Poggibonsi

The settlement of Poggibonsi is the second large town of Siena province. About thirty thousand of people reside here.

Poggibonsi is the most important industrial center of the Val d’Elsa valley. The town is located on the hills of Chianti. So it comes no surprise that Poggibonsi is a member of the National association of wine towns. But for wine it is famous for one more traditional product of Tuscany, olive oil. Also glass items are considered to be the calling card of Poggibonsi. And not only production is presented here, but also original design of items is developed.

Tourists come to Poggibonsi to get acquainted with architecture which keeps the history of the town since the Early Middle Ages. The town hall, the Palace of Pretorio, the Fortress of Medici, the Castel of Badia, and the palace of Strozzavolpe are among the local attractions.

The churches of Poggibonsi such as the monastery church of Santa Maria Assunta, the church of San Lorenzo, the church of San Martino a Luco and others make their own part of the cultural history. The Basilica di San Lucchese dedicated to the patron saint of Poggibonsi is the most important one. This is an ascetic Gothic church which towers above the town. The building was erected in the middle of the XIII century at the place of the even older church. Its traces were preserved in the façade and one of the walls of the basilica.

While in Poggibonsi you can’t miss one more religious site. It is the Santuario del Romituzzo located on the outskirts to the south from Poggibonsi.

It is very easy to get to Poggibonsi. Since the Middle Ages, transport connection has played a vital role here. The town used to be located on the famous road from Rome to France, the Via Francigena. And even now Poggibonsi is a huge highway and railroad connection. A vacation in Poggibonsi can be combined by trips to such famous Tuscan cities as Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, and Montergioni.