Sarteano is a town of 4,852 inhabitants which lies in the province of Siena.

A town of historical and naturalistic importance, situated on a plateau between the Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana. This location has been inhabited for thousands of years. For this reason it has an extremely rich archaeological fame. In particular, Sarteano where you will find some of the most important Etruscan tombs of Tuscany. A large amount of findings made in this area are part of the collection at the Etruscan Museum of Sarteano. The town's medieval past is evidently displayed from its dominating castle, the main element of landscape architecture, and a large number of churches.

The economy in Sarteano is diversified, but basically it is based on agriculture and tourism. The local products of this area are olive oil, wine and wheat. The main tourist features are concentrated on the Holy Bath pools (bagno Santo) and camping. The town hosts a score of small hotels and resorts. The relatively mild climate and proximity to cities such as Siena, Perugia and Arezzo, make Sarteano a good all year round destination holiday. The village is easily reached by car or train, within the proximity of the A1 exit Chiusi-Chianciano Terme and Chiusi station.

Radicofani

Radicofani offers remarkable and unforgettable views of boundless landscapes ranging from the beloved chain of the Apennines, from the lakes of Bolsena and Trasimeno shading the glare of the Mediterranean.

The village lies at the foot of a high cliff basaitica volcanic rock that rises 896 meters above sea level, topped by the ruins of an imposing fortress which for centuries dominated the border crossing between the Toscana1 and Lazio. Of Etruscan origin, as proved by the recent finding of a temple dedicated to god Vertumnus Isabella in the woods and after the cultural division imposed by the barbarian invasions, Radicofani recovered the old road and strategic role by Desiderio, the last king of the Lombards. Over the following centuries Radicofani belonged to: the Papal State, Republic of Siena, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Kingdom of Italy after the plebiscite of 860.

Starting from the top of the cliff lies an incredible view of the feudal castle dating from Charlemagne. Expanded and fortified by Pope Adrian IV (1154) was later transformed into a fortress by order of Cosimo I de 'Medici by the renowned architect Baldassarre Lanci.

From 1297 to 1300 it  was the inaccessible refuge of Ghibelline Ghino  ( Italian version of Robin Hood) heel of whose exploits were celebrated by dall'Alighieri (VI canto of Purgatorio) and Boccaccio in the Decameron. After the fall of the Republic of Siena, the castle was the scene of a heroic resistance until the sunset of the day August 17, 1559 when it was lowered last Balzana the glorious flag of liberty city in Italy. The fort suffered neglect in the final 735 after an arson fire.

Siena

Siena is a town of 54,188 inhabitants in central Tuscany, capital of the province.

 The city is universally known for its artistic heritage and for the substantial stylistic unity of its medieval street furniture and for its famous Palio. It was stated by 'UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The most recent James bond film “Quantum solace” was filmed in Piazza Del campo Siena.

Cetona

The first mention of Cetona as "Castle" between 1207 and 1214, lordship of the Earl Ildebrandino but subject to the sovereignty of Orvieto.

Around the Castle, known for the inhabitants "the rock", afterwards the village developed a typical medieval agglomeration of houses and cottages built in a spiral on the steep slopes of the hills. In the territory of Cetona is one of the oldest settlements in central Italy that goes back  40,000 years ago, whose remains can be viewed by visiting the fascinating Archaeological Park of Belvedere and 25 prehistoric caves now illuminated with the energy produced by a futuristic and environmentally friendly photovoltaic system, the archaeological finds are housed in the Museum of Prehistory of Mount Cetona. The ground floor of the City Hall Museum, experts describe as being "didactically perfect."

Chianciano Terme

Chianciano Terme is one of Italy's most famous spa towns.

Particularly fortunate position, between the Val d'Orcia with its clay (since 2004 UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the fertile Chiana Valley, between the hills of Montepulciano wines and the beauty of Renaissance Pienza: place of care and relaxation but also a starting point for discovering the delights of Tuscany and nearby Umbria. Please note the recent opening of the innovative structure of the sensory spa in the heart of Acquasanta.  This park had a rapid development in the period 1915-1920 with the construction of an aqueduct, a bottling plant and the renovation of the establishment of Water St. . This development continued after World War II with the transformation of the thermal plants and the increase in accommodation.

The spa water of this town is particularly favourable for the treatment of kidney problems.

Montalcino

The hill on which Montalcino lies was probably inhabited by the Etruscans.

Montalcino is mentioned for the first time in a document dated 29 December 814, when Emperor Louis the Pious granted the land upstream sub Lucini abbot of the nearby Abbey Sant'Antimo. Origins of the name of Montalcino are at least two hypotheses. Some believe derives from Mons Lucinus 814 mentioned in the document, named after the goddess Lucina or reference to the Latin word Lucus, meaning "sacred grove", or more generally "small forest". Others derive the name from Mons Ilcinus, from Latin mons (mountain) and ilex (holm oak), meaning "mountain of oaks, plant widespread in the area also represented in the coat of arms.

With the passing of the centuries the name, however, would then be transformed from Mons Lucinus Ilcinus or Mons, in Mons Elcinus and later in the Montalcino.

Montalcino wine is famous all over the world, particularly famous for its Brunello.

Pienza

Pienza is a town of 2,231 inhabitants in the province of Siena, probably the most renowned and most important art of Val d'Orcia to which it belongs.

It is not far from the highway Cassia and the other two major towns of the valley, San Quirico d'Orcia, Castiglione d'Orcia. The history of Pienza, in contrast to that of nearby towns, is characterized by long periods of medieval events and wars. This city was nothing but a small village until 1462, known as Corsignano. The event that changed the fate of Pienza was born in 1405 Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who 53 years later became Pope Pius II. Just a trip to Mantua pontiff led him to cross the birthplace and degradation he found led him to decide the building above the old town, entrusting the project architect Bernardo Rossellini construction that lasted about four years and led to a light and harmonious town forms typical of  the fifteenth century.

The untimely death of Pope Pius II closed the history of the town which has since remained virtually unchanged.

San Casciano dei Bagni

The birth and development of San Casciano dei Bagni is mainly linked by the presence of thermal waters: 42 source at an average temperature of 40 ° C with a flow rate of about 5.5 million litres of water per day, which puts San Casciano in third place in Europe for  thermal water flow.

Tradition, brought by the Florentine Domenico Maria Manni, between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, states that it was the Lucumone Etruscan Chiusi Porsenna that discovered the "Bath Drain" appreciated and visited later by the Romans, mainly for the effectiveness of water, also for the  proximity it had to Rome itself and the Via Cassia. Among some of the most distinguished visitors is reminiscent of the Roman Emperor Augustus, as we learn from the works of Horace and other classical writers, and Triario, the wife of Emperor Vitellius. The vitality of this centre is also demonstrated by the early penetration Christianity and already by the fourth and fifth century existed in San Casciano a church dedicated to St. Mary "to Balneo.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano is a Tuscan town of 7,105 inhabitants situated in the province of Siena.

For the typical medieval architecture of its historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site of San Gimignano, despite some reversals eight-twentieth century, is mostly intact in appearance to-fourteenth century and is one of the best examples in Europe of communal urban organization. San Gimignano was built on a site inhabited by the Etruscans certainly at least the third century BC, as evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds (mostly tombs) in the surrounding area.

The hill was definitely chosen for strategic issues, being dominant 324 m) of the upper Val d'Elsa. The first mention dates back to 929.