haps the most beautiful and well-
known area in Italy.
Small jewels such as the church of
San Giusto in Porcari or the historic
centre of Altopascio and then we
entered the Florentine countryside
among vineyards and olive trees, in
a territory that sees a gentle decline
in the intensity of colours, instead in-
credible variants of the same colours.
Riding along the SP15 we soon
come across Ponte Cappiano and
then Fucecchio, a beautiful village
that looks toward the Arno and is a
must stop for pilgrims who passed
here. Like those before us we see the
tower of Frederick II that greets all
from the hill at the entrance to San
Miniato. There’s a beauty in that San
Miniato has kept its medieval roots.
We follow the SP4 on an enchanted
ride to a village that is without doubt
one of the worlds most beautiful.
There’s no hyperbole in decsribing
San Gimignano as a truly magical
place without equal anywhere in
Europe. It has an urban plan that was
layed out in the 12th and 13th centu-
ries and remains mostly intact, it is
protected as a Unesco World Heritage
Site.
Continuing the descent towards
Siena, crossing the little Strove with
its Romanesque church and then to
TRAVERSE 63
Abbadia in Isola with its entralling
village. And what about Monterig-
gioni who rises, unique and splendid,
not far on a hill with its mighty walls
built by the Sienas in 1200.
Siena, more than 20 kilometres
behind on the provincial 101 it’s hard
not to think about the inscription
on the entry into Siena of Ferdinand
l de’ Medici on the Porta Camolia;
“Cor magis tibi Sena pandit” – Siena
opens a bigger heart (of the door you
are going through). Siena opens your
heart and not only that, she steals
your soul.
From Piazza del Campo the pil-
grims take up the Via Francigena to