Farnetella amid olive groves, history and ancient paths

Farnetella on the hill

Farnetella lies on a hill surrounded by numerous olive groves and vineyards. The original settlement stood on Castelvecchio hill, above the present-day village. Those exploring Farnetella therefore encounter not only the village as it is today, but also traces of an older settlement core.

Church, walls and public fountains

The local architectural and cultural heritage includes the Chiesa della Compagnia di Santa Croce, which dates back to the 16th century. Traces of the surrounding walls are also visible in Farnetella; in the southeast, part of a semicircular defensive tower has been preserved. Two public fountains complete this picture of historic daily life: one is located in the Fonti Vecchie woodland, while the other stands on the road to the cemetery. The second fountain consists of two basins beneath two round arches built of red brick and was formerly used for washing and rinsing.

Ancient hills and paths through the forest

The Castelvecchio path crosses the ancient hill where Farnetella stood until around 1295. Another path, Il Romitorio, leads through the forests of Farnetella to the Eremo del Frate Alessio. The paths around the village run both along paved sections and through the forest. For your planning, the differing character of these routes is important: in addition to paved passages, forest sections are also part of the local network of paths. There is no organisation that guarantees the safety and continuous accessibility of the paths; moreover, they are either not signposted or only partially signposted.

Infiorata di Farnetella

A special cultural landmark is the Infiorata di Farnetella. The form and scale in which it is known today have been documented in photographs since the 1920s. During the Infiorata, floral images and carpets made from flowers, seeds and leaves that grow wild in the surrounding forests are created in the village streets.

Romitorio and religious tradition

In the surroundings of Farnetella, Romitorio hill is a stop every year on the Good Friday procession that visits the seven churches. The remains of the former structure are preserved at Romitorio, although they are in very poor condition.

Farnetella on a guided tour

A guided tour of Farnetella lasts around one and a half hours and includes the surviving towers and the remaining section of the surrounding wall. Together with the Castelvecchio path, the Il Romitorio forest path, the Chiesa della Compagnia di Santa Croce and the public fountains, this creates a village tour that brings together history, landscape and local culture.

Discover more places in the surrounding area

If you would like to expand your bearings in this part of the destination, here you will find the directly associated places Bettolle, Rigomagno and Bisciano.

For the overview of the wider area: Sinalunga.