Area Guide
Southern Tuscany - Umbria, covering The Val d’Orcia, Crete Senesi, Montepulciano, Orvieto, Todi, Lake Trasimeno, & Città della Pieve
Overview
We offer a comprehensive, professional and very personal service. We understand the problems faced by foreigners purchasing in Italy. We can help you find your perfect home, guide you step by step in your purchase, manage any restoration project you might undertake and later look after your property for you while you are away.
Sarteano: At the Heart of It All
Our base in Sarteano is ideally located on a high plain in the centre of Italy, a mere 6 kms. from the A1 Autostrada and 12 kms. from the mainline railway station Chiusi. Crowned by its 12th. century Castle it overlooks the wide agricultural plain of the Val di Chiana to the east and the imposing Monte Cetona and medieval jewel of Castiglioncello del Trinoro to the World Heritage site of the Val d’Orcia westwards. It has an important Etruscan history exhibited in the charming museum and embellished by the important discovery of the magnificent Quadriga Infernale tomb. Importantly it also offers the visitor some unique craftsmen from Jewellery to Ceramics and an array of tremendous restaurants dedicated to slow food and genuine local produce.
The medieval centre contains some important buildings, notably:
- Palazzo Piccolomini, birthplace of Pius II and home to our office in what were once the stables of the building
- Palazzo Cennini complete with internal courtyard adorned with Roman and Etruscan columns where you can enjoy an aperitif or an excellent meal in the restaurant Chiostro Cennini
- Teatro Comunale; our restored jewel of a miniature renaissance theatre and a cultural centre for both theatre and music
We also cover;
- Montepulciano: Renowned for its Vino Nobile, Montepulciano features Renaissance palazzi, panoramic viewpoints, and underground wine cellars.
- Montalcino: Surrounded by Brunello vineyards, Montalcino is a wine-lover’s mecca with fortified walls, cultural museums, and elegant wine estates.
- San Quirico d’Orcia, a UNESCO-listed gem of a hill town with the Horti Leonini gardens, Romanesque churches, and traditional festivals. A must-stop along the Via Francigena pilgrimage route.
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- Trequanda: A hilltop town known for its olive oil production, scenic countryside, and architectural charm, including the Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Andrea.
- Radicofani: Towering above the valley – a reference point for the whole area, Radicofani’s fortress offers panoramic views, while its streets tell stories of the infamous outlaw Ghino di Tacco.
- Città della Pieve, a really vibrant town, birthplace of painter Perugino where many of his paintings can be seen, rich in Umbrian charm and nestled between Tuscany and Umbria.
- Orvieto, perched on a volcanic rock and famed for its stunning Cathedral, underground tunnels and delicious white wines.
- Grosseto, gateway to the Maremma with coastal beauty, Etruscan ruins and a charming medieval old town
Climate in southern Tuscany:
Allowing for the vagaries of climate change, normally one can count on springtime from mid April to end of May when the weather may be variable but the countryside is exploding into colour with a profusion of wildflowers; poppies, broom, cyclamen, and even orchids.Â
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See the Val d’Orcia at its most glorious in these months, it is a wonderful time to visit.Â
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During the summer months stretching from June to mid Sept. normal temperatures are around 30-32° though this can rise for short bursts to 38°.Â
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Sept./Oct. are also wonderful months to visit. Relaxing with a glass of wine and watching the unique honey coloured glow transforming to peach, as the sun sets behind Monte Amiata, is an unbeatable experience.Â
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Temperatures usually remain quite mild up to Christmas with crisp sunny days. January and February tend to be the coldest with a marked change in temperature from day when it can be around 12° to night when there may easily be frost. Depending on area and height above sea level these are the most likely months for a couple of snowfalls. I should add that since 2012 when we had an incredible snowfall with almost a meter falling in the space of 3 days, we have hardly had any snow at all. At most a light sprinkling which disappears in a day.
