It is still out of the chaotic mass tourism, it boasts a strategic position right in the heart of Chianti and equidistant from Florence, Siena and Pisa, it is rich in history, culture and medieval architecture, is located in just 10 minutes from the famous San Gimignano, many and excellent restaurants where you can taste local dishes, Chianti vineyards, panoramic areas and lots of relaxation... in a nutshell the very essence of Tuscany ... all this is Certaldo! Certaldo is divided into two parts: a modern part on the plains and the most famous Certaldo Alto, a splendid medieval village in the hills remained practically intact since the Middle Ages and from the times when the poet Giovanni Boccaccio. In Certaldo Alto you can still breathe an air of past times: alleys and quiet squares, high medieval towers, the ancient palaces of power, everything recalls the Middle Ages in a sort of dive back in time! There are also numerous weddings that in each season are celebrated in Certaldo Alto precisely for the beauty of the place! The delightful and intimate Church of SS. Jacopo and Filippo for religious weddings or the imposing Palazzo Pretorio for civil rites, in the background a warm shade of red bricks and the green of the vineyards and the rolling Tuscan hills! Certaldo Alto is wonderful every season of the year: in spring with magnificent explosions of colors, in the summer in the shade of the towers and with the many events such as the famous Mercantia, in autumn for the mild climate and in winter maybe with the charm of a blanket of snow! Certaldo is the ideal place to spend a relaxing holiday in Tuscany and to be able to comfortably visit the other nearby important cities!
A collective bicycle tour is well as allowing you to appreciate the beauty closely territorial, helps keep everyone in shape and if the fixed goal is one of the wineries that allow you to taste their wine the return will appear less strenuous and more funny. The vineyards of the area of Siena give rise to some of the best Italian wines including Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Colli Senesi, or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano all these wines are perfect to accompany a improvised barbecue in the garden based on Fiorentina (typical meal). Certainly is not the case of losing the opportunity to visit the historic center of Siena with its major monuments such as the Basilica of San Domenico, where they are kept for centuries the relics of St. Catherine, going along the path of via Francigena. The visit to the Monte dei Paschi, historical site of the oldest bank in Europe, Piazza Tolomei, elegant palaces and noble that lead to the Cattedrale dell’Assunta. And finally the stage is in the heart of the Piazza del Campo.
The beauty of the city of Siena and of the landscape allowed to restore immediately the inner balance and peace with oneself ... to discover the simplicity of the little things that make life great everyday. To help recovery highly recommend to women over thirty like me to unplug the phone, to shut in one of the spas in the area to returned renewed in appearance and spirit. Do not overlook the pleasure of a shopping day in the handicraft shops of the center inf the main streets like Via di Citta, Via Banchi di Sopra and Montanini where committed professional and polite, advise you on the best that could be for you the best purchase. In the city you can also find agencies where hire bicycles for a day to a full immersion in the countryside, among vineyards and nature long tree-lined avenues that characterizes the immense beauty of the landscape surrounding the city.
Siena citizens seemed to be mad about the Palio: the tranquillity and calm of the city I read about before leaving does not reflect the enthusiasm growing up in the days of this extraordinary event, when you can feel by yourself the growing excitement of the ride. The Palio I assisted to was the July one (2nd of July 2017, the other one is traditionally held on August 16th): a lot and lot of events are presented in the days and weeks before the Palio and up to 6 warm up rides are held to make the horses feel comfortable with Piazza del Campo’s location and the excited standing crowd. Unfortunately I only assisted to the main ride, but it has been a moment I will remember for my entire life: me and my girlfriend spent hours and hours (probably 7, I don’t exactly remember) waiting in the middle of Piazza del Campo for taking the best available places since the morning. The horses entered in the square when the sun was still high in the sky and all the people began to go mad and have fun supporting their own teams, each of them representing one of the City’s areas. Before the start many and many tests have been made: the man standing next to me explained me that if the horses are not in line (each of them in its own area) in front of the start rope the ride could not have been made begin. Once the ride started it all happened very quickly: you can hear nothing because of people’s shouting but you can undertsand quite good how the ride is going following the crowd’s excitement. The Palio I assisted to has been won by the City area of The Goose, and my best memory is with no doubt the night of feasts and parties for the streets of Siena with the “contradaioli” of the winning team!
I went for the first time in Siena last summer, just in the days before the Palio. I arrived in the end of June, some days before the first Palio of the year, which is traditionally held on July 2nd and repeated on August 16th. Siena is one of the most suggestive Italian cities I visited. I remember a couple of wonderful days passed in this extraordinary city, wandering in Piazza del Campo with the sun fading on the surrounding medieval buildings. Piazza del Campo is characterized by a slope giving it an unusual depth, and walking in the square full of people lying in the sun (even if lying in the square is actually forbidden) is a really curious experience. For those who have the will, trying the climb to the 400th step of the Torre del Mangia is a challenge to make: you can not miss it when you arrive in the square. Over the phisycal effort, if you want to get in the Tower you have also to be ready to spend: the entrance ticket costs about 7 Euros, a bit expensive even if the view from the top is very suggestive! The square is populated by children, students, mature couples and tourists who can sit or lie down on the bricks of the study center for excellence in Siena. In summer through the narrow streets surrounding Piazza del Campo you can recover from the heat while enjoying one of the many flavors of ice cream you can taste in Siena: really charming place, which help the soul be quiet and lighter. When I visited Piazza del Campo Wi-fi Internet connection was available in the square for free, a perfect incentive if you want to find a place where to work, study or just relax in the sunshine, especially during summer.
Surely by now, you've heard about, if not read some of (it is not just for teens and tweens) the Twilight series books by Stephanie Meyer. The second film installment of her Vampire saga - New Moon - is due to hit theaters in November and Tuscany plays a starring role... In the story, the royal family of vampires, the Volturi, hail from the Tuscan town of Volterra and the main characters find themselves there in a dramatic turn in the story. For the In honor of the movie, the tourism office of Volterra has put together a unique three-day tour package. Whether you're into the vampire series or not, Volterra is worth visiting!
