Everything you need to know to visit this wonderful corner of Tuscany, starting from our Podere Salicotto farmhouse
If we say Tuscany, the first image that immediately comes to mind is winding roads between two rows of cypresses and sinuous hills, in a palette that contains all the colors of nature. Well, this sentence describes exactly what you will find in the Crete Senesi, an area south-east of Siena.
The Crete Senesi is an area full of treasures to discover, perhaps less known than the Chianti area or the adjacent Val d’Orcia, but for this very reason it will give you that charm of “beauty yet to be discovered”. If you love to get out of the usual tourist itineraries and look for a more exclusive area, the Crete Senesi is the perfect destination for you!
The characteristic “lunar” landscape of gullies and clay hills, a unique landscape of its kind, takes the name of Crete Senesi thanks to the blue-gray clay that protrudes from the ground. This substance derives from the remains of an ancient sea that was in this area three million years ago. However, the Crete Senesi are not just breathtaking views: there is so much to see and do!
Hamlets to discover in the Crete Senesi
Art lovers? You cannot miss visiting Asciano: a must if you love sacred art and medieval architecture. A pretty village still equipped with part of its defensive walls, in Asciano you will find the Palazzo Corboli Civic Archaeological and Sacred Art Museum. Outside the museum, take the opportunity to visit the Basilica of Sant’Agata and the Cassioli Museum. Among the other monuments are the Torre della Mencia, the Church of San Francesco, the chapel of Santi Fabiano and Sebastiano and the beautiful fountain located in Piazza del Grano.
The Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore is one of the most important in all of Tuscany. The Abbey is located on a hill surrounded by greenery and preserves a remarkable cycle of frescoes and a well-stocked library that contains about 40,000 valuable volumes.
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Buonconvento is located on the Via Francigena and is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy! Among picturesque alleys and monuments of exquisite beauty you cannot miss this jewel just 2 km from our Podere Salicotto farmhouse!
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Serre di Rapolano is a small hilltop village in the municipality of Rapolano Terme. In addition to religious monuments such as the Church of Saints Lorenzo and Andrea, admire the ancient fortifications, the city gates, Palazzo Gori Martini and the ancient Grancia, inside which there is the Museum of Grancia and oil, focused on local agricultural production .
Trequanda Located on the border between the Crete Senesi and the Val di Chiana, Trequanda has its two main points of interest in its Rocca and in the Church of Saints Peter and Andrew. The Romanesque monument of the Pieve di Santo Stefano in Cennano is also worth a visit.
Itineraries to Discover
Do you want to discover a magical and mysterious landscape, one of a kind? This is the Site Transitoire. Created by the artist Jean Paul Philippe who installed a series of elements in the middle of the Crete countryside, this place is truly very suggestive. Take the opportunity to take spectacular photos of the site at sunset, where the colors and light will give you a truly unique view.
To cross the Crete Senesi, you can choose between itineraries on foot, by bicycle, or on horseback, as well as beautiful panoramic roads to be ridden by motorbike. Podere Salicotto is the perfect starting point for your tour: located near Buonconvento, in the heart of the Crete Senesi, our farmhouse is perfect for exploring this wonderful corner of Tuscany by choosing the most suitable means of transport for you: from trekking to bikes, here you will find many personalized itineraries and a fully equipped garage.
If, on the other hand, you love traveling on vintage vehicles, you can choose the Nature Train: you will travel on a vintage steam train crossing the rolling hills of the Crete, a real blast from the past!
Spa and relax in the Crete Senesi
If you are looking for relaxation, the town of Rapolano Terme is just the thing for you. The spas of the Terme di San Giovanni and Terme Antica Querciolaia are powered by sulfur springs that flow at a temperature of 39 ° and have state-of-the-art facilities with various wellness programs. But Rapolano is not just spas and relaxation: here too you will find interesting monuments to visit such as the Pieve di San Vittore and the Church of San Bartolomeo. Even at Podere Salicotto, lovers of relaxation will not be disappointed: you will find very comfortable mats in your room for practicing yoga by the pool or for meditating in the shade of the trees.
Eating in the Crete Senesi
It is a given that the traditional local cuisine is of a very high standard, but the Crete Senesi is also famous for the white truffle. It is no coincidence, in fact, that in San Giovanni d’Asso the fair dedicated to the diamond of these lands, the White Truffle of the Crete Senesi, is held every year in November. San Giovanni d’Asso is a real city of truffles, to which a museum is also dedicated. The village has a beautiful castle of medieval origin, some historic churches such as the Pieve di San Giovanni Battista and the Church of San Pietro in Villore and also a beautiful wood-garden called Bosco della Ragnaia.
Tuscan cuisine is a world to discover: do not miss the Podere Salicotto cooking classes, where you can learn many traditional Tuscan recipes. Moreover, Tuscany is synonymous with good wine and here you can treat yourself to wine, oil and cheese tastings organized in the partner cellars, as well as in our personal cellar.
What are you waiting for ?!
Come and visit us at Podere Salicotto, the Crete Senesi are waiting for you!
