza Sant'Agostino," a spot I hadn’t visited yet.

Time to insert a little map.



Yesterday’s route went from Ruscello (the end of the blue line at the top of the map) to Cortona (bottom right). This afternoon, I’m taking a bike ride on the "Sentiero della Bonifica"—the Pieve al Toppo to Frassineto section, which extends the ride I did on Day 14. "Bonifica" means land reclamation. This plain, the Valdichiana, where water used to stagnate, was the focus of drainage and agricultural development work in the 18th century (if I remember correctly). The main canal (Canale Maestro) directs water toward the Arno, and the "Sentiero della Bonifica" runs alongside it, creating a flat path of about 60 km starting near Arezzo and heading south (toward Chiusi). The route I took isn’t on the map (you can see Pieve al Toppo, the starting point, then it heads toward the black dot), because it’s a bike trail with sections of gravel, others on dirt roads (strada bianca), and some on grass (less common).

Next, I visit a village overlooking the Valdichiana: Civitella in Val di Chiana. See its location on the map. View of the Valdichiana.



The village is surrounded by walls, with a church and a "rocca" (fortress). The main street runs from the church to the "rocca." Below is the lower part of the village, along the walls.



The fortress is Lombard, dating back to the 600–800 period. This photo shows the keep, which was damaged by German troops in 1944.



This village is a "martyr village." German troops executed over 200 people here on June 29, 1944—one of the mass massacres of the war in Italy. A memorial site is set up under the arcades of the main street.



Back to Ruscello.

Day 21: Monday, September 16, 2024

I’m heading to the last campsite of the trip, near Siena, specifically in Sovicille. Since it’s about 60 km away, I’ve got plenty of time to make the journey, settle in, eat, and get ready to head to Poggibonsi in the afternoon.



The final part of the trip (the Siena area) is beginning, and it’ll revolve around the "Via Francigena" (the walking route), which I’ll follow—mostly by mountain bike, with a bit of walking—starting from Colle di Val d'Elsa. I’ll also do quite a few visits while staying in the left half of the map above. The "Via Francigena" is a pilgrimage route that runs from Canterbury to Rome. Since I’m not a pilgrim, I see it as a long-distance trail (GR). In Tuscany, I’ve traveled it from the north of the region up to Colle di Val d'Elsa, the town from which I’ll pick up the route again heading south. The stages as listed on the "Via Francigena" website: Stage 32: From San Gimignano to Monteriggioni (starting from Colle di Val d'Elsa) Stage 33: From Monteriggioni to Siena Stage 34: From Siena to Ponte d'Arbia Stage 35: From Ponte d'Arbia to San Quirico (as far as Buonconvento)

I decided to check out the Poggio Imperiale fortress in Poggibonsi. This fortress is the first major (unfinished) fortification project of the Florentine possessions by the Medici at the very beginning of the 16th century. I couldn’t quite picture the shape of the fortress with its walls due to the complexity of the terrain. Inside, the pentagonal-plan citadel (cassero) is built on a spur, and that’s what I’ll be visiting. I took the photo from the San Lucchese monastery, located on a slightly higher hill.



The spur is completely blocked by this wall, and the only entrance to the citadel is the gate you see in the background (photo below). You then pass through a long tunnel to reach a barracks area and emerge onto the parade ground. In the photo above, the wall and barracks area are on the left; the parade ground, on the right, extends to the end of the spur.



I’m now on the parade ground, looking toward the barracks.



From the end of the spur, the view over Poggibonsi and its surroundings is expansive, here looking toward the Strozzavolpe castle.



Next, I head to the San Lucchese monastery. The church, preceded by a portico, has a single nave. At the entrance to a chapel, there’s a series of frescoes illustrating the story of Saint Stephen. The saint is taken in his cradle by devils who carry him away by boat; they place a little devil in the cradle to trick his nurse, who might not notice the horns and think the child is still there (Cennino Cennini, 1388). It’s like a graphic novel before the genre was even invented (or a fictionalized life, if you prefer).



I end the day in Colle di Val d'Elsa by covering a short section of the "Via Francigena" (which can only be done on foot). It’s the crossing of the river park; the trail follows the river from the swimming pool to the southern exit of the town (frazione di Gracciano).





A refreshing route, perfect for a swim in some spots, all just steps away from the city.

