Agriturismo Collosodo » News and Surroundings

The garden “LA FOCE” in Orcia Valley

Elena — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 17:31:06 +0000

Between Chianciano Terme and Cassia the undulating and harmonious hills of the Val d’Orcia return to meet with the most rugged gullies of the Crete. Here, on the crossroads where the roads to Pienza, Montepulciano, Sarteano and Chianciano converged and still converge, there is a place where the history of this part of Tuscany intertwines with that of a refined woman, attentive witness of her time and capable of give us posterity a lovely garden, an example of great harmony and pure beauty: this place is called La Foce, this woman is Iris Origo.

Il Giardino la Foce is located inside the homonymous estate, founded in 1498 by the Santa Maria della Scala Hospital of Siena as a hostel to host pilgrims who went to Rome along the Via Francigena. The hostel remained for a long time in the hands of the powerful Spedale di Siena until the confiscation of many ecclesiastical assets occurred under Pietro Leopoldo di Lorena and in 1924 the estate was bought by the Marquises Antonio and Iris Origo.

In the guided tour we talk about Iris, a writer born of an Irish mother and an American father, who as a child was taken by her mother to live in Florence to enjoy the international atmosphere of which the city was permeated at the time. After the wedding with the Marquis Origo, a lover of country life, Iris decided to live in the Foce and make it both a home for her and her family and a chance to improve the lives of the poor farmers in the area, through the reclamation work the inhospitable Val d’Orcia and the foundation of a sanatorium for children with tuberculosis.

The story of Iris winds between the ’20s and’ 30s, along with that of his garden, designed with great skill by the architect Pinsent that she had seen at work at Villa Medici in Florence, bought right by her mother when she was a child. The garden is characterized by carefully boxed hedges and laurel, fountains, basins and benches, walls and travertine benches: the first garden, the lemon garden, the rose garden and the lower garden lead to appreciate the great skills of the architect, who has been able to exploit the morphology of the land and embed this precious place in the splendid scenery of the Val d’Orcia. The view of Monte Amiata from the terrace of the Giardino dei Limoni is breathtaking, but really: the perfect integration between the human and the natural landscape makes you literally remain speechless.

The story of Iris continues through fascism, war, bombing, partisan struggles and Nazi occupation. It looks like a novel, the compelling storyline of a film that, surrounded by the splendor of the garden, one would like to hear again and again.

A visit to the Garden is an immersion in the history of the Tuscan land and the Val d’Orcia and in its profound beauty, both natural and man-made: an example of perfect integration between the environment and the human hand.

La Foce Garden is open from the end of March to the beginning of November with guided tours every Wednesday at 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm, every Saturday, every Sunday and national holidays with visits starting at 11:30, 15:00 and 16:30. Instead it will remain closed for private events. The admission fee of € 10.00 includes a guided tour lasting about 45 minutes. More information on the website www.lafoce.com

Thermal wellbeing: Bagno Vignoni and San Filippo

Elena — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 17:18:58 +0000

In the heart of the Terre di Siena there is a corner of paradise where the perfection of the sinuous and enchanted landscape is combined with an unparalleled cultural and artistic richness. Val d’Orcia is the incredible result of a close relationship between nature and man, in a perfect combination of bare land and rolling hills covered with vineyards and olive groves.
The richness of this land continues in its natural elements: thermal waters that since ancient times model the territory and are perfect for a regenerating holiday. Already the Etruscans knew the healing properties of the springs of Bagni Vignoni and subsequently the Romans exploited their beneficial properties. A large rectangular pool is the evocative setting that adorns the historic center of the village: here the thermal waters flow out and the main monuments overlook, including the portico of Santa Caterina and the Church of San Giovanni Battista. At night the vapors rising from Piazza della Sorgenti envelop the village in a very suggestive fog blanket.

You can not miss a visit to the nearby San Quirico d’Orcia, the village on the ancient Via Francigena preserves treasures to discover as the beautiful Collegiata of the twelfth century and the sixteenth century Horti Leonini.

