SpasSiena.
A few geographic areas in the world can boast of the
variety of environments and economies that characterizes
the territory of Siena. We start to the north with
the superlative richness of Chianti landscape, spangled
with vines and olive-trees that silhouette on hills
tamed by the wise rule of the farmer work. There,
where the plain has taken meters from the heights,
like in Poggibonsi and Colle Bassa, the industrial
development could weave a thick weft of small and
medium firms. It is however on the hills that old
hands built the walls of Monteriggioni and San Gimignano.
They are today lively places of tourist attraction
that rise suggestive like lonely knights against the
moon profile. Then westwards, with many panoramas:
the wide and shadowy forests of Montagnola are well-matched
with those penetrating the municipalities of Monticiano
and Chiusdino, that are very original as regards fauna
and game. The water of the Merse and Farma rivers
gives birth to habitats of absolute naturalistic interest.
At the extreme edge of the province, the earth swollen
with humours bores through the sky of Radicondoli
with gas jets: the geothermal area with its violent
energy potential reminds of the myth of the gods'
forge, the benevolent joke of a joking alchemist lying
in ambush in the underground. That's not all. Even
to the south of Siena the variety plays the lord and
master. The pleasant Arbia valley framed by the agile
poplar rows leads to a going up of hills that end
up in the many-towered top of Montalcino, home of
the valued Brunello. To the side, the earth dries
up in the characteristic landscape of the "chalks",
as white as bread, at precipice in its gullies seized
to the green of lonely and proud cypresses at the
top of the borders. If more eastwards the healthy
water of Rapolano repairs the numerous failures of
the feverish modern living, southwards the Orcia valley
closes with harsh stretch that part of Tuscan territory,
called "Siena", which the A.P.T. n. 10 is
in charge of. Siena is the heart of this exceptional
geographic and environmental repertory that contains
in each village treasures of art and historical memories
of priceless value. Siena, that is the quality of
life made into town. The first Town of Europe that
already closed its center to the traffic since 1966.
Siena, international place of culture, that boasts
of an University from 750 years and gives hospitality
to prestigious Institutes like the Chigiana Musical
Academy, the University for Foreigners, the Academy
of Fisiocritici and Intronati, seat of meetings and
congresses. The town, where every stone remained unchanged
during the centuries, where you can breath an atmosphere
that can be found nowhere else, because its people
kept their fathers' traditions alive, like those connected
with the Palio Feast, renewing them every year with
unchanged strength and enthusiasm.