Ciciano: Village Structure, Palla Eh! and Mountains

Ciciano combines its village structure with the folk game Palla Eh!; the surrounding area is home to ruins, castles and mountains.

Ciciano between the square and the village sections

Since ancient times, Ciciano has consisted of Capociciano, which extends uphill from the present-day square, and Piediciciano, which extends downhill from the present-day square. The present-day square is the common point of reference for both descriptions. Uphill and downhill refer to movement from the square through the village. These two directions form part of Ciciano’s spatial description.

Places worth visiting in the village

Places worth visiting in Ciciano include the Pieve di Santa Maria and the Oratorio della Compagnia di San Carlo Borromeo. The Pieve and the Oratorio thus stand alongside Capociciano and Piediciciano as independent destinations within the village. Unlike the ruins and castles, they are located in the village itself.

Palla Eh!, tournament and Ciaccino

Palla Eh! is a folk game of Roman origin that has been played in Ciciano since time immemorial. It is played in the streets of Ciciano. Traditionally, the Palla Eh! tournament takes place in Ciciano on the first weekend of August. In Ciciano, the Sagra del Ciaccino is linked to the traditional Palla Eh! tournament on the same weekend. Ciaccino is a type of focaccia traditionally baked in wood-fired ovens. As part of the festival, Palla Eh!, played in the streets, and the focaccia variety Ciaccino, baked in wood-fired ovens, come together. The first weekend of August provides the specific timeframe for this in Ciciano. The local tradition thus extends from the game’s Roman origins to the traditional preparation of the focaccia variety; the festival weekend brings both themes together.

Ruins and castles in the surrounding area

The ruins of Canonica di San Nicolò a Montieri and the ruins of the Abbey of San Galgano are located in the area surrounding Ciciano. The Castiglion Che Dio Sol Sa castle and Castello di Montarrenti castle are also located in the surrounding area. The combination of ruins and castles broadens the cultural perspective beyond the village itself. All four are located in the area surrounding Ciciano.

Mountains around Ciciano

The surrounding area also offers several mountains. Poggio Montecchi and Poggio le Soline are located in the immediate vicinity of Ciciano. Poggio di Montieri and Poggio del Casino are located in the area surrounding Ciciano. Thus, two names explicitly refer to the immediate vicinity, while two others refer to the surrounding area. This distinction helps with spatial orientation: Poggio Montecchi and Poggio le Soline form the closer landscape reference, while Poggio di Montieri and Poggio del Casino represent the broader one. For considering the landscape, the spatial reference extends from the immediate vicinity to the area surrounding Ciciano.

More destinations for planning your trip

More destinations for planning your trip: Frosini, Montalcinello, Frassini, San Giusto.

To the higher-level travel overview: Chiusdino.