Piazza del Campo Live Cam

Tuscany is a region of outstanding beauty and a treasure trove of history and culture. The landscape is magnificent with its vineyards, olive groves and medieval hilltop villages. This is no ordinary holiday area, but a total escape into a timeless way of life. Here you can relax in peace amid the rolling hills where the splashes of colors are those which inspired the great artists of the Renaissance.

Tuscany is fields of sunflowers, startling butterflies, and the most beautiful blue sky. Visits to the ancient cities of Pisa, Lucca, Siena and of course Florence are an essential part of any holiday to this part of Italy. Once you have sampled its wonders, the warmth of its people and the excellence of its wines and cuisine, the magic of Tuscany will touch you and you will want to return.

What To See

Few places in the world can boast the variety of landscape and economy that distinguishes the territory of Siena.

Siena is the quintessential medieval city, more intimate than the nearby -cosmopolitan- Florence and, for those who get to know it, ultimately more inviting than the Tuscan capital. Siena's heart is the sloping semicircular Campo, Italy's greatest square and scene for the famous Palio horse races (open only to 12 horses out of Siena's 16 neighborhoods, each sponsoring a horse) which - since the Middle Ages, if not earlier- have been taking place twice a year. At its lowest edge stands the Palazzo Pubblico, Siena's Townhall and home of the Museo Civico.

Numerous paintings line the walls, including two frescos attributed to Simone Martini in the Sala del Mappamondo: a Maestą and the "Portrait of Guidoriccio da Fogliano", a lovely image of a condottiere on horseback. Nearby the decorated facade of the Duomo makes an impressive introduction to a still more impressive interior. Of particular interest are: the inlaid marble pavement, the great pulpit, Donatello's bronze pavement, and the Piccolomini altar, partly sculpted by Michelangelo.

Above all else, however, visit the Libreria Piccolomini, with Pinturicchio's recently restored frescos on the life of Pope Pius II. The baptistry, below the east end of the cathedral, contains one of Siena's leading Renaissance treasures, a baptismal font decorated with bronze panels illustrating "Scenes from the Life of John the Baptist" by Donatello, Ghiberti, and other artists.

La Canonica - Murlo (4 stars) - Dating back to 1400, the original rectory, with its chapel still consecrated, has been transformed into a small 4 star hotel. It is a real jewel with only 8 rooms (including 2 suites), all of them with a beautiful panorama on the surrounding estate. Each room took the name of a famous priest to remember its old hosts and are all differently characterised through antique and style furniture, important ancient pictures, precious objects, silver and period furnishings belonging from generation to the owner's family who restored carefully the "Canonica" and maintained originals on sight bricks, stone arches and wooden girders, giving so a charming and refined "country-chic" atmosphere. The small comfortable sitting-rooms can easily be transformed in private spaces for small business meetings.

How to arrive - By Car: coming from any direction into Sinalunga, the Amorosa is well indicated by the roadsigns. It is 1.5 Km from the center of town, located along the road linking Sinalunga to Torrita di Siena (SS n° 326) From Florence or Rome - Take Autosole A1 tollway to the Valdichiana exit. Follow the signs to Sinalunga. Once you arrive into town follow the signs to Chiusi and Chianciano. It is 8 Km from the tollbooth. From Siena or Perugia - From either the Siena-Bettole highway or the Perugia Siena highway, exit at Sinalunga. Follow the signs to Chiusi and Chianciano. It is 2 Km from the exit. By train: there is also a train station in Sinalunga with quick and comfortable transportation to Chiusi (about one half-hour), from which one can arrive in Rome in a little more than an hour.

La Locanda - Radda in Chianti - Locanda is a 16th Century Tuscan farmhouse transformed into a charming small hotel with breathtaking views over the Chianti Classico. Tastefully decorated and run by Guido e Martina Bevilacqua, the hotel has the relaxed atmosphere you would enjoy in your own very comfortable country house. In the main house there are 6 double rooms and a suite. Another stone building houses a cosy drawing room with a big fireplace, a library-cum-bar and a comfortable dining room. The uniquely situated swimming-pool shares its magnificent view with the terrace. Truly an hotel for all seasons, La Locanda is a perfect haven after a long walk, a ride trough the woods or a hard day's sightseeing in the nearby cities of Florence, Siena and Arezzo.