Day 22: Tuesday, September 17, 2024

I’m spending the day in Colle di Val d'Elsa (see yesterday’s map), with a visit planned in the morning and mountain biking along the "Via Francigena" in the afternoon—all under mediocre and quite chilly weather (a sweatshirt was necessary). The San Pietro complex occupies the premises of the former eponymous monastery in the upper town; it recently opened, and the presentation is meticulous. Here’s a painting titled "Birth of the Virgin" (late Trecento); if you look at it as a testimony, Cennino Cennini painted a Tuscan interior from that era.



From the same period (second half of the Trecento), a Sienese painter, Luca di Tommé, painted numerous Madonnas, including this one, which comes from the church of Pernina, a rural church lost in the Montagnola on the municipality of Sovicille (see the day after tomorrow). He wasn’t an innovator but a painter inspired by Duccio di Buoninsegna, who lived 70 years before him.



Two centuries later (1581, Simone Ferri da Poggibonsi), this painting has almost purely utilitarian value, featuring a model of the city on a tray. The patrons hoped that by offering it to an ecclesiastical dignitary, Colle would become the seat of a bishopric.



A leap of a few centuries brings us to Antonio Puccinelli, who, in 1859, painted a man with stunning realism. But who is this man? It’s Saint Peter... and I’ve cropped a detail from an Assumption with 2 Saints.



There’s no doubt this artist was interested in photography. But he wasn’t a photographer—he was a painter: Adamo Lucherini. I photographed an oil on canvas exhibited in 1915: "portrait of my father." Amazing!



To wrap up the visit, let’s return to the riverside in what is now the river park. Antonio Salvetti (who was a painter, architect, and mayor of Colle) painted in 1895 "the niche, summer on the banks of the Elsa"; I recognized a place I passed through, with a much sunnier atmosphere in the painting than during yesterday’s walk.



In the afternoon, shortly after leaving by mountain bike from the "frazione" of Gracciano, I arrive at the place called "Le Caldane," a spring feeding the Elsa that has been known since antiquity. It was developed into thermal baths during the Etruscan, Roman, and medieval periods; a few parts of the pools remain, which are masonry (probably a reconstruction, I think).



The trail crosses the countryside and arrives in the village of Strove on a well-restored square, set back from the road.



We don’t follow this road for long; a network of paths and, finally, a very small road lead to Badia a Isola, a former abbey built on a height that once gave the impression of being on an island. It’s a Romanesque construction from the 12th century, with an entire village surrounding the abbey.



The last part of the trail leads to Monteriggioni, to the hamlet at the foot of the hill crowned by the famous walls. I return to Colle di Val d'Elsa by road.

Day 23: Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Cool, overcast weather all day with the threat of showers. It’ll be a transition day; since planning a long mountain-bike ride is risky, I won’t leave Monteriggioni. Instead, I’ll walk across Siena following the "Via Francigena" route, from "porta Camollia" in the north to "porta Romana" in the south. This isn’t a visit to Siena—I’ve already been there. A quick detour to see the "palazzo pubblico" from the side you never see—the back (photo taken in "piazza del mercato").



Then, to get to "porta Romana", I take "Via di Pantaneto", then "Via Roma". Along the way, I pass the church of San Giorgio. The interior was completely redone in the 18th century (appearance after the 1731–1738 renovation).



Once outside "Porta Romana", I see it as a traveler arriving from Rome via the "Via Cassia". Built in the 1320s, it was a monumental entrance.



The structure consists of two arches (visible in a row in the photo above). Between the arches is a space enclosed by side walls—this entire ensemble forms "Porta Romana".



The day after tomorrow, I’ll leave from "Porta Romana" to continue south along the "Via Francigena".

In the afternoon, a temporary break in the weather gives me time to do a short stretch of the "Via Francigena" northwest of Siena. Starting from a spot on the SP101 (near a rural guesthouse), the trail crosses a wood frequented by locals mushroom hunting (the season must be right). It’s followed by a rough section on small roads (around Le Querce, Le Coste, Poderuccio) that leads to "Viale Cavour", the avenue leading to "Porta Camollia", the northern entrance to the old city. The end of the day is spent in steady rain (luckily, I finished my route). It feels like night falls much earlier than usual because of the lack of light. Persistent rain for most of the night.

