Pitigliano and surroundings
To say that Pitigliano is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy is no exaggeration.
But what makes this town truly unique is its millennial history. From the Etruscans to great Renaissance figures such as Niccolò III Orsini, from the Jewish presence attested as far back as the 16th century to the marks left by the Second World War: all in an exciting and unrepeatable landscape context. An incredible concentration of history and stories, of artistic and gastronomic suggestions with the historic village that in recent years has been able to renew itself with many new craft workshops and a great cultural liveliness.
In short, the right context to host a major exhibition such as Leonardo in Fortezza, which makes use of the beautiful rooms of the former Granaries of the Orsini Fortress, built precisely during Leonardo's time.
The advice, therefore, is to experience the town, discover its workshops and shops, do not miss the glimpses that can be glimpsed from every alleyway and small square in this village, and perhaps reflect on how much history these streets have seen.
If Pitigliano is unique, the same can be said of its surroundings: just outside the town is the network of the mysterious Vie Cave, real canyons dug into the tuff and scattered with necropolis and Etruscan remains.
Also recommended is a visit to the 'Alberto Manzi' Open-air Archaeological Museum with its educational reconstructions of protohistoric and Etruscan dwellings and the splendid Gradone and San Giovanni necropolis. A unique environment whose origins and functions historians continue to debate. Also not to be missed is the nearby village of Sovana (Municipality of Sorano), where the Etruscan remains are complemented by the beauty of the Cathedral of San Pietro dating back to the 7th-9th century.