How to arrive: Coming from the north. Take the a1 (autostrada del sole) and exit at firenze certosa. Turn right onto the siena-florence superstrada. After about 18 kms exit at san donato.Follow signs to gaiole in chianti and greve. Do not enter the village of san donato but follow road until a bottleneck with a small church on the left with a portico. Turn left immediately after the church. Follow the road through la piazza and at the bottom of the hill turn left following sign to greve. At the t-junction at the top of the hill turn right at sign to radda in chianti. Drive through lucarelli and after a few kilometers look out for signpost to volpaia and turn left.

As soon as you enter volpaia follow the sign for "La locanda", turn sharp right along stone wall and take a narrow road out of the village. After 2 kms on an unpaved road in the wood you will see a sign for "La locanda", turn on the left immediately after. You will find the locanda about 1 km down this road on the right. Coming from the south: take the a1 (autostrada del sole) towards florence.

After about 10 minutes driving uphill, turn right at signpost for radda in chianti (a fast detour to badia coltibuono is advised)> There is also a good restaurant. Is one kilometer from the cross) drive through la villa and past a filling station. After about 3 kms turn right at signpost to volpaia. As soon as you enter volpaia follow the sign for "La locanda", turn sharp right along stone wall and take a narrow road out of the village. After 2 kms on an unpaved road in the wood you will see a sign for "La locanda", turn on the left immediately after. You will find the locanda about 1 km down this road on the right.

L'Olmo - Monticchiello di Pienza - L'Olmo, originally built in the XVII century as a country house, has recently been restored to retain the ambience and style of that period but with all modern amenities. Regional and romantic furnishings include canopy beds, antiques, hand-forged iron light fixtures, local travertine bathroom counter. A large living room with fireplace, an intimate dining room, a heated swimming-pool and lounging area, and a courtyard filled with regional pottery and artifacts are all available to guests.

Canonica a Cerreto - Castelnuovo Berardenga: The building, together with the Church and bell tower built in the Middle Ages, constitutes a major attraction thanks to its historical and architectural features. It dates back to 1000, when it was founded by the Canonici of the Siena Cathedral. Restructured in 1400 and 1700, it was then used as a summer residence by the Bishop. The rooms, once belonging to the monks, have been transformed into apartments for two or four persons. The guests of the farm holiday apartments have a swimming pool with view on Siena at their disposal. Canonica a Cerreto is only 12 km from Siena, and is the ideal setting for an open-air holiday. Located at 380 mt above sea level, it looks down on the Arbia Valley and on the fascinating "crete senesi" (clay hills). The farm produces a great Chianti Classico wine and an excellent extra virgin olive oil. How to arrive: Canonica a Cerreto is located in the heart of Chianti, 12 km east of Siena, Tuscany.

Lucignanello Bandini - Lucignano d'Asso: Lucignano d'Asso is an enchanting hamlet that will delight visitors wishing to stay in one of the loveliest parts of Italy. Though part of an active farming community, the beautifully appointed accomodations are fully independent. They are thus well suited to those who like to return to a comfortable but homely base after excursions into the surrounding countryside with its historic, artistic and gastronomic treasures. Documentary evidence reveals that by 1458 Lucignano had become the property of the "heirs of Agnolo di Niccolò di Piccolomo Piccolomini", a family whose name is associated with numerous episodes in the religious and social Italy history. To this day, the entire setting recalls the landscapes painted by the great Masters of the Senese school of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. How to arrive: Situated in the southernmost tip of Tuscany, an hour's drive from Siena.

Montorio - Montepulciano: Montorio is a historic country residence situated on a hill with a view of Val d'Orcia which dominates the Temple of San Biagio designed by Antonio San Gallo "Il Vecchio". The residence is divided into 5 apartments and is nestled in a landscape of rare beauty, surrounded by a terrace garden with cypresses and olive trees, it is possible to enjoy panoramic views of the area, ideal for people that love reserved relaxation. Complete with all modern conveniences, Montorio offers a simple but refined familiar welcome.

How to arrive: Coming from the north (by car): take the a1 (autostrada del sole) and exit at valdichiana (n. 28). Turn left follow direction montepulciano-chiusi, after about 4 km you will find the village of torrita di siena and at the trafficlight turn left direction montepulciano-chianciano. Arrived in montepulciano follow signs to chianciano.Pienza, after about 1 km you will find a cross-road called bivio di s. Biagio. On the right you will see a private road that goes on a hill where is "Montorio". Coming from the south (by car): take the a1 (autostrada del sole) exit chiusi-chianciano n.29. Follow signs to chianciano (about 8 km), drive through chianciano and follow signs to montepulciano (about km 7). Arrived to montepulciano you will find a cross-road, called bivio di san biagio, turning left you go to pienza, turning right to montepulciano center and in front you will see a private road that goes on a hill where is "Montorio".