THINGS TO DO

Siena, Monteriggioni, Chianti, Pienza, Montepulciano, Moltalcino and the many other tourist attractions for which Tuscany is renowned are all very easy to reach from La Torretta, as our house is located at the heart of the region. The province of Siena is the area in Italy with the highest concentration of sites recognised by the UNESCO, counting 4 inscriptions in the World Heritage List. Furthermore, according to our idea of hospitality we will also be pleased to point put other less-famous but equally interesting sites. Escaping from the main tourist routes you will encounter wonderful surprises: we will thus be happy to suggest and explain you how to reach some hidden jewels of Siena's countryside, which will surely impress you, remaining among the most precious moments of your holiday.

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 Top tourist attractions in Sienna

- The Cathedral of Siena (ENG), with the inlaid marble mosaic covering the whole floor, one of the most ornate of its kind in Italy; - Santa Maria della Scala, one of the most ancient European hospitals. Today is a museum complex, with the National Archaeological Museum (ancient etruscan and roman art) and the Bizanthine treasures (ancient relics and gold reliquaries); - The Chigi-Saracini Palace, the home of a noble family, contains within its splendid halls a large number of objects typically collected by aristocrats. Today is a international music school, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana; - The relcs of St. Catherine from Siena, Saint of Italy and Europe; - The Enoteca Italiana, the italian wine cellar, where you can taste 1000 kinds of wines produced in Italy; - The typical local products: cakes (Panforte, Ricciarelli, Pan co'santi) and ham of cinta senese (local pig race); - The historical fountains and the underground waterway; - The urban trekking, a fun way to get to know the extraordinary historical-artistic beauty of this town; - The James Bond locations in Siena, where were shot the scenes of Quantum of Solace (2008), with Daniel Craig; - The Natural History Museum, with fossils, minerals and rocks found around Siena, opered by Physiocritish Academy; - The Botanic Garden, founded in 1784 and operated by Siena University; - The guided walking tour of the historic centre (only middle and hight season); - The "Contrade" Museums, where are shown the victories of the Racing Silk of Siena (Palio di Siena); - The Palio, historic horse-races that take place on 2 July and 16 August; for children is better to watch the trial in the afternoon on the two previous days.

 Places of interest near Siena

- The beautiful "Colle Val d'Elsa" Middle Age town, where is made 90% of the italian crystal: you can buy it at very good prices; - The unique natural landscapee of Siennese Claylands (Crete Senesi), with the clay eroded over the centuries into a dramatic desert of parched hillocks; - The Sienese Hill (Montagnola Senese), a really fine environment among chestnut woods, old shrines and pasturing pigs, remains of old castles and ancient hermitage and marmled quarries (used for Siena Chathedral); - The ancient architecture of Certosa di Pontignano, today Conference Center opered by Siena University; - The remains of ancient Etrurian people: a big tomb near Castellina in Chianti, the necropolis of Fonterutoli and Rosia, the museums in Murlo and Asciano; - The France Way (Via Francigena) also called Rome way (via Romea), a Middle Age path that crosses this country; - The Alto Merse Natural Park, in the green landscapes of Merse valley and Farma valley (Colline Metallifere = Metalliferous Hills); - The mysterious sword in the stone in the Hermitage of Hedges Mount (Eremo di Monte Siepi), near the romanic Saint Galgano Abbey (Abbazia di San Galgano), with its nocturnal concerts; - The steam train from Siena through Crete Senesi, mines of Murlo, Orcia valley, covering very fascinous railway lines (for information: Ferrovie della Val d'Orcia - Orcia Valley Railway ; - The Chianti countryside, a delightful and aerial "chiantigiana" crossing from the eighteenth century San Donato in Perano's villa to Meleto's castle. We'll visit Vertine, an almost untouched fortified hamlet, Spaltenna's Romanesque church, simple and beautiful, and other small little known places. At the end, the tour of Meleto's castle, built in the Middle Ages but restored inside in eighteenth century style, and wine-tasting of the DOC and DOCG there produced; - The Dreamwoods Sculpture Park, the stoneart only with equilibrium and gravity, without glueing or cementing, without cutting or breaking; - The Chianti Sculpture Park, a permanent exhibition of sculptures and installations, is an integral part of a mystical wooded area; - The Cetine antimony mine: a maze of galleries, today Mine Park; - The Terme di Petriolo, with an ancient castle on the Farma valley, Bagno Vignoni with the ancient thermal water basin in the middle of town square, and Rapolano Terme with the local calcareus rock, favourite destination for termal cure; - The Metalliferous Hills (Colline Metallifere), one of the richest areas of minerals and rocks, with a lot of abandoned mines and active quarry of chalk, kaolin and marble; - The carnival of Siena, Buonconvento and Asciano, where Meio puppet will be burnt at the end of carneval. - The enchanting little hill town with Monteriggioni, it has an almost intact circular 13th century fortification wall enclosing the village, used to be part of Siena's defence system against Florentine attacks. - The Fortress of Poggio Imperiale near Poggibonsi con la fonte delle Fate ed il Santuario di San Lucchese; - The medieval town of San Gimignano, that owes its famous skyline to the rival families who tried to outdo each other by building taller and taller towers; - - The medieval town of Certaldo;

 Sport and Free time

- Horse, tennis, bocce, billiards, skates (3 Km)                 - swimming-pool, golf, fishing, archery(7 Km)                 - karting, airplane tourist fligh (11 Km)                 - swimming river (Merse) (18 Km)                 - baloon flight (28 Km)                 - bowling (35 Km)

 Traditional Tourist Destinations

locality Km min. locality Km min. Sienna city 4 10 Montagnola Senese 10 15 Arezzo 85 80 Montalcino 40 45 Assisi 130 110 Montepulciano 65 70 Certosa di Pontignano 15 15 Monteriggioni 20 15 Cortona 70 60 Murlo 15 20 Certosa di Pontignano 15 15 Orvieto 120 120 Chianciano Terme 85 75 Pienza 55 70 Chianti >10 >15 Pisa 120 100 Crete Senesi >10 >15 Rapolano Terme 30 30 Florence center 70 60 San Galgano 30 30 Trasimeno Lake 70 50 San Gimignano 40 45 Larderello 80 80 Terme di Petriolo 25 20 Beach (Maremma) 80 80 Volterra 60 80

 Info

In every room you can find a depliant tourist collection.     Moreover we have a small library about various aspects of the local places.