Natural Baths of Bagni San Filippo
On the slopes of Mount Amiata we find a small spa, where sulfurous waters rich in carbonate descend into the valley and form limestone cascades in the shade of thick woods. We are talking about Bagni San Filippo, in the municipality of Castiglione d’Orcia, where there is a unique show in the world: the white whale, a cascade of thermal water that over the years has created very white and spectacular limestone deposits.
You can so relax in these spectacular open-air baths, or treat yourself to a regenerating and relaxing break at the Terme di San Filippo complex.

IF THIS TOUR IS INTERESTED, please email us at info@collosodo.it and we will advise you our TRAVEL EXPERT!

St.Galgano and St.Antimo, mysticism in Tuscany

Elena — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 17:07:59 +0000

Discover two beautiful abbeys immersed in the Tuscan countryside and the hills of Brunello vineyards dominated by the village of Montalcino.

We will start the day with the visit to a magical place in the tuscan countryside, St. Galgano Abbey, an imposing gothic church that amazes the visitor both for its insulation and the sanctity emanating, and for the distinction of not having the roof. On the adjacent hill you’ll reach with a short walk the Hermitage of Montesiepi, with its famous sword in the stone.

We will continue the tour with a visit to Murlo, small and charming town of Etruscan origine, to get to medieval village of Montalcino, where you can walk among artisanal shops and small cafes and you can admire monumental palaces and reach the fourteenth-century fortress through a scenic tour of walls, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the hills designed by vineyards and cultivated fields.

After a typcal tuscan lunch in a winery of the area of Brunello, we will discover St. Antimo Abbey, romanesque style building, whose magnificence is enhanced by the beauty of the surrounding countryside, where everyday functions are celebrated with Gregorian chants.

On the way back we will stop at an organic farm in the Brunello, where you’ll be guided to the cellars to learn about the traditional wine making methods and you can taste a selection of Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino, wines among the most famous and appreciated in the world.

IF THIS TOUR IS INTERESTED, please email us at info@collosodo.it and we will advise you our TRAVEL EXPERT!

The tour of Orcia Valley: Pienza Montepulciano and Montalcino

Elena — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 14:46:38 +0000

Tuscany offers intense travel experiences. Pienza, Montepulciano and Montalcino are ideal places to spend a holiday in Tuscany.

Pienza is a small treasure chest, the “ideal city” of Pope Pius II who has had its birth here. The main square, dedicated to him, is a Renaissance masterpiece. Here you will find all the main monuments of the city, starting with the Duomo, with a wonderful travertine façade. Thanks to a 1462 papal bubble that forbade further modifications to the project, the church still retains its original appearance and unmatched charm. Next to the Duomo stands the Palazzo Piccolomini, the most important work of architect Bernardo Rossellino, who designed the whole square. It was the papal residence and the structure of the building reflects the nobility of the family that lived there: the loggia in particular offers a wonderful view over the Orcia Valley. On the other side of the Duomo stands the Bishop’s Palace, or Palazzo Borgia, which houses the Diocesan Museum.
The town is very small but full of craft shops where you can taste some typical delicacies, such as Pienza’s pecorino

A few kilometers away, along the gentle hills of the Val d’Orcia, we reach Montepulciano, a medieval town perched on a volcanic rock ridge. Visiting it on foot is a wonderful experience: you enter the main door and immediately you wander through its many stone alleys, upside down to admire the splendid palaces of the center like Palazzo Cocconi and Palazzo Bucelli, up to reach the nice Tower of Pulcinella. The city’s neuralgic center is Piazza Grande, with its Gothic Town Hall.

Also to visit is the Duomo of the 15th century and the Tarugi palace. If you want to make a small rest stop go to the Poliziano cafe, an old nineteenth-century bar, restored, charming. I recommend, do not miss the Temple of San Biagio. Already from above the walls of Montepulciano will take your breath away. Immersed in the greenery, to reach it you will have to leave the city and take a boulevard next to two rows of trees. There is an absolute silence here that exalts even more the beauty of this church, designed by Antonio da Sangallo Il Vecchio.

But now it is time to go back to another suggestive medieval village: Montalcino. Here, too, is a shoemaker, but to give you strength there are dozens of inviting wine shops where one of the most famous wines in the world, Brunello. Before diving between the wines, however, it is worth a walk on the ramparts of the imposing fortress, to enjoy a lovely view of the city and surrounding hills.