Day 24: Thursday, September 19, 2024

I’m heading back to Colle di Val d'Elsa one last time, but this time I take tiny roads—some of them unpaved—that wind through the Montagnola.



Rural churches are scattered across villages (like Ancaiano) and even out in the countryside, like the Church of Pernina (San Giovanni Battista Church, mentioned in 1078, Romanesque). There was probably a hamlet here back then. One of the paintings I saw the day before yesterday came from this church (Luca di Tommè’s *Madonna and Child*).



I’m checking out what makes Colle so prosperous today: crystal (95% of Italy’s production, 15% of the world’s). The region originally produced glass, and in the 19th and 20th centuries, Colle was a major glassmaking hub. The brand-new Crystal Museum is on an old production site, where a furnace and its chimney have been preserved and integrated into the surrounding area (lower town).



From the Trecento onward, glass was produced in the Valdelsa, especially in Gambassi Terme (about 30 km from Colle). This town "invented" a glass model that’s stood the test of time: the Gambassi. Here’s a modern reproduction of it (based on the info provided, you can still buy this glass today).



After strict crystal standards were adopted (in the 1950s or 1960s, if I remember correctly—so take that with a grain of salt), manufacturers took a major turn. They brought in "designers," and the models produced changed completely. Here’s the "Pitagora" glass, designed by Marco Zanusso (1969)—a triangle-circle combo, with a transition from base to container.



In the same vein, here’s the "Mapan" glass, designed by Sergio Asti (1970)—a square-circle combo, with the same base-to-container transition. Though it came after the previous one, this glass was more successful: it’s part of the MOMA’s permanent collection in New York.



A few more years later… 1986. Angelo Mangiarotti created "Ice Stopper" (sorry for the poor photo quality). This glass is a sloped cylinder (but not *too* sloped—it still needs to stay upright). It’s not quite a perfect cylinder, though, because it has an inner protrusion (an outer indentation) with a smooth shape. Its purpose? To keep ice cubes from reaching the drinker’s lips. Now *that’s* peak futility.



That’s all for the Crystal Museum (you can tour some of the factories—I didn’t).

The afternoon was spent in the countryside between Monteriggioni and Siena, with scattered showers. The "Via Francigena" winds along the foothills of the Montagnola, roughly at the border between farmland and wooded areas (so parts are in the forest, others at the edge). I remember one stretch (about 800 meters) where the wheels were completely caked in sticky mud, making it nearly impossible to move. That was a result of yesterday’s rain and last night’s downpour. Castello della Chiocciola, a private castle along the "Via Francigena."



The last part of the route skirts the "Pian del Lago" area, a former lake drained in the 18th century to create farmland. A monument commemorates the project, which required major work—including the construction of a drainage tunnel. Here’s the entrance (the tunnel goes under a hill to reach a valley where the water could flow out).



I linked up with yesterday’s route just past the structures (monument, tunnel) in the "Pian del Lago" area.

Day 25: Friday, September 20, 2024

About 1 km from the campsite, there’s a winery with direct sales: after stopping by, I’ve got a case of Chianti (Colli Senesi) and a case of Vermentino to fit into the caravan’s storage. I take a quick stroll through the center of Sovicille and then head out for the day.



I plan to go mountain biking this morning, a hike in the early afternoon, and a visit afterward. For the mountain biking part on the "Via Francigena," that means picking up the route at Porta Romana (Siena), where I stopped the day before yesterday. I’ll head southeast away from Siena, following "Strada di Certosa"; the road descends and offers views of the city. I’m about 2 km from Porta Romana, and you can clearly see "Torre del Mangia" on the right and the cathedral on the left.



The next photo is taken from farther away, after leaving the urban area, and a bit more to the left; as a result, the cathedral (clearly visible) is on the right side of the photo. The foreground (the bottom of the photo), with plowed fields and crops on the hillside instead of large wooded areas, gives a preview of the landscape to come—the "Crete Senesi," the clay-rich Sienese hills.



I continue to a place called Renuccio (not marked on the map; this hamlet is south of Bucciano). After lunch, I’ll walk a loop called "Anello delle Biancane di Leonina"; it’s right in the heart of the "Crete Senesi," quite far from the "Via Francigena" route. This is the spot labeled "Crete Senesi Asciano" on the map.

