Val di Chiana
Between the provinces of Arezzo and Siena, the Val di Chiana is a vast agricultural basin with a flat valley floor and rolling hil...
Ενημερώθηκε στις 20 Ιουλίου 2026
Val di Chiana
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Η ιστορία
Η ιστορία του/της Val di Chiana
A territory between Arezzo and Siena
The Val di Chiana is the large valley that stretches between the provinces of Arezzo and Siena, bordering Umbria, along the course of the Chiana river. It is an unusually flat valley floor by Tuscan standards, surrounded by hills cultivated with vineyards, olive groves, and arable land. The territory includes municipalities such as Cortona, Castiglion Fiorentino, and Foiano della Chiana on the Arezzo side, and Montepulciano, Chiusi, Sinalunga, and Chianciano Terme on the Siena side. This pivotal position between Tuscany and Umbria has always made the valley an important corridor for connection and commercial and cultural exchange.
History and identity: from the Etruscans to land reclamation
Populated since the Etruscan era, when cities like Chiusi and Cortona were centers of primary importance of the Etruscan dodecapolis, the valley preserves necropolises, tombs, and valuable artifacts, today housed in local archaeological museums. In Roman and then medieval times, the valley floor was largely occupied by marshes and swamps, reclaimed only from the 16th century onwards with hydraulic works that continued until the 19th century, leading to the curious peculiarity of the Chiana River: its waters, once stagnant, now flow partly towards the Arno and partly towards the Tiber, marking a unique watershed in Italy.
Landscape and nature of the valley floor
The landscape of the Val di Chiana alternates between agricultural plains, dotted with rows of vines and cypresses, and hilly reliefs that rise towards Cortona and Montepulciano, offering wide panoramas of the valley below. The surviving wetland areas from the reclamation, such as Lake Montepulciano and Lake Chiusi, are now protected areas and significant nature oases for birdwatching, frequented by herons, Italian knights, and numerous migratory species. The agricultural landscape, recognized for its historical-cultural value, alternates cereal crops, vineyards of Nobile and Chianti dei Colli Senesi wines, and pastures where traditional white Chianina cattle are raised.
The villages and main places to see
Cortona, perched on a spur overlooking the valley, preserves Etruscan walls, the Museum of the Etruscan Academy, and works by Luca Signorelli, as well as literary fame linked to Under the Tuscan Sun. Montepulciano, a Renaissance city home to Vino Nobile, surprises with Piazza Grande, the Palazzo Comunale, and cellars dug into the tuff. Chiusi houses one of the most important Etruscan museums in Italy and a network of underground tombs and tunnels. Castiglion Fiorentino, Sinalunga, and Foiano della Chiana, the latter known for one of the oldest carnivals in Italy, complete a mosaic of historic centers, while Lucignano amazes with its rare concentric urban plan.
Food and local traditions
The Val di Chiana is home to Chianina IGP beef, the white cattle breed at the base of the famous steak, a star of festivals and restaurants throughout the valley. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, one of the first Italian wines to receive the highest recognition, is paired with Rosso di Montepulciano and wines from the Colli Senesi, while local extra virgin olive oil accompanies typical bread, cured meats, and legumes. In Chianciano Terme, the thermal waters, known since Roman times, offer another reason to stay linked to well-being, completing an offer that combines food, wine, and personal care in a single territory.
Not to be missed
- The historic centre of Cortona and the Etruscan Academy Museum
- Piazza Grande and the historic wine cellars of Montepulciano
- The National Etruscan Museum and underground tombs of Chiusi
- The nature reserves of Lake Montepulciano and Lake Chiusi
- A Vino Nobile tasting paired with a Chianina beef steak
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