Paluffo Mobile

Town and village were an important stronghold during the wars between Florence and Siena. In 1250 it became the headquarters of the League of the Greve Valley. The town was once endowed with two sets of walls. It had an octagonal shape with four gates. With the fall of the Sienese Republic, Montefioralle lost its prior importance and most of its inhabitants moved to Greve in Chianti. A house in the circular main street of Montefioralle is pointed out as the birth-place of Amerigo Vespucci. The doorway is identified by the wasp ("vespa") and V of the Vespucci family. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montefioralle)

Tignano is a small and cozy medieval village, that can be reached driving on a panoramic road, in the middle of Chianti region.

San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form "an unforgettable skyline". Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gimignano)

The 10th century castle, a national landmark, stands on the highest point between Florence and Siena, in the incomparable Chianti region, above one of the best scenery you'll find anywhere in the world.

Destroyed and reconstructed three times, it has been formerly a lookout post for the Florentine army, giving a commanding view of the whole central Tuscany : from here you can see Florence, Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano and Pisa.

This tranquil corner of the Tuscan countryside provides the castle guests with a unique environment for study and reflection and a suggestive atmosphere, stepping in the past without straying too far from the present.

The castle's estate, two hundred and fifty acres' property, is a working farm and produces its own wine, extra virgin olive oil, Vin Santo and honey.

The town of Barberino Val d'Elsa is a beautiful medieval village surrounded by the green Tuscan countryside between Florence and Siena. Situated along the ancient Cassia road which connects Florence to Rome, it offers a stunning panorama of the Chianti region.

Castello di Poppiano was an impressive medieval building erected around the first millennium; it was probably a fortress for the external defence of the town of Florence. It has been the property of the Guicciardini family for almost nine centuries. Castello di Poppiano was linked with various events in the history of Florence. In 1529 the Castle was damaged during the siege of Florence. The Castle as as it can be visited today is the result of restoration works after an earthquake in 1812 caused extensive damages.

 

Near the village were discovered archaeological finds from the Etruscan era but the first certain evidence is the Tingano castle is from the XI century. In the XII century the Counts Alberti fortified the hill of Tignano. In the XIII century Tignano became part of the Republic of Florence. The most interesting part is made from the ancient walled village which is perfectly preserved in its original circular structure. To the right of the entrance are the well or cistern, made of river pebbles and behind it stands the imposing Palace of the Begliuomini, built in the XIV century.

Monteriggioni is one of the best known and classic walled towns in Tuscany. This village was built on a hill by the Sienese between 1213 and 1219 to overlook the ancient Roman road, the Via Cassia. The main piazza, the Piazza Roma, is dominated by a Romanesque church with a simple, plain facade. Other houses, some in the Renaissance style (once owned by local nobles, gentry and wealthy merchants) facing into the piazza. Off the main piazza smaller streets give way to public gardens fronted by the other houses and small businesses of the town. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monteriggioni)

Panzano in Chianti is a old and cozy hamlet, already inhabited in the Etruscan age.The castle is the oldest part of Panzano. The village grew even in ancient times, around the castle. A visit to Antica Macelleria Dario Cecchini, and to the related restaurant, is highly recommended. (http://www.vinoalvinopanzano.com/vinoalvino/?lang=en)

Semifonte was a fortified city in Tuscany, Italy, built during the late 12th century and destroyed after a siege by Florence in 1202. It was sited mid-way between Florence and Siena on a hill overlooking the Elsa valley and the intersection of the two main routes in the area, the Via Francigena and the Via Chiantigiana, so enabling it to control trade in Tuscany. This dominant position proved to be its downfall. Today, very little remains of the city: one truncated tower of the southern gate (Porta San Niccolò) and a nearby chapel, plus various buried remains. These are to be found on the summit of the hill above the village of Petrognano-Semifonte. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semifonte)

Cortine is a small and cozy medieval village, that can be reached driving on a panoramic road.

The Holy mount of San Vivaldo in Tuscany, is one of the Holy Mount common in the north of Italy, builted between 1500 and 1600, which origin are dated back between 1185 and 1280, when the area was possessed by the friars of Normandy Cross. When Franciscan entered the old church of Camporena, in the place there was still devotion to Vivaldo Stricchi, a Blessed hermit whom veneration start to be diffused when since he has been found - in miraculous circumstances - in the trunk of a chestnut he used as home when he was alive. (http://www.sanvivaldointoscana.com/welcome.htm)

The oldest part of the town is the "colle alta", the higher part, with a well preserved medieval center. The town developed along the river from the 11th century onwards, building an artificial canal to power various industrial activities, such as wheat mills and paper factories. The village is entered through the ancient and monumental Porta Nova and winds its long and narrow way in a sequence of fine 16th-17th-century noble houses (notable are Palazzo Usimbardi, Palazzo Buoninsegni and the Town Hall) to the magnificent Palazzo Campana, which marks the entry to the Castle, the oldest part of Colle. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colle_di_Val_d%27Elsa)

The Paneretta castle is situated in the Chianti Classico area on the western slopes of the dominating hills of the Elsa valley,  looking towards San Gimignano. It was built around an ancient sighting tower. The first owners of the castle were the family Vettori and their last heir, Maddalena, brought it as dowry to her wedding with Ludovico Capponi in 1577. In this era the Paneretta became a place of passing by for painters and poets. Later, the Strozzi family remained owner of the castle until 1984, in this year, the family Albisetti took over.

