Discover Sovicille: Forest, Trails and Cultural Heritage

Sovicille combines dense forest landscapes, river nature and traces spanning many centuries. This provides different focal points for planning your trip: historic townscapes, Romanesque buildings, paths through the Alto Merse Nature Reserve and places with a religious or aristocratic history. The historic centre of Sovicille is surrounded by a 15th-century ring of walls. In the 12th century, it was the site of a castle belonging to the Bishop of Siena.

Forest and River Landscapes

Most of the Sovicille area is covered by forest. The Alto Merse Nature Reserve encompasses a long stretch of the Merse River and presents a landscape where observing nature and experiencing the trails are closely connected with the forest. The woodland includes downy oaks, sessile oaks and chestnut trees. The forest fauna includes three woodpecker species: the green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker and wryneck. Those who want to get to know the landscape not just along a single trail can find five circular routes at the Museo Etnografico del Bosco, with a total length of 50 km. Some of these trails include contemporary art projects. The Via dei 4 Borghi offers another combination of landscape and local history: after 5 km from Orgia, it reaches the Alto Merse Nature Reserve, then continues to Torri and ends at the medieval village with its cloister. For planning a longer route, the Grand Tour della Val di Merse is also documented, covering approximately 173 km.

Romanesque Buildings and Historic Traces

The Pieve di San Giovanni Battista, better known as Pieve di Ponte allo Spino, is considered one of the most interesting Romanesque buildings in the area around Siena. The Ponte della Pia also combines architectural history with a route through the landscape. The originally Romanesque bridge was rebuilt in the Middle Ages; its present appearance probably dates from work carried out around the 13th century. Despite the lack of railings, it can be crossed with caution. A forest path follows the remains of an ancient road once called “Manliana”. At Castello di Celsa, another detail draws attention to the design of historic estates. The Italian garden was laid out in the 16th century. Boxwood hedges shaped like stars and a rake represent symbols from the coat of arms of the Aldobrandini family. At Palazzo al Piano, the only visible original element is the sloping base of a tower with several loopholes. In the 19th century, the owners, the Chigi Saracini counts, almost completely converted the palazzo into a villa with a garden and an extensive park. The park has disappeared today.

Monastery, Art and Different Visiting Priorities

The Eremo di San Salvatore a Lecceto adds a spiritual dimension to the historic attractions. Its interior was remodelled in the Baroque style and preserves 14th-century frescoes. The monastery buildings are arranged around two cloisters: one is Gothic, while the other dates from the 15th century. From the 14th century onwards, the hermitage became a spiritual centre associated with the work of Saint Catherine of Siena. Depending on your interests, Sovicille can thus be explored through nature, art, medieval architecture or religious history. For further destination selection, you can also include Stigliano Stigliano, Carpineto Carpineto and Rosia Rosia. The trails, buildings and landscapes described here each provide their own focus for planning your stay.

For the overarching travel overview: Siena.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Toiano, Scalvaia, Radda / Chianti, Cetona, Torrita Di Siena.