We have taken this article from PARLIAMODIVIAGGI.IT and thank you. At our Collosodo farmhouse you will find lots of tourist and advertising material, we are waiting for you!

Tepotratos Museum in Monticchiello

Elena — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 14:35:19 +0000

Tepotratos is the name of the Monticchiello Poor Theater museum. A name which sounds fascinating and mysterious, like something out of ancient Greek. In fact it is a simple acronym which stands for TEatro POpolare TRAdizionale TOScano: that is, ‘Traditional Tuscan Popular Theatre’. But you will find that it still contains fascinating and mysterious things, in a rich display which is something like a stage set. Tepotratos is in fact not an ‘ordinary’ museum composed of exhibits, glass cases and inscriptions to read. On the contrary, it’s organised to stimulate the emotions, a journey for the visitor involving highly evocative sounds, voices and visions.

The museum belongs to the Teatro Povero; but it’s not a museum about the Teatro Povero.

We present here a succession of scenes and images from Tuscan traditional theatre. We have learned a lot from them; but most of all we want to pay homage to the civilisation of peasant sharecroppers—to their entertainments; to the pure simple world of their popular poetry; to their merry subversive tales of a ‘world upside down’, which often secretly expressed their wish for a society which would be more just, open and inclusive.

Tepotratos is also a space which we use for temporary exhibitions, concerts, workshops and entertainments. A simple viewing of the museum’s permanent display costs nothing. To set up an interactive multi-media visit, you need to give at least a week’s notice to our office, by telephoning (+39) 0578 75 51 18, or emailing info@teatropovero.it

You can also visit the museum’s website, www.tepotratos.it, for more information.

Monticchiello’s Poor Theater

Elena — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 14:28:01 +0000

Monticchiello’s Poor Theater is, among the village’s collective identities, the most well-known, the one that most engages the population, a unique peculiarity beyond national boundaries.

On stage every year since 1967, between July and August, the show is written, directed and interpreted by the people of the village, so it has been termed “theater-truth”, “theater-life”. Citizens of Monticchiello, reciting themselves, testify to their reality, the authentic existential and social situations.

At www.teatropovero.it you will find more details and all the activities in progress!

With us you can book the show and tour packages, and stay up to date on the calendar

WRITE TO info@collosodo.it

Monticchiello in Val d’Orcia, Unesco Heritage

Elena — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 14:18:24 +0000

Monticchiello is a small medieval town that is halfway between Pienza and Montepulciano along a secondary road connecting the two towns. The village at 546 meters high is still partly surrounded by the ancient walls of the 13th century. The small hamlet of Monticchiello is immersed in the beautiful hilly landscape of the Val d’Orcia and here is a characteristic road with curves and cypress-lined, representing one of the most famous photographs of the Tuscan landscape typical of the Val d’Orcia.
The origin of Monticchiello dates back to the X century, in fact the name of the village appears for the first time in a document of that time. The country was controlled by the Republic of Siena for some hundreds of years, and at the end of the 14th century it was conquered by Florence, but a few years later it was sold back to Siena.
In the 16th century, Monticchiello was the scene of fierce struggles between Siena and its enemies. In 1502 it was conquered by Cesare Borgia, then in 1553 it was occupied by the troops of Charles V who destroyed the defensive works of the castle. Siena returned to its possession shortly afterwards and refined it, but in 1559 Monticchiello was definitively transferred to Florence.

Today, Monticchiello still has some of the ancient walls with towers and the 13th century trestle. You enter the village from the main door, consisting of ancient houses and narrow and twisted streets, there is an interesting church of the thirteenth century with Romanesque-Gothic façade dedicated to the saints Leonardo and Cristoforo. The church externally has a façade with an ogival portal and a beautiful rosette, while in the interior, both on the walls and in the presbytery, there are interesting frescoes of Sienese school of the fourteenth century, the most famous is MADONNA COL BAMBINO of Lorenzetti, today housed in the Diocesan Museum of the nearby Pienza.

We took this item from BORGHI DI TOSCANA.NET, to find out more visit us;)

Collosodo Farmhouse is in Italy Windows 7′s default background image

admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 21:23:36 +0000

The Collosodo Farmhouse is famous in the world!!! We thank Bill Gates because Collosodo Farmhouse is in Italy Windows 7′s default background image… look at the image!!