Radda in Chianti is a beautiful medieval town enclosed in large defensive walls. Located up on a hill between the valleys of Arbia and Pesa, it has ancient origins. It has been inhabited since the 9th century and was already mentioned in a document from 1002. Today, Radda in Chianti and its surroundings are famous destinations for relaxing holidays in Tuscany. Several restaurants and wine shops in town offer excellent Tuscan dishes and the opportunity to taste the Chianti Classico DOC produced in the area. A quick stop at the tourism office within Radda will help you find the nearest winery open for tastings on the particular day you visit. (http://www.chianti.com/radda-in-chianti/)

Siena is a UNESCO world heritage site and this itinerary takes the visitor through its most important sites to gain a general impression of the colored-bricks city. The Siena Cathedral (Duomo), begun in the 12th century, is one of the great examples of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture. Its main façade was completed in 1380. The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the town square, which houses the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, is another architectural treasure, and is famous for hosting the Palio horse race. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siena)

It's towards the end of 1100 A.D.. The story that we are about to tell centers around a round chapel, a knight and a sword in the stone. But instead of the mythical kingdom of Camelot, we are in Montesiepi, in the heart of Tuscany. 
The sword in the stone is not Excalibur and the knight is not King Arthur.
Its mystery is kept in a book that has been sealed for more than 800 years. Galgano Guidotti was born in Chiusdino in 1148, the only son of Guido and Dionisia. From his youth, Galgano leads rather a dissolute life, until, at the age of 32, the Archangel Gabriel appears to him in a dream and tells him to follow him. In the literature of that era it is possible that San Galgano becomes King Arthur and that his legendary sword was used instead to defy the infidels. (http://www.sangalgano.org/ENG/index.htm)

The town was a Neolithic settlement and an important Etruscan center with an original civilization; it became a municipium in the Roman Age. The city was a bishop's residence in the 5th century, and its episcopal power was affirmed during the 12th century. With the decline of the episcopate, Volterra became a place of interest of the Florentines, whose forces conquered Volterra. Florentine rule was not always popular, and opposition occasionally broke into rebellion. These rebellions were put down by Florence. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volterra)

The Abbey was founded in 1313 by Bernardo Tolomei, a jurist from one of the most outstanding families in Siena. In 1319 or 1320 it was approved by Bishop Guido Tarlati as Monte Oliveto, with reference to the Mount of Olives and in honour of Christ’s Passion. The monastery is accessed through a drawbridge which leads to a medieval palace in red brickwork, surmounted by a massive quadrangular tower with barbicans and merlons. Many visitors come to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto to hear the Gregorian chant sung by the monks. (http://www.monte-oliveto.com/ http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/Montages/Siena%20&%20South/Monte_Oliveto_2005.htm)

Like many other Tuscan towns, Certaldo is divided between its historical medieval walled town on a hill (Certaldo Alto) and the modern residential and industrial suburb spread out below. Certaldo Alto
, the charming medieval upper town, reached on foot in 10 min or by cablecar from the station in the main piazza (2min), built almost entirely of brick, is well preserved despite some damage during the Second World War. A terraced garden and a walkway overlooking the town walls provide a splendid view stretching from the hills of the Val d'Elsa to San Gimignano. (click here)

The must of Greve is the central piazza where the visitor can find nice shops of artisanal handcraft, restaurants and wine- food tasting spots. The site of Greve and the surrounding territory has been long settled, probably well before the Etruscans and then the Romans dominated the area. Historical documents of the 11th century refer to an ancient monastic settlement on a nearby hill, which is now called the hill of San Francesco. Before the Franciscans established their monastery in the 15th century, an earlier monastery dedicated to Santo Savi had already been built.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greve_in_Chianti)

The Badia di Passignano (The Abbey of Passignano), located in the Chianti Classico region, is an ancient monastery dating back to 395, when it was established by the archbishop of Florence.
Even today it is still inhabited by monks of the Vallombrosian Order, who remain the guardians of their cultural and historical treasures. 
Since the Middle Ages, the Vallombrosian monks and the Badia di Passignano are known for their attention to classical and musical texts, for having promoted scientific research (Galileo Galilei taught there in 1587), and for looking after the surrounding land by means of cultivation, especially grapevines, and reforestation.

The Castle of Oliveto was built in 1424 by the wealthy Florentine Pucci family and it is one of the most beautiful fortified villas in Tuscany. The castle, whose name derives from the luxurious olive-groves, which can be found round the hill, is situated on the top of a hill and it is protected by moats, walls and towers which are monuments of military and architectural art. On the top of the walls there is a passage from which you can have a panoramic view of the valley ( http://www.castellooliveto.it/)

King Umberto I, Vittorio Emanuele III, D'Annunzio and Giolitti were just some of the illustrious guests who stayed at Castello Sonnino in the early years of the twentieth century. The Castello di Montespertoli is located in a strategic position, only 20 km from Florence, on the road for Volterra, Certaldo and San Gimignano, and within easy reach of Pisa and Siena. It was in fact originally a customs post between Florentine Chianti and that of Siena.  (http://www.castellosonnino.it/)

The city's origins go back to Etruscan times and came under Florentine control starting in the 12th century when it became an important outpost due to its strategic position between Florence and Siena. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times during the battles between the two cities and every time the town was reconstructed with bigger defensive walls. Legend has it that even Brunelleschi was asked to work on the project of new walls for the town. The Church of San Salvatore deserves a visit. It was rebuilt in 1945 after the devastation of WWII. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castellina_in_Chianti)

In the Chianti hills in Tuscany, not far from Florence, Siena, Certaldo, San Gimignano you can holiday with us in Paluffo.