The road continues along ridges with majestic views of the Tuscan countryside until we reach Torrenieri, with facilities.
“Torrenieri takes its name from a fortified outpost with a black (‘nero’) tower (‘torre’), either by virtue of having been built of dark stone or because the stone was blackened by fire. In 1452 Eleanor, Princess of Portugal, stayed here on her way to marry the emperor Federico III. Being on the Via Francigena, it is constantly traversed by pilgrims on their way to Rome. The diary of the travels of the Archbishop Sigeric from Canterbury describes the tower as having been a hostel from around the year 1,000 AD, but from the 12th-century became a private dwelling and later a castle. Dante may have stopped here during a trip to Rome. In the 14th-century several events in the town are recounted in the novel of the ninth day of the Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio. In the 18th-century census Torrenieri was described as “on the road from Siena to Rome, upon an easily accessible hill, entirely cultivated in vines and olives, the small castle of Torrenieri.”
From here one enters into the panoramic Val d’Orcia, following the ascent until reaching the stopping point at the church of San Quirico d’Orcia.For the next hour or so we follow the Strada Provinciale Celamonti ( SP137). This is a long, but gradual climb to a summit. Descending we should see the outline of San Quiricio on a ridge between two hills ahead.
Below are links to this beautiful town.
The accommodation for this evening is Hotel Palazzuolo, Via Santa Caterina, on the outskirts of the town. An 11 minute walk to Via Dante Alighieri, the way out of San Quirico.
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