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Casteldelpiano|Mount
Amiata|Arcidosso|Santa
Fiora|Saturnia Hot Springs|Sovana|Baths
of S.Filippo|Siena Area
On
Amiata area it's possible to do too many excursions all around South
Tuscany, untill Siena area, drive along long or short distance. There
are Medieval Towns lik Pienza, waterfall and hot
springs, like Saturnia or Etruscan and Romans
sites, but, a little bit so far there is seaside (Argentario or Tirrenian
Coast). This a historical-cultural zone, wonderful and really intresting
site for a holiday.
Click on sites names above and choise your excursion. 
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Casteldelpiano |
 
Casteldelpiano,
renowned health resort of Central Italy, has about 5.000
residents and lies at 650 mt. of altitude. The name is derived
by the Latin Castrum
plani for its enviable position on the edge of a
charming plateau surrounded by woods which cover the Monte
Amiata; downhill the country opens on the valleys of the rivers
Ombrone and Orcia degrading towards the Maremma.The
beginning of the village is very old, as it is proved by finds
dating back to Paleolithic,
discovered in the excavation of fossil flour nearby the village.
The prehistoric finds are
visible in the Municipal
Antiquarium. It is famous for centuries: already in 1462 the
Pope Pius II Piccolomini,
during his stay on Amiata, exalted its
pleasantness and the beauty.Last century the urbanisation
of Casteldelpiano was drawn again by the architect Orazio
Imberciadori, with wide avenues and beautiful squares outside
the historical centre.The village is provided with all needed
services and with sports and entertainment equipment.The 8
September, in Garibaldi Square, there is the famous horse-racing
of the PALIO OF CASTELDELPIANO.
Montenero and Montegiovi are two outlying
wards of the Commune of Casteldelpiano built on the top of two
hills. For lovers of winter sports, in few Km. from the village
there is the reascending
installation from Prato delle Macinaie to the top of Monte Amiata with 15 Km. of
ski-slopes and ways for long-distance ski sunk in the
centuries-old beech-wood.
visualize
the map of the village
INFO: c.a.p. 58033 -
prefisso tel. 0564
Municipal Police 0564956257 - City Hall 0564975311 - Cinema Roma
0564955592 - Theatre Amiatino 0564955323
Comunale Stadium 0564957182 - Swimming Pool 0564955228 - Tourism
Office 0564973534
DISTANCE
FROM THE CAMPING:
t is set at the entrance of the village coming from Arcidosso. |
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Mount
Amiata |
 The
Amiata
is the highest mountain in the south of Tuscany with its 1738
mt. on the top. The administration is divided between the
province of Siena and of Grosseto. Casteldelpiano,
Arcidosso, S. Fiora in province of Grosseto
and Abbadia San Salvatore in province of Siena are
the more important towns.
Mount Amiata is a very old extinct volcan: for that the
presence of several soffiones used for the production of
geothermal power, and of hot water springs all around the
mountain, employed in several baths. The whole mountain is
covered by a thick wood of beechs, chestnuts, conifers, and it
is an important skistation for all central Italy. On the top,
from where you can enjoy a lovely view from the Tyrrheanian Sea
to the Apennines, there is a beautiful iron Cross high 22
metres, built on 1800. On
the slopes of Mount Amiata there is an important
Faunistic Park, where is present a lot of protected animal
species: deers, fallow deers, foxes, wild boars, wolves, roebucks, mouflons, chamois
and birds.
DISTANCE FROM THE CAMPING:
15 Km. from the top |
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Arcidosso
and Mount Labbro |
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Arcidosso
is a very functional small town with many services. Particularly
pleasant is the historical centre, to which the entrance is by
the charming Gate of the Clock, with its small roads and
alleies degrading down to the stream. The medieval castle of
Aldobrandeschi is now seat for important
exibitions, cultural entertainments and scientific congress.
Few
kilometres outside Arcidosso there is Mount Labbro (1193
mt.), to which it is possible to arrive by car till few hundreds
metres from the top. The environment is rocky and bleak with a
nearly moon-atmosphere. From here, in a clear day, it is
possible to admire the all Maremma and the Islands of the Tuscan
Archipelago. In the second half of the 19th century David
Lazzaretti, the Prophet
of Amiata, created the movement Giurisdavidic,
and settled in this mountain, where he built a tower (see photo)
and a Chapel excavated
inside the
rock.
DISTANCE FROM THE CAMPING:
Arcidosso 3 Km. - Monte Labbro 8 Km. |
|
Santa
Fiora |
Placed
at the spring of Fiora river, Santa Fiora, with its historical
centre perfectly preserved, is a well kept example of medieval
town. Santa Fiora was the capital of the dominion of
Aldobrandeschi (XI - XIII centuries). Renowned is the Church of
Saints Flora and Lucilla with the pottery of Andrea della
Robbia. Symbol of the village is the Peschiera, interesting
monument of XVIII century, where the waters of Fiora
river are received before to go down towards the Maremma.
