Cycling on the roads of the Valdichiana Senese, between urban and rural
Valdichiana is for cyclists a land of gravel, but the road routes also offer surprises. Between urban and rural, this route starts from Montepulciano, specifically from the Poggiofanti gardens, under the walls that encircle the historic town center. We start riding our bikes in the direction of the San Biagio crossroads, first skirting the walls and then riding along via di San Pietro, enjoying a vast landscape of the surroundings of the village.
When we reach the junction, we proceed straight ahead in the direction of Pienza, following Provincial Road 146 of Chianciano. At the 21st kilometer of the route we turn right onto the secondary road Valdichiana. This is a very tight curve, which you should pay close attention to. We leave the territory of Montepulciano to enter the municipality of Torrita di Siena, cycling in the direction of the hamlet of Montefollonico, which is only 5 kilometers away. The landscape here is characterized by gentle hills and olive trees dotting the sides of the road.
At the first junction we turn right onto Via del Giglio. We skirt the parco del Tondo, a charming grove of holm oaks and cypresses arranged in a circular shape. Turning right again, we take Via Giuseppe Rotelli and then the strada dei Colli, remaining at the foot of the medieval village of Montefollonico, a true jewel between the Valdichiana and the Val d'Orcia.
Continuing on the strada dei Colli, at the fork we come to after about 4.5 kilometers, we turn left and enter via di Torrita. The long stretch of road that follows puts us in front of a challenging climb, but in the background we will have a beautiful hilly landscape. After 4 kilometers we arrive at the junction of Provincial Road 135 and turn slightly left to take Via di Ciliano. Having tackled the last uphill stretch, we reach via Traversa Valdichiana Ovest and find ourselves just outside the delightful historic town center of Torrita di Siena, whose buildings soar above us.
We pass through the entire town center and head toward Sinalunga along the Siena-Bettolle state road. The flat route reveals to us the agricultural vocation of the Valdichiana Senese that here, in the home of the Chianina, is stronger than elsewhere. We will encounter historic farms, such as La Fratta and L'Amorosa, which tell the story of Sinalunga and its countryside.
We leave the Siena-Bettolle and continue on the Lauretana provincial road, turning left at the junction with provincial road 38. A few more pushes on the pedals and we’ll find ourselves in the municipality of Trequanda, on a long stretch of road completely surrounded by nature. Approaching the town, we immediately catch sight of the Rocca (Fortress), which introduces the historic center. We continue and take provincial road 38 again.
From Trequanda we descend again toward Torrita di Siena. When we reach Palazzolo, we retrace for a few kilometers the road we took initially which, through provincial road 15, crosses the Valdichiana and takes us back to Montepulciano. At the junction of San Biagio, we make one last detour to the left to enjoy one of the highlights of the route. The temple of San Biagio, a Renaissance masterpiece, is located at the end of a charming avenue surrounded on both sides by cypress trees. There will be time to stop and take a few photos before we turn onto Via dei Canneti and reach Poggiofanti garden again.