Mount Amiata

South of Siena, this mountain is really a dormant volcano, its slopes covered with trees of chestnut and beech. The incredible sensation, once over the former crater now covered with earth and plants, is to kick the ground and “feel it empty”. Amiata still generates abundant natural energy, and, over the centuries, its energy has influenced the lives of local inhabitants. Monte Amiata lies between two provinces: Grosseto and Siena. The Ombrone and Orcia rivers meet at the foot of Monte Amiata, and there, nature is untamed. Here is where true travelers can put their pioneer instincts to the test and make incredible discoveries, from the Etruscan mysteries in Murlo to the open-air basilica of San Galgano and the silence of the Montagnola area. The area is ideal to mountain bike enthusiasts. Above the Cistercian church sits the Romanesque pieve of Montesiepi, famous for its spada nella roccia ( “sword in the rock”) and its frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti

During hot summer days, the mountain is ideal for its cool climate, as well as for the wild boar, deer, pheasant and hare hunting. In winter, there is skiing both downhill and cross country. One can also pick mushrooms and berries in season, and of course, the good cooking.

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