Sarteano: Etruscan History, Thermal Waters and Tuscan Traditions

Sarteano between the Etruscans, Travertine and Thermal Waters

Sarteano offers a remarkable combination of medieval history, Etruscan heritage, thermal waters and Tuscan traditions. Its different facets are not found in a general backdrop, but in clearly identifiable places and events: at the Castello di Sarteano, in the Civic Archaeological Museum, at the Giostra del Saracino and in the Parco delle Piscine. This allows you to shape your stay around culture, peaceful walks and regional history.

Castle and Local History

The first known document mentioning the Castello di Sarteano dates from 1038. The Cassero comprises four floors and a final terrace. A travertine spiral staircase with 134 steps runs through the building. The Castello stands on a massive travertine rock surrounded by lush vegetation and centuries-old holm oaks; these now form a nature park. The religious buildings also complement the historical picture. The Collegiata di San Lorenzo dates from the early 13th century, has a Renaissance façade and a Latin-cross floor plan. The Chiesa di San Francesco was founded in the first half of the 14th century and received a travertine façade dating from 1480.

Etruscan Heritage in the Museum and the Landscape

The Civic Archaeological Museum of Sarteano is housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Gabrielli. It preserves finds from local Etruscan necropolises dating from the 9th to the 1st century BC. Exhibits include canopic urns, Etruscan and Attic painted ceramics, and ossuaries made of fetid stone. The museum contains a life-size reconstruction of the Tomba della Quadriga Infernale. The painted Etruscan tomb was discovered in 2003 in the necropolis delle Pianacce. The complex was built five metres deep into travertine; the twenty-metre-long access corridor is decorated with brightly coloured paintings on white plaster. It depicts a chariot drawn by two lions and two griffins and driven by a demon, possibly Charun. The Anello delle Pianacce circular route leads to the necropolis delle Pianacce, an important Etruscan archaeological site in the Sarteano area.

Thermal Waters, Walking Routes and Festivals

For a more relaxing break, the Parco delle Piscine has three pools. They are fed by continuously flowing water with a temperature of around 24°C, which flows over impressive cascades. The Piscine di Sarteano are supplied with thermomineral water from the Santa Lucia spring, which also has a constant temperature of around 24°C. The Via dei Mulini is a short, family-friendly route for leisurely walks and starts at Piazza Domenico Bargagli in Sarteano. The Giostra del Saracino is a regular cultural event: it takes place every year on 15 August as a historical re-enactment of ancient equestrian tournaments. Beforehand, the contrade parade through Sarteano in historical costumes with an ox-drawn cart; the cart carries the Palio. The Sarteano Jazz & Blues festival also takes place every year in August in the historic centre. From the Chiusi-Chianciano Terme motorway exit, the route to Sarteano follows the SS478 for approximately 10 kilometres. In regional terms, the town belongs to the Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano e dei Sapori della Valdichiana Senese, a route associated with Vino Nobile and wine cellars carved into rock and tuff. If you would like to continue your discoveries beyond Sarteano, [Castiglioncello del Trinoro](Castiglioncello del Trinoro) offers another Tuscan destination idea.

For the broader travel overview: Siena.

More destinations

More places under the same destination:

Badesse, Casole D'elsa, Castiglione D'orcia, Bibbiano, Megognano, San Giovanni D'asso, San Casciano Dei Bagni.