But before reaching the start of the hike, this photo, taken along SP438, perfectly captures the "Crete Senesi" landscape: rows of cypress trees, crops and plowed fields covering the entire hillside up to the summit, farms perched on the hilltops, fewer wooded areas (no forests, just groves), and little (if any) vineyards or olive groves.



The hike (or walk; about 5–6 km) starts from a parking lot near the road. It’s characterized by the presence of "biancane," clay mounds covered with sparse vegetation except on the south-facing side; on this southern slope, the alternating rain and sun create small ravines (erosion), and no vegetation manages to take hold.



A panoramic view of the "biancane" area; I assume the name comes from the fact that these mounds create white or light patches in the landscape. In any case, the color is reminiscent of the ravines seen in the Apennines at the start of the trip.



View of the village of Mucigliani (on the side opposite the "biancane"). Among the crops, there were cereals, sunflowers, and others I didn’t identify; by this date, everything had been harvested.



I reach near the highest point of the hike; the "biancane" appear from a different angle, and a small pond has been created for irrigation (acting as a reservoir).



Near the high point of the hike, looking toward Mucigliani.



More from the day in the next post.

Day 25: Friday, September 20, 2024 (continued)

At the highest point of the hike, on a flat area, a stone artwork by French artist Jean-Paul Philippe (1993) is installed; it’s called "transit site." A slab, a chair, and a window (all made of stone) evoke the lying-sitting-standing positions and relate to the sun’s position at sunset during the summer solstice. I arrived here following a "strada bianca" (white road) between two rows of cypress trees, passing near the Leonina castle, now transformed into a luxury accommodation. The return (the hike is a loop) crosses the area of the "biancane."



From the "biancane," you can see, in a line, the small pond and the village of Mucigliani.



Once the hike was over, as soon as I drove off, the road climbed, and the panorama included the "strada bianca" leading to Leonina as well as the "biancane." Looking at the line of hills in the distance, you can immediately tell that this background isn’t part of the "crete senesi" (Sienese clay hills).



A little further on, from the roadside, a ray of sunshine on the "crete senesi."



A few more kilometers, and a small road leads to Mucigliani from the SP438 (road access to the village).



I arrived on the map at the point marked SP438. From there, I head toward Monteroni d'Arbia: the route is on a dirt road (strada bianca) passing through the village of San Martino in Grania. On this dirt road, I’ll cross paths with several cyclists (there are more here than on a regular road), which leads me to the following digression after doing some research. An annual cyclotourist event takes place near Siena called EROICA (start in Gaiole in Chianti). It’s a "vintage" race with several routes (distances) using as many "strade bianche" as possible. Associations have been created to preserve these roads, which have heritage value (keeping them unpaved). There are such dirt sections in Chianti, in the "Crete Senesi," in the Val di Merse, and in the Val d'Orcia. The approach is reminiscent of preserving cobblestone sectors in northern France. Early in the cycling season (before Milan-San Remo), the "Strade Bianche" race takes place on these roads around Siena, finishing in Piazza del Campo. It’s a road race where part of it (the decisive part) doesn’t take place on asphalt... which brings to mind Paris-Roubaix. The rest is different: no cobblestones but "strade bianche" (over 70 km), no flat terrain but continuous elevation changes with constant ups and downs. The San Martino in Grania section is one of the longest and toughest in the race. End of digression.

After Monteroni d'Arbia, I go to Murlo. Many Etruscan remains (archaeological site) have been found there and gathered in an antiquarium-museum housed in the former episcopal palace. Here’s the reconstruction of a roof edge. The pieces at the top, with gargoyles and human-headed antefixes, protect the wooden beams from water. The terracotta pieces at the bottom serve a decorative function; they’re arranged repetitively to form a frieze. There are several models, including a horse race (below).



You can also find terracotta statues, like this sphinx placed on the reconstruction where it would have been in ancient times—on the roof ridge.



And to finish, here’s Murlo’s most famous statue: the "Cappellone," a seated man with a trimmed beard and a wide-brimmed hat. Imagination has led some to call him the "Cowboy of Murlo," while others see a sombrero in his hat. His position was likely on the roof ridge, like the sphinx.



