EXCURSIONS   1) "Pratomagno" Mountains & "Setteponti" Road  2) Cities of Arts 3) Chianti Region      "PRATOMAGNO" MOUNTAINS & "SETTE PONTI" ROAD  One of the magic places of Tuscany is the Aretine Apennine with the Pratomagno massif that raises as a natural border between the valleys of Casentino and Valdarno. This area is the birthplace of Michelangelo, Piero della Francesca, Masaccio, Vasari, Guido Monaco and Petrarca. and offers a full immersion in history, art and unspoilt nature.   One excursion which can give you a complete idea of our region is the itinerary that follows the "Setteponti" Road from Villa Belpoggio to Arezzo: 30 km to drive and walk through very slowly to enjoy a beautiful landscape.   The Setteponti Road dates back to the Etruscan age. With the Roman conquest of Etruria, it was given the name "Cassia Vetus" and during the Middle Age and the Renaissance it was one of the main roads leading to Rome.   All along this road the villages of Montemarciano, Loro Ciuffenna, Campogialli, Borro and Castiglion Fibocchi still keep their medieval past. For the last ten centuries the Gropina Parish Church (from the Etruscan word "Krupina") silently dominates the valley below. Cypress trees and farm houses show the traditional classic image of Tuscany. At Ponte a Buriano there is an old Roman bridge which it is said was crossed by Annibale (Hannibal). The bridge crosses the Arno in a natural park area where during autumn and spring you can see herons, falcons and cormorants.   Keep on driving for few kilometres and you will see the city of Arezzo on top of the hill at your right. This stretch of the Setteponti Road coincides with the Arezzo Wine Road. You can also stop by some vineyards to taste wines and delicacies belonging to a part of Tuscany that has to be yet discovered.   In the small library of the Villa you will find books and maps to organize your own trips by car, by bicycle or by foot. From our side, it will be a pleasure to make suggestions and share some small secrets.     CITIES OF ARTS Florence can be reached in 40 minutes by car. To visit the town centre we advise you to catch the train: you won’t have to worry about parking. The small railway station of San Giovanni Valdarno is at 7 km. from the Villa and it takes 25 minutes to reach Santa Maria Novella, the main railway station in Florence.   Arezzo is at 35 minutes driving all along the Setteponti Road, through olive groves, vineyards and medieval hamlets. We suggest not to miss Piero della Francesca’s frescoes in San Francesco church; the main square of Arezzo, called “Piazza Grande” that really is the heart of the medieval town; the Antiques Fair that takes place every first week-end of the month; the “Saracino” medieval tournament scheduled this year for June 20th and September 6th.   Siena can be reached either driving for about 50 minutes through the Val d’Ambra ( Ambra Valley) or across the Chianti region all along a panoramic road. “Piazza del Campo” , the main square of Siena, is absolutely unique: have a look at it from the top of the “Torre del Mangia” tower….     Besides the very well know cities, there are also smaller medieval towns like Cortona, Sansepolcro and Anghiari, at about 60 minutes by car, that are worth a visit.   In Anghiari, signalled as one of the nicest hamlets of Italy, a beautiful market takes place from April 25th to May 3rd. It is an invitation to discover traditional handcrafts and delicious local products. Walking through the lanes of this little very beautiful town is an unforgettable experience in every season of the year.   In Sansepolcro, a lovely walled town at 15 minutes from Anghiari, the third Saturday of the month there is a open air market where local farmers and producers are selling directly local traditional products. Sansepolcro was the birthplace of Piero della Francesca and in Civic Museum you could admire one of his masterpieces: “The Resurrection”.   Cortona is nestled on top of a hill at 600 metres above the sea level. From the walls of this very nice Etruscan town you will enjoy a wonderful view of the Val di Chiana. During the summer many events take place in the Opera Theatre and in the medieval centre of the town. Not to be missed the Etruscan Museum and the beautiful “Annunciazione” painted by Beato Angelico.     For updated information about events and exhibitions, tickets for museums and guided tours to the main cities of Tuscany just ask at the Reception of the Villa.     CHIANTI REGION   In less than half an hour it is possible to across the border of Siena province and enter the “Chianti Classico” region. Widely known all over the world since many centuries for its history and wines, this area is the emblem of Tuscany: oak woods, vineyards, cypress trees, castles and watch towers, abbeys and churches, reinassance villas and farm houses, hills and olive groves. Coltibuono Abbey, Meleto Castle, Brolio Castle, Volpaia, Radda, Panzano, Greve and many more little towns and hidden corners that time and again will tempt you to change your planned itinerary.

Excursions Ponte a Buriano Pieve di Gropina