Tuscany: 
Colle di Val d'Elsa & Volterra

Hotels Restaurants Sights Shopping

Colle di Val d’Elsa is separated into the upper and lower town (citta alta and citta bassa)….I head right to the charming upper town the Colle Alta. Park in the lot at the gates to the old upper town, Porta Nuova is your gate of entry here. Porta Nuova is part of the walled upper town that was built in the 15^th century. The upper town sits on a ridge and there are many lovely palazzi and medieval buildings here. There’s also the 17^th century duomo and several museums located in ancient palazzi in the old town: Museo Civico, Museo d’Arte Sacra and Museo Archeologico. Market day is Friday in Colle di Val d’Elsa.

Volterra is an Etruscan town. The town sits on a high plateau and is often referred to as somber or forbidding. I, however, find it amazingly beautiful, well preserved and ancient, the medieval walls still remain and add so much to the "feel" here. The main square in town is the Piazza dei Priori. The square is perfectly preserved and you’ll find medieval palazzi lining the square. The Palazzo Pretorio has a tower called Torre de la Porcellino (Piglet’s Tower), named because of the pig/boar sculpted on the tower. The Palazzo dei Priori is a 13^th century building and is the oldest town hall in Tuscany. Beyond the piazza (just behind it) is the Piazza San Giovanni. In this square you’ll find the duomo and baptistry. In the 12^th century duomo there are frescoes, paintings, an ornate ceiling and sculptures. The battistero (13^th century) is octagonal in shape, has a Romanesque doorway and a baptismal font by Sansovino. The Museo Diocesano d’Arte Sacra is on Via Roma and contains some fine sculptures and paintings. The Museo Etrusco Guarnacci has local Etruscan finds, a vast number (lots of urns) to be somewhat exact…you’ll find yourself going through rather quickly however. Do see two in particular, the Ombra della Sera (shadow of the evening) and the Urna degli Sposi (urn of the married). The Pinacoteca (museum) is located on a pretty street called Via dei Sarti. This museum contains some fine works by Tuscan artists (Signorelli, Fiorentino, Bartolo, Valdombrino to name a few). The Via dei Sarti has some lovely Renaissance palazzi as well as the Pinacoteca. The Fortezza Medicea was a 14^th century fortress, though today it is a prison. There’s a park near the fortress with nice views (Parco Archeologico). The Balze are the alabaster hills, cliffs actually, created by erosion, something that has continued to take land from Volterra (and a couple of churches too). The Balze are located just northwest of town. Market day is Saturday in Volterra.