What to see in Cetona, Tuscany
Cetona is a charming little hill town in Southern Tuscany, in the province of Siena. It occupies a perfect spot in the landscape, as testified by the long-standing signs of human habitation in the area, dating back as far as 50,000 years ago, making this one of the oldest towns in southern Tuscany.
The oldest core of the village is on a easily-defended hillock, but today there is also a spacious and welcoming square, Piazza Garibaldi. This large square piazza was commissioned in the mid-sixteenth century by the marquis Vitelli, who wanted to create a more welcoming approach to the town, and give it a more formal dignity, with elegant architecture and more generous space.
I think we can say that he was successful, the square is the perfect place to arrive, take stock, have a gelato and get ready to explore the windy streets and stepped alleys of the old town.
The high point of the old village is the "Rocca", the stronghold is sadly privately owned and cannot be visited, but the alleys that encircle it can, and will give you a good idea of how well defended the village once was.
From the square you can also visit the local archeological museum, The Civic Museum for Prehistory of Mount Cetona in the town hall. The museum tells the stories of the oldest traces of human existence in the area, from the Palaeolithic era to the Bronze Age. Close to the museum is an unexpected delight, the Belverde Archeological Natural Park, where you can visit the nearby travertine caves where early inhabitants of the area once lived. Some of these caves were used as places for burial and worship, others have been homes to hermits, like the Cave of San Francesco. If you take the trail towards the Franciscan hermitage of Santa Maria, you can go also visit three adjoining caves: Antro della Noce, Antro del Poggetto and Tombetta della Strada
Events in Cetona
Cetona in Fiore every April the 25th
Every year at the end of April the main square of the town is filled with flowers and blossoms. To coincide with the event some of the town's private gardens are also opened to the public, and many of them are truly spectacular. There are also some great food stands as well as activities for adults and children to learn more about the local flora.
Corsa delle Brocche
This is a competition between the three local 'contrade' or areas of the town: Porta a Latere, Porta Castello and Porta Capperoni. Teams of men and women from the different contrade race to carry terracotta jugs around the square while taking care not to spill any water. Today it is a lively and engaging event, but it started as a competition to represent the tough balancing act the citizens had to manage in order to remain safe, caught as they were in the power struggle between Orvieto and Siena. The event happens every year at the end of July, the beginning of August.
Sagre
Sagre are local food festivals and Cetona has a couple that shouldn't be missed, based on local food specialities: the first is the Sagra del Bico. A "bico" is traditionally cooked under the warm ashes of a fireplace, and is a type of schiacciata made from flour, water, yeast, oil and a pinch of salt The sagra takes place between the end of June and the beginning of July.
The second is the sagra dei pastrignocchi (e del cuculo) takes places around the 2nd of June. “Pastrignocchi" is a form of hand-made long pasta, while the "cuculo" is a biscuit made from simple ingredients and was typically eaten by farm workers during their break. The ingredients are milk, olive oil, flour and lemon zest plus sugar, and they sound delicious.
Where to eat in Cetona
La Locanda di Cetona Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, 30, 53040 Cetona
Ristorante da Nilo Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, 31/34, 53040 Cetona
Osteria del Merlo Via Sobborgo, 53040 Cetona SI, Italy
Where to stay near Cetona
Podere Sant'Adele is a beautiful old ex-farmhouse for 10 in the countryside near Cetona, with a private pool and gardens.
Have a look here for more Villas near Siena
Other towns near Cetona
San Casciano is a historic town of thermal baths close to Cetona. It has long been a sanctuary and recently an amazing cache of Roman and Etruscan statues were uncovered there. Read more about it here: 24 bronze statues in San Casciano
Author: Dan Wrightson
Dan Wrightson grew up in Tuscany, Italy and has been writing about, sketching and exploring Tuscany and Italy since 1983.
2nd Dec 2024 2nd Dec 2024