The return to Sovicille is partly on "strade bianche" this time located in the Val di Merse (section Murlo-Radi, then another after Ville di Corsano). Google didn’t let me return (virtually) to Sovicille—the maximum number of intermediate stops for the route had been reached.

Day 26: Saturday, September 21, 2024

This day starts under bright sunshine, which will last to make it one of the most beautiful days of the trip.



I head toward Torri, a "frazione" of Sovicille where the former Torri Abbey is located, and you can visit its cloister (it’s the point below Rosia on the map). The village sits high on the slope of the Montagnola. It retains a medieval feel with walls that serve as an enclosure, an access gate, and narrow streets. On the right side of the photo, you can see the church of Santa Mustiola, and further to the right, buildings adjoining the abbey’s cloister.



After passing through the access gate, I’m on Piazza Grande. This lovely square is in the civil part of the hamlet; to reach the religious part (the former abbey), you have to go under the arch visible at the back of the square and walk along the church’s full length to the cloister entrance.



On one side of the square, you can see the communal oven, quite rare and perfectly preserved.



The abbey’s cloister rises over three levels, built with different materials (stone, brick, wood) at different times (late 12th century, 14th century, 15th century). The photos go from general views to details.





The cloister’s lower level is Romanesque; the effect created by the bichromy is spectacular. The columns are circular or hexagonal, smooth or sculpted.



View of the column-capital-pulvino-arch base stack. I use the term "pulvino" to describe this inverted pyramid-shaped element placed above the capital. It serves both a structural role in supporting the arch’s base and a decorative one. I found the term in Italian documentation but haven’t found a valid translation for this architectural element, nor do I know its name in French.



These "pulvini," all unique, are mainly decorated with geometric patterns. The characteristics of the cloister’s lower level date its construction to the late 12th century, around the same time as the church’s consecration (1189).



Biblical scenes are another, less common decoration on the "pulvini"; here’s Cain murdering Abel.



The church isn’t open for visits (at least not today). The abbey buildings adjoining the cloister once housed a winery (when?), as huge barrels and fermentation vats remain. This cloister is a hidden gem (reopened during summer 2024 with limited hours after a restoration period).

More from the day in the next post.

Day 26: Saturday, September 21, 2024 (continued)

I then move from a small region around Siena (Val di Merse) to another small area (the "Crete Senesi") to go mountain biking along the Via Francigena. You can immediately recognize the Sienese clay lands in the photo below, taken from the Via Cassia (SS2 on the map) south of Siena.



The Via Francigena route from Renuccio to Isola d'Arbia is uninteresting. From Isola d'Arbia onward, it’s a whole different story, and I’ll ride all the way to Ponte d'Arbia on "strade bianche" or trails. I’m about ten kilometers from Siena, but looking north, the city is clearly visible—you can spot the "Torre del Mangia" and the cathedral.



The route passes near the "Grancia di Cuna," an example of a farm-hospital that was transformed into a fortified farm in the 14th century to protect stored harvests in the granaries. The whole structure is impressive.



A detour leads to the hamlet and the entrance of the fortified farm. These buildings aren’t open to visitors, but their imposing appearance holds up. Of course, everything is built with brick.



Leaving the Cuna farm, the path climbs into the hills west of the Val d'Arbia and stays there until Ponte d'Arbia. At the top of the first climb, the fortified farm appears in a setting that places it right in the "Crete Senesi."



More of the day’s adventures in the next post.

Day 26: Saturday, September 21 (continued)

This was followed by about ten kilometers through the hills between Monteroni d'Arbia and Ponte d'Arbia.

Surroundings of Monteroni d'Arbia, rows of cypress trees.



Surroundings of Monteroni d'Arbia, rows of cypress trees.



Monteroni d'Arbia in the valley.



Surroundings of Monteroni d'Arbia.



Surroundings of Monteroni d'Arbia.



Surroundings of Ponte d'Arbia.



Back to the starting point of the MTB hike (Isola d'Arbia) via Via Cassia. The landscapes I enjoyed the most during the trip were those of the "Crete Senesi", the Sienese clay hills.

Day 27: Sunday, September 22, 2024

Today's map: there's a direct road between the Abbey of San Galgano (point west of Monticiano) and Chiusdino, which doesn't appear on the map.



