Dominic & Stacey

Villa Cetinale

The Tuscan landscape has barely changed over the past 500 years; the countryside punctuated by small farms and villages of sun-faded terracotta brick and plaster, and between them the villas of the old Sienese aristocracy, the former homes of popes and cardinals, the seats of long-ago power. One of the most beautiful of them all is Villa Cetinale, built in 1680 by Cardinal Flavio Chigi for his august relation Pope Alexander VII. This Roman baroque mansion lies hidden, like an enchanted castle, up a long dusty road lined with paintbrush-tipped cypress trees. Far above it, reached by the 300 steps of the Santa Scala, stands the Romitorio, a tiny monastery built to process the sins and absolutions of the cardinals who once lived here.

Benedetto Giovannelli, a local architect, designed these first works completed between 1651 and 1656. After Fabio Chigi became Pope Alexander VII in 1655, the works came to a halt until 1676, when his nephew Flavio inherited Cetinale. Flavio wanted to transform the villa in Roman Baroque fashion and hired the architect Carlo Fontana, pupil of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Fontana designed the monumental stair and the marble portal surmounted by a great Chigi coat-of-arms on the northern façade. He projected the chapel, next to which is the "limonaia" (lemon house).In front of the house stand "Spring" and "Summer", two statues by Giuseppe Mazzuoli. Behind the north front, stand two pillars containing two massive statues, 15th-century copies of Trajan's column in Rome. The avenue then narrows and runs for 220 metres, until it reaches two stone busts of Napoleon and one of his marshals, commemorating the French emperor's visit to Cetinale in 1811. The theatre lies behind the statues and can be reached from the North, from the ancient road to Siena.

A small gate leads to the start of "Scala Santa" (Holy Stair), about 300 steps, ending in a stone platform. Here stands the "Romitorio", a five-storey hermitage inhabited by monks until the end of 19th century, now fully restored. The straight line that runs from the Romitorio down the avenue and past the house finishes on the southeastern side of the villa, with an enormous statue of Hercules, also by Mazzuoli.To the North lies the Thebaid (Holy Wood), named after the desert around the Egyptian city of Thebes, where the early Christians retreated, in order to escape from persecution. Paths, avenues, statues of saints and hermits, and one of the seven votive Chapels surrounding Cetinale are to be found in the Tebaid . The chapels are decorated with frescos representing "The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin". Most frescos have deteriorated but a few are still visible such as "Escape to Egypt", on the outside wall towards Siena.

The Palio of Siena, the most famous horserace in Italy was raced seven times between 1679 and 1692 at the villa in the Tebaid, on account of riots in the city. There is no record of Palios at Cetinale after Flavio's death

From North: Take the motorway in the direction of Florence and exit “Firenze Certosa” then turn right in the direction of Siena. Exit Siena San Marco (or Siena Ovest).

From South: Take A1 in the direction of Florence and exit “Valdichiana” then follow direction for Siena. As you are approaching Siena take the ring road “Tangenziale” and exit “Siena San Marco”.

From Siena: San Marco take the SS. 73 in the direction of Sovicille. When you get to a group of houses called Volte Basse turn right in the direction of Cetinale. When you reach the town of Sovicille turn left and then immediately right and follow the signs for Cetinale in the direction of Ancaiano. Just before you reach the town of Ancaiano look for the sign on the right for Cetinale which is 300 metres up the road.

The villa is strategically positioned for those who wish to visit the art cities while enjoying the serenity of the Tuscan countryside.

Nearest town: Sovicille 5km

Other towns: Siena 23km, San Gimignano 33km, Castellina in Chianti 37km, Radda in Chianti 37km, Buonconvento 40km, Certaldo 44km, Volterra 45km, Montalcino 53km, Florence 67km

There are many car hire options in Pisa, Florence and Rome airports.

Below you can find car hire comparison sites that may be useful to find the type of vehicle you prefer. The usual companies are available such as Hertz, Europcar and Avis.