DISTANCE FROM THE CAMPING:13
Km. ROCCHETTE DI
FAZIO: Going
down towards Saturnia, shortly outside of Semproniano up on a
rock along the Albegna river, we find Rocchette di Fazio, a
medieval centre perfectly preserved, which in the past was an
alive feud placed in dominating position on all Maremma. (25 Km.
from the Camping).
(25 km from the
Camping).
 ROCCALBEGNA:
It
is very suggestive village with a rock called Sasso, sheer above
the Albegna river, up on which the old castle of Aldobrandeschi
rises. Attractive is also the Church of Saints Peter and Paul
with an Altar-Piece of Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Roccalbegna is in
province of Grosseto descending towards Scansano.
(20 Km. from the camping).
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|
Saturnia
Hot Springs |
By
now famous in all the world Saturnia and its baths of
sulphurous water at 37,5°, represent a fixed stop for visitors
of Maremma. Both the thermal Centre, with modern
constructions and equipment for several types of treatments, and
the Mill Fall, municipal property and so free, are very
fascinating. These waters are exploited from over 2000 years,
since the Etruscans. Only few centuries ago there was a spring
also in the town of Saturnia. Saturnia is placed on a bloch of
travertin which towers above the Albegna river and was inhabited
at the beginning by the PELASGIANS, civilization
pre-Etruscan, later was an important town both Etruscan
and Roman. It is said that Saturnia was the first town in
Italy. In the Middle Ages it lived a moment of decline under the
dominion of Aldobrandeschi. Now it is possible to visit the
ruins of Etrusco-Roman walls, the Roman Gate, under that passes
the Via Clodia (important imperial road) and the Castle of
Counts Ciacci. Saturnia
is much visited by Tourists and it is pleasant to spend an
evening in the typic restaurants of the large square Vittorio
Veneto
DISTANCE FROM THE CAMPING:
43
Km. |
|
Sovana
and his Etruscan Sites |
 Delightful
medieval centre perfectly preserved Sovana was an
important town of Etruscans, Longobards and Aldobrandeschi.
It is rich in suggestive monuments, that is, for example, the Palazzo
Pretorio, the Loggia of Captain and the Church of S.
Maria. The Pope Gregory VII (Ildebrando da Sovana) was
born there in the Middle Ages. Now it is very nice to walk among
the old alleys till the Castle of Aldobrandeschi or to dine in
the exellent restaurants. Very important is the Etruscan
Necropolis, which is placed just outside of Sovana, with the
tombs dug out in the tuff, like that of the Mermaid, of the
Typhon or the Ildebranda, dated back to the IV and III centuries
B.C. Not very far from Sovana there are PITIGLIANO and SORANO,
suggestive and
interessant medieval towns.
DISTANZA DAL CAMPING:55
Km. |
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Baths
of S.Filippo e Baths of Bagno Vignoni |
|
BAGNI DI SAN FILIPPO
thermal
Centre on the slopes of M. Amiata towards Siena. There is a
suggestive natural fall of sulphureous warm water sunk in the
Mediterranean Maquis. Bagni San Filippo lies some kilometres from
Abbadia San Salvatore: it was know since Middle Ages, when it was a
point of rest for wayfarers in search of a moment of refreshment.
The waters were considered miraculous and with therapeutic
properties.
DISTANCE FROM
THE CAMPING: 34 Km.
BAGNO VIGNONI
Enchanting
medieval village close to S. Quirico d'Orcia in province of Siena.
It
is very characteristic to visit, and more it is an important
thermal centre of sulphureous water. DISTANCE
FROM THE CAMPING: 25 Km. |
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Siena's
Area |
MONTALCINO: Centre
of international fame thanks to the famous WINE BRUNELLO, but also
charming medieval town of Siena hills
(32 Km. from the Camping)
PIENZA: Model
of Renaissance town practically intact, wanted by Pope Pius II.
(35 Km. from the Camping)
ABBADIA SAN SALVATORE: The
greatest centre of Sienese Amiata, and one of the most important centres
of the medieval Tuscany, thanks to the Abbey, which influenced also
the great Germanic Emperors. 
(22 Km. from the Camping)
ABBAZIA DI S.ANTIMO: Close
to Castelnuovo dell'Abate, suggestive centre surrounded by a centuries-old
olive-grove. The Abbey is, now, a community of French Cistercian Monks,
who celebrate the liturgy in Latin and they are renowned for the Gregorian
chants, which it is possible to attend during the week at the following
schedule:
LAUDS:
h. 7,00 (week-days)
7,30 (feast days)
MASS:
h.
9,00 (week-days)
11,00 (feast days)
SEXT:
h.
12,45 (all days)
NONES:
h.
14,45 (all days)
VESPERS:
h.
19,00 (week-days)
18,30 (feast days)
COMPLINE:
h.
20,30 (all days)
The
schedule may be subject to change
(20 Km. from the Camping) |
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