On the road leading to the Abbey of San Galgano (where I'm headed), following the "Torrente Rosia" upstream, you pass by the "Ponte della Pia". This bridge, originally Roman and rebuilt in the 13th century, spans the river with a single graceful arch. Despite the recent rains, I can descend into the stream bed. Today, the bridge has no parapet—I don’t know if it was built that way or if it’s the result of time.



After arriving at the site made famous by San Galgano, I visit the abbey, then the hermitage. I’ll present the route in reverse to follow the chronological order. At the top of a hill (Monte Siepi) stands a structure called the rotunda. The interior features alternating bands of two colors.



At the center of the rotunda is the spot where it all began: a rock into which San Galgano, a wealthy young noble, plunged his sword as a sign of renouncing pleasures and military life. It’s been there since 1180... protected by a plexiglass dome—clearly needed to put an end to some *very* predictable attempts. After 1180, San Galgano lived as a hermit on this hill.



Things moved quickly after that: Galgano’s death (1181), canonization (1185), construction of an oratory and the rotunda... the site’s fame grew. Expansion in the Trecento and the choice of Ambrogio Lorenzetti to fresco the chapel (walls, lunette, vault).



Meanwhile, in 1218, construction began on the grand Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano. They chose a flat spot at the foot of Montesiepi hill. The church is a large Gothic-style nave, roofless since the late 18th century.



The central nave, viewed toward the choir.



Among the conventual buildings (mostly gone), a beautiful chapter house.



More from the day in the next post.

Day 27: Sunday, September 22 (continued)

The abbey is located in the municipality of Chiusdino in the Val di Merse, near the river; the village is 250 meters higher, and no matter how you approach it, you have to climb several kilometers to get there. A medieval village with a small museum containing artifacts related to San Galgano and the abbey. San Galgano thrusts his sword into the rock. Urbano da Cortona, marble bas-relief, 1466.



From the Montesiepi hermitage, a Madonna and Child. Niccolò di Segna, tempera and gold on panel, 1336.



Reliquary of San Galgano’s head. Pace di Valentino, goldsmith from the second half of the 13th century. As the title suggests, San Galgano’s head was inside.



I then travel about 30 km on small roads through a wooded area to reach the Petriolo thermal baths, or rather the "bagni di Petriolo." There’s a free natural spa with several pools, among other things. The water springs at 43°C (the hottest pool is close to that temperature) with a strong enough flow to keep all the pools warm. It’s rich in hydrogen sulfide (hence the smell) and minerals. These baths have been known since antiquity, with periods of prosperity (construction) and periods of neglect.



Today, both at the abbey and the thermal baths, there was a large crowd (mostly Italians, hardly any foreign tourists—was it because it was a Sunday?). On my way back to Sovicille, 2 km before the town, I pass by the parish church of "Ponte allo Spino." It’s lit by a fairly low sun that highlights the color of the stone before it soon falls into shadow.

Day 28: Monday, September 23, 2024

Another chilly, rainy day; I’ve planned an indoor activity for the afternoon, but I’d like to do a short stretch of the Via Francigena this morning. So I’m heading to Buonconvento and setting off on a loop that takes me from Ponte d’Arbia to Buonconvento along the Via Francigena. A sweatshirt is a must, and I finish the loop in a few raindrops.

Buonconvento will be my endpoint for the Via Francigena on this trip. The rain doesn’t last all through midday, so I can take a stroll around town (a medieval town surrounded by walls). Below is the west side of the walls.



I’m visiting the abbey of "Monte Oliveto Maggiore," located in the municipality of Asciano but closer to Buonconvento. Although the abbey is in the "Crete Senesi," the landscape is different: forest and "calanchi" (ravines or badlands).



These ravines look a lot like the ones I saw in the Apennines at the start of the trip (same type of soil , same erosion phenomenon). The abbey is active, occupied by Olivetan monks (a Benedictine order); the main cloister, entirely frescoed, is the artistic marvel of the abbey. Luca Signorelli began decorating the cloister’s perimeter (1497–1498); Giovanni Antonio Bazzi (Il Sodoma) completed it (1505 and later; he was 28 in 1505). It’s one of his earliest documented works. These frescoes depict the life of Saint Benedict, a more or less legendary tale.

Benedict leaves his father’s house to study in Rome. He’s accompanied by his servant Cyrilla.