We recommend you bring or hire a sat nav/GPS or use your mobile phone for navigation as although there are signs to the main towns/attractions, some of the places you will want to visit will be slightly off the beaten track.

Price comparison websites:
www.rentalcars.com
www.holidayautos.com
www.autoeurope.co.uk
www.travelsupermarket.com

Please check the opening times of your chosen car hire airport desk, most in Pisa are open until 23:30 but still worth checking against your flight.

Ricasoli is the most representative wine producer in the Chianti Classico area. With its gentle hills, velvety valleys and thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts, the 1,200 hectares of property include almost 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves.

The ongoing study of soil types and the clonal selection of the Brolio Sangiovese are among his greatest passions, and he has totally renovated the vineyards and completely mapped them.

The Ricasoli winery place offers the possibility to do different kind of tours, from the vineyard to the ancient castle.

Beauty and uniqueness enticed this family, originally from Rome, to Ama in the early Seventies. Bound by their love of wine, they replanted the vineyards and introduced new production methods, building a new winery with the end goal of producing Chianti Classico and returning Ama to its former glory.

The 75 hectares of vineyards surrounding the village at an altitude that ranges between 420 and 527 metres result in characterful wines suitable for long ageing.

The tour culminates in a tasting of Castello di Ama wines at the Enoteca in Villa Pianigiani. Tastings can be themed, based from the estate’s private collection, grand crus or vertical tastings to muse on the exceptional vintages of the wines of Castello di Ama.
Our 120-minute tours are only available by prior reservation.
Phone +39 0577 746069 Email reservation@castellodiama.com

Siena is one of the most fascinating towns in Tuscany, not only for its sights, but also for its surroundings. It preserves its medieval character to a remarkable degree, and has been largely unspoilt by new buildings.

Piazza del Campo is one of the most famous squares in Italy, where the great Palio horserace takes place. In fact Siena retains a ward-centric culture from medieval times.

Each ward (contrada) is represented by an animal or mascot, and has its own boundary and distinct identity. Ward rivalries are most rampant during the annual horse race. The streets in Siena are steep as it was built on a ridge, and the town, can be basically visited by foot only.

Some known people were born in Siena, as it has always been a lively cultural center: Mauro Pagani, musician, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Saint Catherine, Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli, archaeologist and many more.

San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy.

Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form "an unforgettable skyline".

Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches.

The Palazzo Comunale, the Collegiate Church and Church of Sant' Agostino contain frescos, including cycles dating from the 14th and 15th centuries.

The town is also known for the white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, produced from the ancient variety of Vernaccia grape which is grown on the sandstone hillsides of the area.
Shopping: Vernaccia of San Gimignano, Chianti wine, Saffron of San Gimignano.

It's towards the end of 1100 A.D.. The story that we are about to tell centers around a round chapel, a knight and a sword in the stone. But instead of the mythical kingdom of Camelot, we are in Montesiepi, in the heart of Tuscany.

The sword in the stone is not Excalibur and the knight is not King Arthur. Its mystery is kept in a book that has been sealed for more than 800 years. A book that could reveal many of the secrets that surround the search for the Holy Grail.

Galgano Guidotti was born in Chiusdino in 1148, the only son of Guido and Dionisia. From his youth, Galgano leads rather a dissolute life, until, at the age of 32, the Archangel Gabriel appears to him in a dream and tells him to follow him.

In the dream, Galgano receives an order from the 12 apostles to build a round chapel at Montesiepi and to retire there to live. His mother and friends try to convince him to desist, but his horse takes fright and takes him to Montesiepi.

At Montesiepi, Galgano thrusts the Sword forcefully into the ground to make a cross and miraculously the Sword gets stuck in the stone. This situation causes quite a sensation and Montesiepi becomes filled with many pilgrims asking Galgano to outperform Miracles. Before his canonization in 1185, 19 such miracles occurred.

Take a walk in the small town, visit the ancient Abbazia and discover the story of the Sword in the Stone.