Sovana is located on the tuff plateau overlooking the Fiora Valley, 95 km south-east of our flats in Via di Mezzo 2. It takes about 1 h 30′ by car to drive along the Aurelia road to Albinia and then the SR 74 “Maremmana”, passing through Manciano and Pitigliano before reaching the free car park at the entrance to the village.
Small and almost untouched, Sovana encompasses millennia of history amidst gilded tufa buildings, Etruscan necropolises and sacred art treasures. It is the birthplace of Pope Gregory VII and houses one of the best-preserved pre-Romanesque ciboriums in Italy, as well as urban views that have remained unchanged since the Renaissance.
What to see (highlights)
- Piazza del Pretorio – paved in brick, dominated by the Loggia del Capitano and the Palazzo dell’Archivio with nine coats of arms of the Sienese Captains of Justice.
- Church of Santa Maria Maggiore – houses the early Christian ciborium and 14th-century frescoes.
- Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (admission €2) – six-column crypt, late Gothic sarcophagus of Saint Mamiliano, nave lit by narrow single-lancet windows.
- Rocca Aldobrandesca – remains of the walls incorporated in the vegetation; panoramic viewpoint over the upper Maremma.
Experiences not to be missed
- Vie Cave Etrusche – canyons carved by hand into the rock: trekking in a mystical atmosphere; trail shoes recommended.
- Pastry shop “La Selva” – taste the ficantucci (biscuits with walnuts and figs to dip in aleatico passito).
- Triangle of Tufa – extend your visit with Pitigliano and Sorano: three sculpture-villages carved out of tufa in a single itinerary.
- Seasonal events
- Sacred music concerts and organic markets in summer.
- Nativity scenes in cellars dug into the tuff and candles lit along the alleys in December.
Practical Info
- Sovana is flat: ideal for visitors with reduced mobility.
- Free parking at the entrance to the village; combined ticket for museum + archaeological area available at the info-point in Piazza del Pretorio.
- Carry a pocket torch and water if travelling along the Vie Cave; mobile phones have a weak signal in the more recessed sections.
A tiny village capable of concentrating art, archaeology, flavours and views in just a few streets: the perfect excursion for a dip into the Tuscan Middle Ages before returning to the sea.
