Val di Merse

The Val di Merse area is spread through the woods and the pastures of the “metal hills“. It's crossed by two old roads, the Maremmana and the Cassia. In the west zone of Siena there are the medieval villages of Chiusdino, Monticiano, Murlo and Sovicille. This part of the Val di Merse is very famous for the San Galgano Abbey, one of the most important religious buildings in Gothic-Cistercian style; moreover you can find the Etruscan museum of Murlo and the Santa Mustiola Abbey in Rosia. Along the Merse river there are the old thermal baths of Petriolo, the Pope Pio IX's favourite. About the local products, in addiction to the cinta senese, there are the “acqua cotta” (a mushrooms soup) and the “minestraccia” (a special dish with beans).