Archive for 'Castles & Palaces'

A trip to Tuscany wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the biggest and most majestic castles in the region, The Rocca di Pierle in the Cortona area, beside the village of Pierle. The ruins of this magnificent structure still stand tall over Val di Pierle and many of its walls are still intact! Visitors would thoroughly enjoy a close up view of the castle and could stay in one of many farmhouse accommodation in the Cortona area for a day or two while they explore this beautiful area with a nice selection of historical and cultural activities to engage in.

As you pass through the Tuscan countryside surrounding Siena, you may notice a striking castle at the summit of Mount Ala. This is Monteriggioni Castle, which remains virtually intact after centuries of existence. For those who want to see what life was like inside of a walled medieval village, there are very few sites that encapsulate this experience so perfectly. Browse our accommodations in Monteriggioni and start planning your next trip in Tuscany.

The castle dates back to the dawn of the 13^th century, built between 1213 and 1219 by the Sienese.

The town of Cetona is nestled at the base of the mountain with the same name, in the southern part of Siena in Tuscany and it is a interesting destination  for vacation.

Mount Cetona has been the site of many ancient civilizations, with archaeological remains dating back to the 80^th century BC found in the Gosto caves. Many of these ancient caves are contained in the Belvedere Park, as well as sites of Etruscan finds that you can visit.

All of this is tucked into a natural landscape that one can imagine being just as beautiful during the Renaissance as it is today, with its timeless rolling hills and vast greenery.

I believe that every person that loves Tuscany must go and see the the little walled village of Monteriggioni.

It’s very close to Siena and Monteriggioni is famous for its ancient city walls, a splendid example of medieval architecture built by the Sienese in 1213 as a front line in their wars against Florence and maintained – to this day – virtually intact.

The Tuscan poet Dante Alighieri used the turrets of Monterrigioni to evoke the sight of the ring of giants encircling the Infernal abyss.