Holiday apartment in Piazze – Landscape, History and Bico

A holiday apartment in Piazze may be of interest if you would like to combine landscape, local history and regional cuisine in a small Tuscan destination. Piazze lies to the southeast on the slopes of Monte Cetona. Piazza Vittorio Veneto is considered the conceptual centre of the main settlement and provides a prominent reference point for finding your way around the town.

Holiday apartment in Piazze between the square and local history

Piazza Vittorio Veneto is home to the Monumento ai Caduti della Prima Guerra Mondiale. Raffaello Romanelli created the monument, which was inaugurated in 1924 and is made of engraved and dressed travertine. It is freely accessible and has no architectural barriers. In this way, this particular place combines design, remembrance and an uncomplicated stay in a public space.

The Chiesa di San Lazzaro dates from the 16th century and was closed for religious purposes in 1962. The main altar features a large 17th-century canvas depicting the Resurrection of Saint Lazarus. The Cappella di San Giuseppe al Tamburino was also built in the first decades of the 16th century, possibly as a votive offering on the occasion of an epidemic.

The first records of Piazze date from the 16th century. At that time, the area and the chapel fell under the jurisdiction of Castello di Camporsevoli. Camporsevoli is a fortified village a few kilometres from Piazze. On the road there, the paved section becomes an unpaved road after a few kilometres and climbs a steep hill lined with cypresses. A few sections of the old castle walls and the entrance gate are still visible.

Discover culture and regional cuisine

The history of the Banda Comunale “Arturo Toscanini” is also linked to Piazze. In February 1932, Arturo Toscanini came to Piazze, where he was treated by the local doctor Alberto Rinaldi. In 1934, under the direction of Maestro Caporaletti, a school was established to found the Banda Comunale “Arturo Toscanini”. The band gave its first official performance on 22 November 1935.

A culinary speciality is Bico di Piazze, a traditional unleavened food made from water, wheat flour and a little salt. It is baked without yeast on the hearth under the ashes produced by a large amount of burning wood. For several years, Piazze has hosted the Sagra del Bico from the end of June to the beginning of July over two weekends; during the festival, the town’s historic cooks prepare Bico. The Sagra del Bico di Piazze is also linked to the summer events in Cetona and celebrates the local gastronomic tradition.

The à la carte menu at Osteria da Rinaldi offers Tuscan dishes prepared with local and seasonal ingredients. Another accommodation option in the heart of Piazze is Locanda Toscanini, a boutique B&B with just eight rooms. When choosing a holiday apartment in Piazze, you can therefore focus on different aspects of your trip: squares and buildings, local cuisine or the landscape on the slopes of Monte Cetona.

Routes and trip planning

The Itinerario dei colli di Piazze is designated as an 8.3-kilometre route. When comparing different travel ideas, you can use this distance as factual guidance for your planning without associating the route with any particular accessibility or use. Piazze therefore offers themes for different days of your holiday, while the historic sites and gastronomic connections provide specific points of reference when choosing accommodation.

More destinations for planning your trip

If you would like to consider other places in addition to Piazze, you can find Radda / Chianti, Castiglione D'orcia, Montepulciano, Ponte A Tressa, Sovicille, Valiano, Sarteano and Monteroni D'arbia here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Siena.