The grapes harvested in the pre or early veraison phase are pressed, cooked and then cold flavored with a blend of herbs from the Amiata area including: juniper berries (Juniperus communis), chives (Allium schoenoprasum), carline roots (Carlina acaulis), wild garlic (Allium ursinum) and white onion (Allium cepa). The purpose is to enhance a mountain on whose slopes grapes have always been grown through which great wines will be obtained, and – at higher altitudes – aromatic herbs that grow abundantly and characterize the territory for its wealth of endemic specimens, making dell’Amiata, as Father Ernesto Balducci said, a “precious casket”.
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Today the Convent, managed by the love of the Ricci Barbini brothers – Carlo, Marianna and Elena, sons of Prof. Vittorino Ricci Barbini – is one of the most valuable accommodation facilities between Monte Amiata and Val d’Orcia. We went in to tell you about it.
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An idea that comes from the foresight of Stefano Rossi and Annamaria Pinotti, great mountain experts, who in 2010 decided to take over a small structure at Prato delle Macinaie (Castel del Piano), evaluating Mount Amiata as an extremely characteristic place to set up this kind of activity. From that moment on, the growth of Indiana Park attracts thousands of adventurers from all over Italy and Europe every year.
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A place whose philosophy is precise: to offer diners an unforgettable and one hundred percent Tuscan experience, thanks to the processing of exceptional raw materials to embellish beautiful and delicious dishes
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“Our aim ̶ Marco tells ValleyLife ̶ is to offer ourselves as the go-to place for everything related to equestrian culture, and to constantly emphasize the enormous physical, mental and even spiritual benefits born from the relationship one can establish with this wonderful animal; it’s no coincidence our motto is ‘Wellbeing for horses and people’.
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“Our desire ̶ founder and owner Amedeo Cencioni tells me ̶ is to provide a memorable experience for our guests and those who come to visit us to enjoy our attractive, flavourful meals”. Our vegetables for example come directly from the biodynamic garden adjacent to the restaurant; the meat is all Tuscan, while the wine list encompasses in particular the territory of Montalcino and the Val d’Orcia”.
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The Teatro Povero in Monticchiello was one of the first Community Cooperatives in Italy, dating back to the 1980s: “We provide an example to others ̶ one of the volunteers proudly tells me ̶ a lot of committment goes into the organization of the Teatro Povero ̶ which, over time, has become known across the country.
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A visit to Emma’s Tavern: “always involves food and drink ̶ Alessandro tells me ̶ and we offer absolutely irresistible platters with different cold cuts, such as finocchiona, prosciutto, Tuscan salami, capocollo, spicy ventricina, rolled pancetta, but also grilled vegetables and cheeses and they are all local products”.
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Spread over several levels, it’s hallmark is the array of large block letters in pastel colours and stands that occupy the entire surface area of the shop. Aimed at the younger generation, the store boasts a selection of clothes from brands in Italy and elsewhere, ready made clothes but with their labels removed.
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The visit to the Abbadia San Salvatore Mining Museum Park is structured in three parts, each one fascinating. The first is represented by the multimedia museum The ‘Geography of Mercury’, where, like a script, everything revolves around this metal element and immerses the viewer in the narrative of mining life: the myth, the territory, the work, the men and the material constitute the chapters of the story; multimedia technologies take the visitor on a fascinating journey: “there are numerous mining parks ̶̶ explains Massimo Sabatini, president of the Terre di Toscana Consortium ̶̶ but very few focused on mercury and it is no coincidence that we are twinned with Idrija in Slovenia and Almadén in Spain which, together with Abbadia, formed the three main poles of mercury production in Europe. In the museum you will find films, videos and oral testimonies of those who spent their lives in mining.”
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In 2001, after years of experience, Patricia brought her innovative idea of education to the Val d’Orcia, with the motto of ‘have fun learning’. The classrooms are colourful and welcoming. Entering them one gets the impression of belonging to a large family.
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“We have always been passionate about clubs — Gaia tells me full of enthusiasm — as soon as I returned from London where I lived for several years (singing in a rock group, ed.) I fell in love with this place, and with the help of my father Paolo, Alessio, and many other really smart guys, we made this dream come true”. And the dream, now a reality, has conquered hundreds of youngsters who meet at the Kartika tables on weekends to get to know each other, joke in company and fall in love.
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Aldo expresses himself through the Ku Nye massage, a traditional Tibetan massage that was born more than 3900 years ago in the ancient kingdoms of Tibet. A practice belonging to the ancient Tibetan Medical Tradition, the Sowa Rigpa: a system of natural holistic medicine that, over the centuries, has researched and developed forms of therapeutic treatment for our physical and psychological ailments.
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“VIAnDANTE – Massimiliano explains – is for explorers, dreamers and the curious who follow a path so as to nourish the body, mind and soul”. We are in the centre of San Quirico d’Orcia, in the middle of the Via Francigena: “We were inspired by the itinerary of Sigeric, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who began the journey in 990 AD and during the journey noted the stages of the route thereby creating the oldest extant record of the Via Francigena”.
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Soon it’ll be 2022, what are the cuts on offer to keep up with the times? “I take elegance over flamboyance at all costs —Valentina tells me – so I prefer natural tones in strong and bright colours.”
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This family-run place has been in existence since 1995, started from an idea of Lodi Pieraccini.
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