The surroundings


Choosing to spend your holidays at Camporsevoli means immersing yourself in everything that Tuscany – central Italy in general – represents.

Driving, maybe getting lost, along the unforgettable roads that lead to unknown small villages rich in tradition. We have guests that have been coming for many years and are still surprised to discover new places.In less than half an hour, you can admire one of the earliest frescoes by Perugino in the place where he was born, Città della Pieve, then eat a “bico al prosciutto” at Bruno Coppetta’s restaurant a few steps away. 

You can stop for an aperitivo in San Casciano dei Bagni, with its magnificent terrace overlooking the hillside, whose colours not only change with the seasons but with every passing moment. It is impossible to resist a table at Daniela’s restaurant, the heart of the town

On the other side of San Casciano in relation to Camporsevoli, we find Cetona. Crossing its immaculate piazza and clambering through its streets towards the Rocca is always exciting and like taking a step back in time. It then comes naturally to stop for a nice meal at Nilo, or buy some beautiful ceramics from Pippo.

In order to understand the local history, it is essential to stop in Chiusi, the mysterious Etruscan capital. Its lovely small museum once housed the collections of artefacts found in the Etruscan tombs of Camporsevoli, mostly ceded in turn to the British Museum and the Museum of Dresden. Venturing on to visit the painted tombs, usually alone, makes for a real archaeological experience.

In less than 45 minutes, you can reach Montepulciano, with its Duomo and the sadly not very well known but wonderful sculptures by Michelozzo. However, you should not ignore the wonder of the Greek cross plan Church of San Biagio, from the Renaissance design by Sangallo, which inspired nothing short of Bramante and Michelangelo for St Peter's Church in Rome. After so much culture, just a few steps away is the restaurant La Grotta, or we can reach Miriam Caporali’s Tenuta Valdipiatta, where we can understand the secrets and characteristics of the famous Vino Nobile.

 

"The road that runs through the clay Calanchi in Val d'Orcia takes you to a surreal world"

Pienza, the ideal city of Pope Piccolomini and its architect Rossellino, cannot be missed. The road from Montepulciano to Pienza is possibly one of the most beautiful in the world and, if you have time, take a small detour to Monticchiello:  a tiny and fabulous village where the longstanding tradition of the Teatro Povero is staged every summer. 
From Pienza and Montepulciano, the road back is the one that passes by the Villa della Foce, home to the author Iris Origo, with its spectacular garden designed by the British architect Cecil Pinsent.
The road that runs through the clay Calanchi in Val d'Orcia takes you to a surreal world, so different from the green hillsides of nearby Chianti. You will recognize it from many postcards!
Just about an hour from Camporsevoli, you arrive in Montalcino and its Brunello, its vineyards dotted with rose bushes, cared for like Renaissance gardens, and its town that is so well kept, with many unique shops, excellent restaurants and wine bars. Do not forget to stop for a bite at the Le Potazzine or Alle Logge osterias, from which you can quickly reach Sant'Antimo: the white immaculate Carolingian mini-Cathedral surrounded by greenery; or where you can admire the frescoes by Pinturicchio in the convent of Monte Oliveto, just above Buonconvento, another delightful town surrounded by Romanesque walls.

 

 

During the same pleasant drive, you can easily reach the renowned Cortona and, just a bit further, Arezzo. The frescoes of the History of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca in the Church of San Francesco in Arezzo alone are worth a trip. If it coincides with the first weekend of the month, all the better. Arezzo hosts one of Italy’s most famous antique markets.

Going beyond Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio are at our doorstep. There is the previously mentioned Città della Pieve, but also Orvieto, where the majestic Duomo is always astonishing, with frescoes by Luca Signorelli, a necessary introduction to those of his pupil Michelangelo. A truly great small town, with a very active cultural life and excellent restaurants where you can discover the magnificent Umbrian cuisine and the famous white wine of Orvieto. If you desire to visit a winery, it is definitely worth the effort to go up to Salviano and taste its excellent wines overlooking the lake Corbara.


Driving a bit further into Umbria, we easily reach Assisi and Perugia. Perugia with its Renaissance works of art and the National Museum of Umbria. But mostly, magical Assisi: some places have a particular magnetism – think of Petra or the Taj Mahal – and there is no doubt that Assisi is among them. Not only for its beauty and its powerful frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue in the Lower and Upper Basilicas of San Francesco, but for the history and atmosphere that envelop it.


Each destination – those mentioned above are just a few – does not simply carry a historical or artistic value, but also that of longstanding artisan traditions and cuisine. Some have already been mentioned but you cannot leave Pienza without tasting the Pecorino cheese, or eat pici at the restaurant La Pace, in Celle sul Rigo, or try the “drunken chicken” in Orvieto or black truffles in Perugia.

"The gastronomic value of our land is priceless"


The gastronomic value of our land is priceless, the products are always fresh and genuine, and truly locally sourced. The cultural tradition of Tuscany and Umbria passes from the table, around which you not only discover tastes but emotions and secrets.
Ceramics reign in the artisan tradition: its most important centre – but farther away – is in Deruta, in Umbria. Every town has its ceramic artist, with his or her own style. Of the many, we like mentioning Pippo in Cetona – who interprets this ancient art with originality – and Klusium in Chiusi that pays tribute to the most classical tradition.