Holiday apartment in Gallina – Via Francigena, culture and pasta festivals

Gallina developed as a pilgrim station at the point where the Via Cassia coincided with the old Via Francigena. This historic connection shapes the character of the village and makes Gallina an interesting destination for travelers who want to combine culture, trails and regional traditions.

Gallina between pilgrim history and historic sites

Historically, Gallina was known as Osteria della Scala. Near the Cassia lies the Le Briccole estate complex, about one kilometer south of Gallina, a hamlet of the municipality of Castiglione d’Orcia. The complex includes a small Romanesque church dedicated to San Pellegrino. Le Briccole is also considered to be Abricula, the eleventh station in the travel account of Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury. An old hospice, where Francis of Assisi spent the night, has been preserved beside the church.

La Scala near Gallina also tells the story of travel: the place was a Renaissance-era post station. In some of the agricultural buildings, former lodgings for travelers and pilgrims can still be identified. Casanova stayed in La Scala in 1770. La Scala near Gallina appears in Charles Dickens’ 1846 work “Pictures from Italy.”

Gallina’s parish church is Santa Maria dei Campi. It was built between the end of the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s.

Holiday apartment in Gallina for festivals and regional cuisine

Gallina also offers an opportunity to discover the culinary side of Val d’Orcia. Valdorcia in Fiera is an annual agricultural and food-related event in Gallina. It takes place on the third Saturday and Sunday in May. The festival includes the traditional “Passeggiata nel cuore della Valdorcia,” a walking route considered suitable for everyone.

The Sagra della pastasciutta valdorciana takes place in Gallina on the third weekend of August, from morning until evening. Pasta is offered in various shapes and colors. Local producers make it using raw ingredients from the hills of Val d’Orcia. The event also includes a fresh-pasta workshop where children and adults can learn to make handmade pasta under guidance.

Via Francigena and orientation around Gallina

Stage 36 of the Via Francigena from San Quirico to Radicofani is 32.5 kilometers long. Access to Gallina along the Via Francigena leads for about four to five kilometers along the Strada del Pozzo and offers a special view over the valley. At the Gallina station on this stage, water and cafés are available about 500 meters from the route along the Via Cassia. The different distance figures help you clearly distinguish between a longer stage and access to the village when planning your own route.

Gallina belongs to the municipal area of Castiglione d’Orcia. Its territory lies within the Parco della Valdorcia, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2, 2004.

For more travel ideas, you can also discover Siena, Torrita Di Siena, Badesse, Torri, Badiaccia A Montemuro, Bibbiano, Ponte A Tressa and Taverne D'arbia.

To the higher-level travel overview: Siena.