Visiting the Valdelsa

The villa is in an ideal position for visiting Tuscany’s many interesting places; just 18 km from San Gimignano, the town of the beautiful towers, and 12 km from Colle di Val d'Elsa, the Town of Crystal, where you will find a big supermarket, lots of shops and restaurants, a weekly market on Fridays, a beautiful medieval quarter in the old town and the entrance to the Firenze/Siena highway.

San Gimignano
Known for its Vernaccia and its towers, it stands on a hill overlooking the Val d’Elsa. The centre is an authentic artistic jewel which retains all the original charm of days gone by. Of great beauty is the Collegiate Church of S. Maria Assunta, built in the 12th century. Its interior is decorated with frescoes typical of the 14th century Siena style depicting Stories from the Old Testament by Barna da Siena, Bartolo di Fredi and Taddeo di Bartolo and frescoes typical of the 15th century Florentine style. The Church of S. Agostino is frescoed by Benozzo Gozzoli and also houses an Incoronation by Pollaiolo. Also worth mentioning is Palazzo del Podestà which preserves a Fresco of Sodom. Also of spectacular beauty is Piazza della Cisterna, with a pretty well in the centre.
http://www.comune.sangimignano.si.it/

Colle di Val d'Elsa
Colle Alta is enclosed by 12th century walls and comprises the Village of Santa Caterina and the Castle. Beyond the impressive Porta Nuova (New Gate) attributed to Giuliano da Sangallo (1445-1516), the visitor crosses the village of Santa Caterina with its beautiful medieval and renaissance houses and comes to the bridge, built to replace the drawbridge, which leads to the Castle. The Castle retains its original medieval aspect in the narrow, twisting lanes, amongst which Via delle Volte, a pretty gallery stretching for about a hundred metres, is particularly interesting, and in the tower houses: that of Arnolfo di Cambio is a beautiful 13th century example. Descending to Colle Bassa, elements of interest include the 13th century church of Sant'Agostino which houses a Madonna with Child by Taddeo di Bartolo and a beautiful work by Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. Also worth visiting in the vicinity is Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Abbey of Coneo.
www.comune.colle-di-val-d-elsa.si.it/

Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is the typical example of a Fortified Village, a tiny village with just 42 inhabitants, surrounded by a circular wall. The walls have an elliptic shape and embrace the peak of a high hill known as Monte Ala, which overlooks the surrounding hills and plains. Eleven towers rise 6.5 metres above the walls, but in the Middle Ages, their height reached 15 metres. There is a walkway on the top of the walls, which ran all the way around the perimeter. The village has a Piazza with a Parish Church dating back to 1219.
http://www.comune.monteriggioni.si.it

Certaldo
Certaldo Alto still retains a fair part of the medieval village walls with three gates, Porta Alberti, Porta al Sole and Porta al Rivellino. There are two main streets, built in different periods, Via del Rivellino and Via Boccaccio. These two arteries are joined by a series of characteristic little streets and lanes which cut across them. The area inside the walls is characterised by numerous vegetable gardens and fields. Access to the village is gained by climbing the oldest and most charming steeply sloping streets, known as Costa Alberti and Costa Vecchia, or the more modern Via del Castello. The scenery that opens up before your eyes is a rare example of highly characteristic medieval town planning which culminates in the impressive Palazzo Pretorio at the top of the hill. Places to visit are the Church of Saints Jacopo and Filippo and the House of Giovanni Boccaccio, famous author of "Decamerone".
http://www.comune.certaldo.fi.it/