Art, History and local Culture:
Impossible in this space to begin to cover even part of it, suffice it to say that Italy has over 70% of the artistic heritage of all Europe and Tuscany has around 80% of the artistic heritage of Italy, there is little to add. It is however worth mentioning some local cultural events which are unique and specific to each area and an excellent way of really getting to know something of the local lifestyle.Â
July – Music
- Umbria Jazz,Â
- Incontri di terra di Siena – classical music in breathtaking locations.
- Cantiere Internazionale di Montepulciano – Opera, Chamber music and Dance
August -Music
- Sarteano Jazz
Unique Cultural Events
Siena of course has its Palio but so does Arezzo and notably Sarteano in the Giostra del Saracino, one of the oldest and most genuine of the pageants. It is a must to see, held on 15 Aug. every year and preceded by weeks of connected festivities, from medieval banquets, candlelit processions in magnificent costumes, building up to the main event where each Contrada (Parish) first parades through the town in all their medieval finery, then compete in a flag throwing ceremony, leading up to the main event where the rider for each Contrada competes to joust a tiny ring from the ‘Saracen’s’ shoulder. Hurtling down the the sanded main square to the cheers of supporters and jeers of opponents on the stands lining the square, the excitement is electric.
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For the town it is not a tourist spectacle, it is an integral part of life. Those involved work volontarily all year to produce the most splendid costumes, to train the best rider, maintain a stable of horses, cook meals for up to 200 people and work together as a community to present something that is quite unique. Being part of this wonderful community is an honour and a privilege.
Food and wine:
This region is a paradise for food and wine lovers:
World-Class Wines
Montalcino produces the world famous Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino. Montepulciano has the equally renowned Nobile and Rosso di Montepulciano. In all these areas many Vineyards offer wine tasting and special visits to their cantinas.Â
Local to Sarteano we also have some notable producers:
- Tenuta del Trinoro owned by the Franchetti family who produce some of the most outstanding red wines, notably Le Cupole in the Val d’Orcia.Â
- The Olivi family whose Primaio and Le Buche enjoy a well earned reputation not to mention the splendid Rosé Prosecco and delightful white Orhora though our personal favourite has to be Pugnatello produced from a local grape.
- Poggio Mori is also producing top quality wines, notably Sartorius and Blu di Vigna.
- Pici, the local handmade pasta, is ubiquitous in our area, eat it with a garlic sauce (aglione), meat sauce or sheep’s cheese (cacio pepe). Ristorante La Pace in Celle sul Rigo claim to be the original inventors, whether true or not, theirs would be hard to beat – don’t forget to try their other speciality – Tagliolini with a nettle sauce, which is sublime.
- Pienza, the medieval jewel built by the Piccolomini Pope Pius II is also famous for the production of Pecorino cheese mostly produced in the Val d’Orcia by Sardinians who moved to the area after the war.Â
- Throughout the area there are festivals dedicated to wine, olive oil and food. From Pici to truffles, chestnuts, olive oil and honey, all have their own special festival.
Property:
The range is enormous, almost every house is unique in some way, either for its location – chosen for easy access, breathtaking panorama or internal style, its price range – from €150,000 for an unrestored property, or an apartment or town house to prestigious listed buildings, wine estates, castles or entire hamlets.
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Our most popular houses provide about 4 bedrooms, possibly with a guest cottage and swimming pool, are in wonderful locations, fully restored maintaining all the character of the original building but providing modern luxurious bathrooms and kitchens, for these prices range between €600,000 – €2,500,000
Access:
In the last few years easy access to airports, major towns and the A1 Autostrada has become an increasingly important factor. Sarteano is ideally placed being more or less halfway between Florence and Rome, 6 kms. from the Autostrada at Chiusi and 12 km. from the mainline railway station in Chiusi. Florence Rome or Pisa airports are all within easy reach. The small Perugia airport is less than an hour away.
