If you trace the most-travelled tourist routes in Tuscany on a map, the Val d’Elsa appears as an anomaly: a territory passed through by everyone, but explored by few. Tourists drive or take the train from Florence to Siena (or vice versa), with San Gimignano as their only planned stop.
Yet the Val d’Elsa is one of the most interesting and best-preserved areas in Tuscany - and also one of the least crowded.
The Val d’Elsa: between Siena and Florence, off the radar
The Val d’Elsa takes its name from the Elsa river, a tributary of the Arno that rises in the hills between Siena and Florence and flows northward for about 60 kilometres. The valley that forms around the river is not spectacular in the dramatic sense of the Val d’Orcia - it has no rows of cypresses or golden hills - but it has a more understated and perhaps more authentic character.
It is a valley where history has settled over centuries without major interruption: medieval villages, Romanesque parish churches, olive groves and vineyards dating back to the Middle Ages. The Via Francigena crosses the valley from north to south, the same road once walked by medieval pilgrims.
Hotel Alcide in Poggibonsi sits at the heart of this territory, and since 1849 the Ancillotti family has been an integral part of this community.
The towns of the Val d’Elsa: a map of the villages
The Val d’Elsa encompasses several municipalities, each with its own identity:
Poggibonsi: the largest town, with around 30,000 inhabitants. The commercial and industrial centre of the valley, but also home to the Fortezza Medicea and the ideal starting point for exploring the territory.
Colle Val d’Elsa: 20,000 inhabitants, crystal capital of the world. Colle Alta, the medieval village in red brick, is one of the best-preserved historic centres in Tuscany.
San Gimignano: the village of 14 towers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the most visited town in the Val d’Elsa. 12 km from Poggibonsi.
Certaldo: the birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio. Certaldo Alto, built in red brick on a hilltop, is less well known than San Gimignano but has a genuine charm.
Barberino Tavarnelle: after the merger of Barberino Val d’Elsa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, this municipality sits on the border between the Val d’Elsa and the Chianti. A land of quality wine and oil.
Castelfiorentino: at the northern end of the valley, near the Arno. It preserves a Museo Civico with works by Benozzo Gozzoli.
The Elsa river: landscapes and nature
The Elsa river has a distinctive chemical characteristic: its water is rich in calcium carbonate. This means that in the stretch between Colle Val d’Elsa and Poggibonsi, the river creates natural travertine deposits, with small waterfalls and interesting mineral formations.
Alongside the river there are cycle paths and walking trails that allow visitors to explore sections of the valley away from the SS2 main road. They are not yet developed as formal tourist routes, but are used by locals for walks and cycling.
The riparian vegetation consists of poplars, willows and alders; in the pools one can find herons, moorhens and swallows.
Local products: oil, wine, crystal
The Val d’Elsa produces three recognisable specialities:
Extra-virgin olive oil: the valley falls within the production zone for DOP Chianti Classico olive oil and DOP Toscano olive oil. The dominant cultivars are Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino. Harvest takes place in October-November.
Wine: the eastern part of the Val d’Elsa, towards the Chianti, produces Chianti Classico DOCG. The western part, around San Gimignano, produces Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. The wines of this territory are among the most recognised in Tuscany.
Crystal: the industrial production of Colle Val d’Elsa crystal glass is an Italian excellence in the decorative glassware sector. From its factories come glasses, chandeliers and objects sold around the world.
The Via Francigena in the Val d’Elsa
The Via Francigena, the medieval pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, crosses the Val d’Elsa from north to south. The Tuscan stretch is one of the most beautiful and best-signposted.
From Siena heading north, the route passes through Ponte d’Arbia, Monteroni d’Arbia, enters the Val d’Elsa area, then continues towards Siena and on through the valley.
The stretch passing through Poggibonsi is well documented: the town was an obligatory stop for medieval pilgrims, who found hospitals, convents and places of rest there.
Today it is possible to walk or cycle sections of the Via Francigena. The Siena-Poggibonsi stretch is well signposted and walkable in 2-3 days on foot.
Why the Val d’Elsa is authentic Tuscany
The Val d’Elsa does not appear on the covers of travel magazines. It does not have those iconic landscapes - rows of cypresses on a hillside, golden vineyards in autumn - that have become the stereotypical image of Tuscany.
It has something more difficult to photograph: the authenticity of a territory that is still lived in, where villages are not medieval theme parks but real communities, where oil and wine and crystal are produced as they have been for centuries.
The Val d’Elsa does not appear on the covers of travel magazines. It does not have the iconic landscapes. It has something more difficult to photograph: the authenticity of a territory that is still lived in, where villages are not medieval theme parks but real communities.
This is Tuscany for those who want to understand it, not just photograph it.
Planning a trip to Tuscany?
Hotel Alcide is in Poggibonsi, in the heart of the Val d’Elsa.
25 km from Siena, 12 from San Gimignano, in the heart of Chianti.
The Ancillotti family has welcomed guests here since 1849.
