The Crete Senesi is a characteristic hilly area that stretches southeast of Siena.
The particular clay composition of the soil is due to the fact that in ancient times the entire area was a marine basin.
The subsequent and natural process of water withdrawal caused irregular layers of clay and sand to remain deposited on the ground from which numerous marine fossils of various kinds emerged.
The hills
The hills of the Crete Senesi took on their characteristic shape due to the process of erosion and their distinctive color due to the action of the sun’s rays on the sodium sulfate, which bleached the soil. The many visible creeks are called “calanchi,” and the bleached hills are called “biancane.”
The Natural beauty of these hills have made the area one of the most of curious and unique landscapes in all of Tuscany. Today the Crete Senesi are still the protagonistes of the area despite the fact thatfarmers have modified its appearance by tracing paths, truffle grouds vineyards and using the green fields to graze flocks
The Via Francigena
The Via Francigena, which winds through the rolling hills, enabled pilgrims in the Middle Ages to reach Rome, and for this reason, numerous parish churches, abbeys and farmhouses of ancient origins built to accommodate the pilgrims themselves can still be visited.
