{"id":7195,"date":"2023-12-12T20:25:48","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T19:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terredisacravillecottage.com\/?post_type=activity&p=7195"},"modified":"2026-04-28T16:37:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T14:37:52","slug":"cities-of-tuff-pitigliano-sorano-and-sovana","status":"publish","type":"activity","link":"https:\/\/terredisacravillecottage.com\/en\/activity\/cities-of-tuff-pitigliano-sorano-and-sovana\/","title":{"rendered":"Cities of Tuff: Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Cities of Tuff: Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n
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The Cities of Tuff are located at the south-eastern borders of Grosseto\u2019s province and they include Sorano,\u00a0Pitigliano\u00a0and Sovana municipalities.\n<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n \n
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Geographically the area is defined by Monte Amiata and the borders with Lazio and stretches to the hills of Albegna and Fiora rivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole area is characterized by tuffaceous\nrocks that are an evident part of the landscape and its buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What first strikes travelers here is that time seems to stand still<\/strong>. Perched on\nsteep hills in shades of sand color, the Cities of Tuff are a one-hour drive\nfrom Terre di Sacra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the territory is made of hills with\nthe exception of Monte Amiata, an inactive volcano and involuntary tuff maker. During\nhot summer days, climbing up the the Cities of Tuff\u2019s hills is a pleasant and\nrefreshing experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuff is the most\ncharacterizing feature of the entire area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This territory is characterized by huge jagged\ntuff spurs with caves dug into the rock that were once inhabited and still used\ntoday as storehouses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of this part of Maremma is\nprofoundly bound to the presence of tuff. Over the ages, this material has enabled\nprehistoric, Etruscan and medieval people to exploit and mold the territory,\nbuilding necropolis, cutting rock to create roads, digging it to make houses,\ngraves and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuff is characterized by being a relatively\n\u2018soft\u2019 rock to dig: that\u2019s why ancient people could use this material to erect\nbuildings stronger than wooden ones. When exposed to air, tuff becomes more\nsolid: this makes it possible to heighten buildings and extend their depth\nwithout structural risks. Such feature is reflected in the Cities of Tuff<\/strong>, where houses lean on each other making them appear\nas one with rock spurs underneath. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitigliano, a.k.a.\nLittle Jerusalem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Legend has it that two young Romans,\nCeliano and Petilio, had stolen Jupiter\u2019s golden crown. To escape the King of\nthe Gods\u2019 rage they sought refuge in this area\u2019s countryside, founding the city\nthat was named after Petiliano and later became, over the following centuries,\nPitigliano.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitigliano\u2019s\nhistory is actually older than what is told by the legend<\/strong>. There is evidence that the territory had been inhabited since the Neolithic\nAge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Etruscans mark the real beginning of\nthis small Tuscan city\u2019s history building the famous Vie Cave, ways of\ncommunication and defense excavated by hand from the tuffaceous rock. Not to be\nmissed is a tour of the Etruscan\nnecropolis<\/strong> and the fascinating surrounding archeological park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitigliano has been called Little Jerusalem<\/em> because it has been\ngiving hospitality to a large Jewish community since the sixteenth century. You\ncan still see the Ghetto and the Synagogue. Pitigliano is one of the most\nfascinating historical villages in Italy and a destination you cannot miss\nduring your cultural holiday in Maremma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Medieval town of Pitigliano at sunset, Tuscany, Italy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sorano and Sovana between\nlight and shadows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sorano, and its smaller frazione (subdivision)\nSovana, are part of the Cities of Tuff district. They are both wonderful villages excavated from the rock\nof tuffaceous hills<\/strong>. Their history reflects that of borderline cities between\nRome, Siena and Florence: subject to disputes, fights, conquests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes them famous nowadays are the\nimpressive ancient ruins of Etruscan necropolis which attract thousands of\ntravelers every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, the necropolis of Sovana<\/strong> can be visited with children thanks to easy itineraries\nand guides who can be reserved in advance. Roads crossing the necropolis and\nbuildings still visible in the present time are well known for their beauty and\nuniqueness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sovana is also known for the production of a delicious D.O.C. wine, red and ros\u00e9. Food and wine tradition is worth a journey to the Cities of Tuff.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Geographically the area is defined by Monte Amiata and the borders with Lazio and stretches to the hills of Albegna and Fiora rivers. The whole area is characterized by tuffaceous rocks that are an evident part of the landscape and its buildings. What first strikes travelers here is that time seems to stand still. Perched […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2206,"menu_order":0,"template":"","activity_type":[368],"class_list":["post-7195","activity","type-activity","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","activity_type-culture"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t