First miracle: he repairs a plate or sieve broken by his servant. You can see the servant and the broken plate, Saint Benedict, and the miraculously repaired plate—this is the left part of the fresco. On the right, Il Sodoma painted himself in a luxurious Renaissance court costume. The far-right part is out of frame.



Benedict makes a spring gush from the mountaintop. He’s depicted twice in the fresco, which blends portrait and landscape.



Florent, a priest jealous of Benedict, sends prostitutes to the monastery (to discredit Benedict). Group portraits, architecture, and a distant landscape.



This fresco is by Luca Signorelli: Benedict tells the monks where and when they ate outside the monastery. In the photo, you only see the scene of the meal in an inn; pictorially, that’s the main part of the fresco. Benedict’s intervention is shown in a small space not visible in the photo, at the top right of what’s shown.



More to come in the next post.

Day 28: Monday, September 23, 2024 (continued)

Benoît miraculously obtains flour and restores the monks. Two scenes: the miracle of the flour and the meal. A little anecdote in the foreground of the meal scene: the first monk on the right takes his neighbor’s bread (in addition to his own) under the amused gaze of the monk serving.



With his gaze, Benoît frees a peasant from his bonds. A scene with four portraits (Benoît, the peasant, the two soldiers) plus a spectator page. A landscape background with the peasant’s arrest scene.



The fresco cycle covers the entire cloister; the gallery is enclosed on all four sides to protect them. As you walk through the gallery, the frescoes are at eye level and about 1 to 1.5 meters away (protective barrier). These rare conditions (often, they’re much lower and farther away) allow you to fully appreciate them.

In the refectory, the table is set for the evening meal.



The convent buildings include a beautiful library whose sculpted door is the work of a monk.



Back to Sovicille after realizing, upon leaving the abbey, that the afternoon had been quite rainy.

Day 29: Tuesday, September 24, 2024

There will be a day in Siena during the trip; I won’t be visiting what the city is famous for (I’ve already done that on a previous trip). I’ll explore some more off-the-beaten-path spots and do some shopping. I’ll start with the "Collegiata di Santa Maria in Provenzano." Built around 1600, it features a beautiful travertine façade with a still-prominent Renaissance influence. The pilasters play a major role in the appearance of this façade.



It was constructed to serve as a reliquary for a miraculous statue: the Madonna di Provenzano, which is housed in a tabernacle at the center of the high altar. In front of this altar, beneath the dome, are the coats of arms of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and his wife (in marble).



A very beautiful church with no crowds at all (I’m alone inside). Through small streets, I’ll head to "Piazza San Francesco," the heart of a student district. The façade of the Church of San Francesco is the result of a neo-Gothic restoration from the early 20th century.



Behind the façade, the single nave has an impressive volume. Great height, wooden-beamed roof, flat apse: it seems simplicity and monumental character were often sought after in Franciscan churches. The effect is even more striking since there’s no one around.



Among the works on display, I chose the "Martyrdom of the Franciscan Friars" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti (a detached fresco, around 1320). A century after the founding of the order, missions had gone to the East, and some had been massacred, though it’s unclear which event is depicted here. It’s a rather rare representation for that era. The pagoda (though it’s not actually a pagoda) has no specifically Eastern architectural elements; the scene is extremely violent and frightens some female onlookers, who recoil. The executioners are particularly hideous.



I continue my walk through the same neighborhood and arrive near Fonte Nuova, one of the fountains that supplied the city with water (built in the Trecento).



In the afternoon, I visit the Sanctuary of Saint Catherine of Siena, constructed over various periods (up to 1939) and incorporating the Benincasa house, where Catarina’s family lived—a family of 25 children. The oratory of the kitchen was arranged in the Cinquecento at the site of the family kitchen. The main altar depicts Santa Catarina receiving the stigmata (by Bernardino Fungai). The other walls are decorated with scenes from Santa Catarina’s life.



Lower down in the house (which is on a hillside), the oratory of the bedroom was restructured in the 19th century.



The sanctuary’s church preserves a miraculous crucifix (a painted cross) from the 12th century linked to Santa Catarina. It was in front of this crucifix that Catarina is said to have received the stigmata in Pisa in 1375.



You can’t stroll through Siena’s streets overlooking the Campo without being reminded of this square: this will be my last photo of Siena.



Back to Sovicille.